[Lexicon78]

I thought since a lot of us were very into the MySpace/predator thread that I should post this. It's from an article in my local paper...I'll include the link at the bottom of this post...

Location doesn't matter to predators
By HEATHER LESKANIC

Clarion Area junior high students get lesson in cyberspace protection.

CLARION - Small town or big city - the location isn't going to matter to an online predator stalking school-age students.

"I want you to be more aware and safer," PASSAGES Inc. prevention educator Malissa Martino told a group of eighth-grade students at Clarion Area High School. PASSAGES is a non-profit sexual violence agency in Clarion, Clearfield, and Jefferson counties that offers free and confidential counseling services and legal and medical advocacy. Prevention and educational programs are provided to area schools and throughout the communities.

Martino's program, "Chatting with Danger," appeared to hit home for many of the students who use the Internet every day.

Personal information that a student may post in cyberspace "can lead an online predator right to your doorstep," Martino said.

Some of the students said they have already had bad experiences with someone they chatted with online.

One girl said she had to cancel her MySpace account because of a situation.

Students described spending between one and four hours a day on the computer.

And that use is likely to increase over the summer as teen-agers have more free time.

The students said they use the Internet mainly to stay in touch with their friends and meet new people.

And half said they have chatted in cyberspace with people they don't know.

"You're not thinking anything bad is going to happen to you," Martino said. "You feel safe because you're at home."

Knowing the risks

Martino said students ages 13 to 15 are most at risk of being stalked by an online predator.

She also spoke with students in seventh-grade classes.

It is important to remember that people are not always who they seem to be online, she said.

Google is a favorite for predators, she said.

"I was on some of your MySpace profiles," said Martino.

She said she had created her own profile using a photo of a 17-year-old girl.

"I made that me," she said. "Pictures are not a good judge of who you are talking to. Who else is out there doing that?"

"Can you ever be 100 percent sure of the person you're talking to?" she asked. "No."

Martino said many of the students had personal information listed on their profiles.

A phone number is just like giving out a home address, she said, because it can be a tracking tool.

Posting pictures "make it that much easier for them to find victims," Martino said.

"Is it worth putting yourself and everyone you know at risk?" she said. "You are not only putting information out about yourself, but everyone in your house."

Martino advises students to keep their personal information private and to remove the photos.

She also asked them to set their profiles to private and not to talk to strangers online.

High school principal Todd MacBeth said more and more parents are asking him what they need to know to keep their children safe online.

He said the school is planning to offer a similar Internet safety program for parents this fall.

"This is information they may need," he said.

Many people think of computers as the only way to get online, but it's possible to reach into cyberspace from other devices including cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, and even video-game consoles.

General risks when communicating in cyberspace are situations and behaviors that make you feel uncomfortable; putting yourself in physical danger; giving up privacy or putting yourself or your family in financial risk; harassment and bullying; and hurting others and getting into trouble.

Not everything that can go wrong in cyberspace necessarily puts an individual in physical danger.

There are chatrooms, newsgroups, web sites, and other places online containing material that could make you feel uncomfortable, according to Teen Safety on the Information Highway.

The document is produced by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the MASTER Teacher.

"Teens have been bullied, harassed, or 'hit on' by others while in chatrooms, instant messaging sessions, or on their cellular telephones," it says. "Sometimes the people responsible for this inappropriate behavior are fellow teens or young adults, but that doesn't make it OK. At other times, it can be older adults posing as teen-agers. Either way, no one should have to put up with rudeness or unwanted sexual banter."

Growing concerns

Martino said the issue is all over the news "because it's happening more and more and more."

She discussed an investigative program produced by Dateline NBC where more than 100 men showed up in a rural Ohio town after communicating online with someone posing as a 14-year-old girl.

"Some drove two to three hours to get there," Martino said.

And, she said, a Texas girl was approached by a 49-year-old man while she was playing on her softball team because she'd told him her jersey number while chatting online.

"That's how easy it is for someone to find you," Martino said."Fortunately nothing happened to her."

Closer to home, she said, a girl in the DuBois area was assaulted last year as a result of Internet communications.

MacBeth said the parent program will also encourage discussions about Internet use with children.

Experts say it's important that students and their parents are on the same page when it comes to online activities - an agreement based on mutual trust and understanding.

It's a learning experience for everyone, said teacher Dave Constantino.

"We didn't have this when we were young," he said.

