MySpace surrenders 90,000 Names of Reg. Sex Offenders

**MathiasOfAthens** · February 04, 2009, 06:43 AM

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/te...ref=technology

MySpace provided two state attorneys general the names of 90,000 registered sex offenders it had banned from its site in response to a subpoena.

The figure is 40,000 more than the amount previously acknowledged by MySpace, according to Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who along with Attorney General Roy Cooper of North Carolina are among officials pressing social networking sites to adopt more stringent safety measures.

“Almost 100,000 convicted sex offenders mixing with children on MySpace — shown by our subpoena — is absolutely appalling and totally unacceptable,” Mr. Blumenthal said in a statement. “For every one of them, there may be hundreds of others using false names and ages.”

Im in the middle here until more information comes out. But as far as I see it, Myspace had ban the names from their site after they were subpoena from the two attorneys.

I agree that the offenders should not be mixing with children, but 90,000 names is a lot and taking into account that a lot of offenders were convicted for being 19, 20 and having an affair with a 15 year old. So you could imagine that those who were convicted at a young age could still have friends on Myspace.

**boofhead** · February 04, 2009, 06:44 AM

That is quite frightening. If 100,000 are registered offenders, how many more haven't been caught?

MySpace.

**MathiasOfAthens** · February 04, 2009, 06:46 AM

Theres not even 100,000 men in Afganistan.
________
LovelyWendie

**the Black Prince** · February 04, 2009, 06:51 AM

Yes, its quite frightening

Why should a convicted sex offender be automatically banned from myspace, facebook or any other social networking site? Afterall, the fact that he's a sex offender doesn't mean he doesn't have any friends. If the guy was a serious risk, he'd be in prison, or subject to intensive supervision. If he was convicted of offences relating to internet sex crimes, he'd get banned from the internet. If the court didn't see fit to impose any of the above against an offender, why on earth are we taking independent non-judicial action to further sanction the lives of people who are either
a/ not a risk
b/ already served their sentence

there are plenty of "sex offenders" who commit no offences against children whatsoever. Why should they be banned from social networking sites for child protection reasons?

This is idiocy. Shame on myspace for complying, I hope facebook has stood up for common sense.

Instead of wasting time on publicity stunts like banning sex offenders without cause or reason, why not spend some time actually working to ensure that children are truely protected online.

yet another example of pointless child protection hysteria...

**Zephyrus** · February 05, 2009, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by the Black Prince

Yes, its quite frightening

Why should a convicted sex offender be automatically banned from myspace, facebook or any other social networking site? Afterall, the fact that he's a sex offender doesn't mean he doesn't have any friends. If the guy was a serious risk, he'd be in prison, or subject to intensive supervision. If he was convicted of offences relating to internet sex crimes, he'd get banned from the internet. If the court didn't see fit to impose any of the above against an offender, why on earth are we taking independent non-judicial action to further sanction the lives of people who are either
a/ not a risk
b/ already served their sentence

there are plenty of "sex offenders" who commit no offences against children whatsoever. Why should they be banned from social networking sites for child protection reasons?

This is idiocy. Shame on myspace for complying, I hope facebook has stood up for common sense.

Instead of wasting time on publicity stunts like banning sex offenders without cause or reason, why not spend some time actually working to ensure that children are truely protected online.

yet another example of pointless child protection hysteria...

Defending sex offenders now, are we? :hmmm:

**♔Jean-Luc Picard♔** · February 04, 2009, 07:20 AM

The term sex offender is too broad. only those truly guilty of something such as pedophilia or rapists should be banned from sites that give such easy access to minors. a good number of 'sex offenders' are actually 18-20 year olds that had a fling with a minor who reamed them with statutory rape charges. some times there is malicious intent in such things, but too often it is not. MySpace shouldn't be banning people indescriminently a label put on them by the court system.

**Ahlerich** · February 04, 2009, 07:23 AM

pheew i still can log in

**♔Jean-Luc Picard♔** · February 04, 2009, 07:24 AM

what, were you expecting the ban hammer to crash down upon your account?

sorry for off topic

**I Am Herenow** · February 04, 2009, 09:35 AM

Edit

**MathiasOfAthens** · February 04, 2009, 09:45 AM

I actually have to agree with Herenow on this, well said mate. Based on the Terms and Conditions.
________
Lovely Wendie

**boofhead** · February 04, 2009, 09:49 AM

And this doesn't worry me in the slightest, as I have zero interest in making a MySpace page and I am not a sex offender.

So ban them all from the internet for all I care.

**morteduzionism** · February 04, 2009, 12:55 PM

1. Is there an age requirement for using MySpace? If not, why?

2. Is there any other place in the world that allows adults & children to freely socialize together? If not, why should they (minors) be allowed on MySpace?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Instead of banning adults from MySpace why not ban the kids?

MySpace is as close to a porno site as one can get...why are kids even on there?

**DimondLight** · February 04, 2009, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by morteduzionism

1. Is there an age requirement for using MySpace? If not, why?

2. Is there any other place in the world that allows adults & children to freely socialize together? If not, why should they (minors) be allowed on MySpace?

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Instead of banning adults from MySpace why not ban the kids?

MySpace is as close to a porno site as one can get...why are kids even on there?

1. 13

2. Err, what's wrong with minors and adults socializing exactly?

**Thanatos** · February 04, 2009, 12:57 PM

Wow, this is kind of creepy. Makes you wonder how many more sickos haven't been caught yet.

**jsktrogdor** · February 04, 2009, 01:15 PM

Ban the kids? LOL, good luck what are you gonna do, send a myspace rep to check their ID before they register?

Originally Posted by Thanatos

Wow, this is kind of creepy. Makes you wonder how many more sickos haven't been caught yet.

The thing is, they didnt catch them at all. I guarentee you the ones who were actually using it for malicious purposes either didnt use their real names in the first place, or if they did, have already started a second account under new information.

I would wager that there is a massive number of people using myspace with ill-intent, and then you have to consider the huge amount of virus'/scams that the whole site is swarming with. I have no idea why people still use that stupid site, its called a telephone dummies, you wanna talk to your friends dial their

ing number.

**Boer** · February 04, 2009, 02:46 PM

Are children still naive enough to go meet in person random people of the Internet?

On a slightly different topic, this reminds me of the town passing laws banning sex offenders or prohibiting where they can live. While I can understand why they are doing it, I'm not sure its exactly legal. I mean, if the people have already served their time how can a new law be passed "increasing" their punishment [i'm counting potentially being forced to move/ostracized as increased punishment]

**Peacekeeper** · February 04, 2009, 02:55 PM

Well, i'm not surprised. The I-net is no nice place where you only meet nice people.

**jankren** · February 04, 2009, 03:20 PM

Can you really make new friends using Myspace?

Coz Im using Facebook and everybody has like 1000 friends and has a flood of comments on their wall that even the people I know wont respond to my comments because they dont see them. So I dont understand how some people can meet through Myspace or Facebook and become real couple or something.