MySpace Subpoena Reveals Startling Stats
Popular social networking destination MySpace revealed it has identified about 90,000 convicted registered sex offenders on the Web site, which is about 40,000 more than previously acknowledged. The admission was made as a result of a subpoena from Connecticut Attorney General Robert Blumenthal who co-chairs a task force on social networking with and North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper. Blumenthal called the revelation powerful evidence refuting a recent task force report downplaying the threat of sexual predators on social networking sites.
Blumenthal's office plans to identify Connecticut offenders with MySpace profiles and inform appropriate law enforcement authorities so they can determine whether terms of probation or release were violated. In a Tuesday press release, he urged all states to take similar actions and vowed to "continue to fight for reforms and safeguards at MySpace and other social networking sites to protect children." Recent reports indicate that offenders also maintain profiles on Facebook, which Blumenthal has also subpoenaed. Washington has been grappling with how to deal with online predation in recent years as well. A series of hearings were held in the 109th Congress.
"Technology companies and social networking sites must do more -- and do it now. Blaming the victim is appalling and outrageous," Blumenthal said. "Parents remain the first line of defense against social networking abuse, and I urge the industry to adopt technology and tools that empower and enable parents to better protect their children." MySpace's disclosure comes on the heels of a report by a panel created by 49 attorneys general that concluded the issue is exaggerated. The paper argued that youth bullying was far more serious than online sexual solicitation.
Aristotle CEO John Phillips, who served on the task force with a number of representatives from major technology companies, academics and technical experts, said MySpace's statistics only include sex offenders who have registered a profile using their real names. He argued the company has "no idea of how many registered sex offenders have infested its site." The number of convicted sex offenders on MySpace could be double or triple what officials reported, said Phillips, who has advocated for user verification technologies and an expansion of community notification statutes (such as Megan's Law) to include social networks.
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