(oh I forgot to say this is a Northwestern, PA newspaper for those of you interested)

http://www.thederrick.com/stories/05312006-3006.shtml

[jbug]

Wow what a good article. I am seriously thinking about deleting my myspace account mainly because I never use it and keep getting skanky people wanting me to be on their buddy list. I only add people I know from here. I am thinking about deleting it though.

Jbug

Yup I agree with this article. as a matter of fact when anyone anywhere be it in chat rooms, on line support groups message boards and pm's and someone asks me where I am and tells me they are in such and such city and such and such state I let them know in no and if's or buts way that I DO NOT give out my whereabouts or any personal info that will lead to my specific whereabouts.

When on line you don't know who you are talking to - male can be female, female can be male, adult can be child, child can be adult, a child molestor can appear to be the most upstanding person on this earth. We can be talking with a stranger or even our real life neighbors,family members, bosses, friends, doctors lawyers, DHS, therapists you name it and not know it. Don't mean to dredge up bad thoughts but this site has proven recently just where revieling personal info on line can lead even on the most secure on line support group I have ever encountered in my 5 year history of being in on line support groups.

Those that know me in real life that I want to know what on line support groups I am a member of such as my therapist, my famly physician and a couple friends know I am here and how to find me and what I write about. Other then that as a friend and I was discussing this past week someone wants to know where I am well I can be somewhere over the rainbow, I can be in never never land, I can be riding the La La Land Express or as my friend told me she knows someone who's location is in a box under her bed. I personally love to read the "locations" under peoples names and avitars here. Some are so fantastic and original. Be safe everyone.

[Rhapsody]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

What can I say but that MySpace needs to be put out of its misery and for good.... I just learned today that while my 14 year old niece was missing last week that she was in the company of a much older man that she had hooked up with on MySpace.... well the hell with that website and the hell with freedom of speech.

NOW - please don't start with ME that your niece should not have been on there and that she knew what she was doing.... for in my mind a thirty year old man knew right from the start (heck, before he even started) that this was all wrong and dirty...... dang, right out SICK!!

I am MAD and I would destroy this website in a second if I could....


LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[Lexicon78]

Yes, exactly, that guy knew exactly what he was doing. I'm not gonna say anything about your neice.

What I will say is that we can't blame MySpace and others like it. We need to put blame where it belongs...on those adults who are going out and looking for people like your neice.

I think that MySpace is being used as something it wasn't intended for. I'm sure it started out as a site for people to reach out to others or keep in contact with friends/relatives across great distances, but it is being used as a breeding ground for victimization.

MySpace is just like other sites, but has more popularity than most. I'm sure if an older man came on this site and over months to years befriended one of our younger members and did the same thing as what's going on in MySpace and it's sister sites, then this site would be profiled, too. And we don't even know what goes on when people exchange emails in PM's or whatever.

I dunno...just can't say it's all because of MySpace that this happened.

[Rhapsody]

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I dunno...just can't say it's all because of MySpace that this happened.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I know what you are saying..... (and) yet I have done some investigation of my own on MySpace and they are a Free Host (meaning no supervision, filters or rules) - therefore meaning any thing goes and is allowed on this site.... so YES - they are responsible!!!! - along with the perverted adults that go there seeking young ones.

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[Maven]

No they're not responsible, and I'm sick of people who are willing to give up all our freedoms, thinking that will keep children safe. The hell it will! Predators and pedophiles can get to children without the Internet. Parents need to watch when their kids are online. They need to know what information their kids are putting online. If you're watching, and someone IM's your child, you'll know! MySpace can't know who's going to contact whom, and not every pervert has a record, so they can't even do a background check on everyone and accurately prevent them all. MySpace is just the biggest and most popular, but there are a lot more out there.

Any service can be misused. Any tool can be used for good or for evil. You hurt the good when you try to remove the service or tool to get rid of the evil, and the evil will still be around.

It isn't just community sites. If you have a website and own your own domain name, unless you use a company that lets you hide your information using theirs instead, your ownership records are there for anyone to look up! If you post a family site with photos, you don't know who's looking at them. Your address and phone might be obtainable through online white pages. If someone pays for it, they can get a lot of information on you, legally.

There are phone party lines where predators might meet kids. A kid might give the person info over the phone.

I had a couple of pen pal ads in teen magazines like Bop and Tiger Beat (are they still around?) when I was a teen. Some of the people who responded to me were men seeking sex (and I mean adult men) and men in prison! Some even sent explicit photos.

The thing about places like MySpace is, we can use it as a tool to catch these guys. Parents need to be vigilant, and people who find guys (or women) doing stuff like this need to report them.

In a related news report last night, they talked with Mary Kay Latourneau (spelling?) and the boy, now a man, whom she'd had sex with while he was a minor and is now married to. They seem happy, but it's disgusting to me.

[Rhapsody]

I do not believe that MySpace is how it is because it is so popular.... for this site has almost 10,000 members in it and we do not have those types of problems (or any similar ones of hate & smut) and why because the people that made it and run it _Care.... they monitor it well.... as well as other sites / forums that I belong to and they have even more members on it to keep an eye on.

BTW - I am assuming that a lot of the difference in the opinions here has a lot to do with AGE.... those that are in their early to late twenties and still believing in FREEDOM at all cost - - come back in 20 years and then tell me if you feel the same way.... there is just something about living and learning that changes that of a young person thoughts, those that were once free and without care become more defined and considerate.

FOR MAVEN - ((((((( HUGS ))))))) ~ ~ ((((((( HUGS )))))))
What can I say? - but...
Me and You will just have to agree to disagree here - - fair enough?


LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[mlyn]

Location does not matter to predators but they now have wider ground to get their prey on line. When I was growing up I wish my parents knew something of predators let alone on line. Known trusting ppl were predators why not stop those on line?
mlyn

[Maven]

Oh, no, I'm not saying the Internet doesn't give predators more opportunity to get to kids. Don't misunderstand me. I'm just saying kids won't be safe just because you get rid of MySpace or the Internet.

RHAPSODY, I guess you're right...we'll have to agree to disagree. But I will say I don't think people who aren't hurting kids should lose out on tools and resources because there are bad people misusing it. {{{{HUGS}}}}

I'm not just talking about pedophiles and sexual predators, but many valuable tools and services that help people are misused by some: Children's services, the courts, 911, welfare, telephones, cameras, television, the police, religion, schools, positions of power, etc. Pedophiles often get jobs as teachers, priests, scout leaders, etc., in order to get access to children, and earn their trust. Should we eliminate all those positions, because some bad people use them?

Just making a point.

Oh, and another thing...I've been out of my 20's for quite some time, and have always believed freedom is one of the most important things people need. I believe in freedom as much as possible, as long as it doesn't infringe on someone else's rights.

[Lexicon78]

I think it's just wrong to try to separate people based on their age. Sorry, but that's discrimination.

[Rhapsody]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Lexicon78 said:
I think it's just wrong to try to separate people based on their age. Sorry, but that's discrimination.

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I really do not see this as a issue of separation or discrimination.... but rather just the plain FACT's - for life and experience has a way of changing a person and helping them mature beyond any understanding.... hence the old saying - - - - If I only knew then what I know now?

> > > > > > > > > > > PeAcE


LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[walkswithspiritbear]

Wow the article was awesome as I do worry about my own granddaughters though I know they are watched rather closely at home, but then what about when they are elsewhere? It scares me.... I have not even checked out myspace as yet and probably never will as I have yet to here anything good about it... so if or when I get there I will make a decision then... I just don't know what to do about a site like that myself.. as there are so many others, if not there then it will be somewhere else... again I guess it is the parent's responsiblity to teach their children the correct way to use the internet and all..... parents unfortunately from what I see too much of are just letting their kids get away with just about everything...... video games and internet are the new babysitters,,and it scares the heck out of me because what will these children grow up thinking of this world.... oh well now that I have just rambled on and am not sure if I have made any sense at all.. it is time to stop.... thanks for the article which I will pass along to my daughter...Linda

[Maven]

I love MySpace! I have complaints about it (besides the predator issue), like some people don't know what bulletins are for, posting what I call "junk" frequently; stuff like "Repost this message and you'll get 16,000 friends!" and poems. Poems are nice, but I think blogs are better places for them, and people can subscribe to your blog if they're interested in your poems. Bulletins are really for announcements and such. And some people post the same stuff day after day after day, like stuff they have for sale, projects they want to share with you, etc., and really, they could just post once, or at least once in a while, rather than filling up bulletin space with repetitive messages.

But I want to say there's good stuff there, too. You can network, which is great for those in business, writers, artists, etc., and find friends with the same interests. I don't get "weirdos" contacting me much. I've met some wonderful people. There are groups, blogs, bulletins, friends, classifieds, music, videos, films, mail, a forum, and more.

I really don't think you should judge MySpace without trying it out for yourself. You can make your profile private, btw.