Over 3.5K Sex Offenders Booted from Facebook
In New York alone, more than 3,500 sex offenders were kicked off Facebook and MySpace.
The New York Daily News reports that more than 3,500 "sex fiends" have been booted from Facebook and MySpace in the state of New York. The sweep of perverts is the result of the Electronic Security and Targeting of Online Predators Act (e-STOP), a law set in place during 2008. One unnamed source close to the boot said that this should be a wake-up call for parents, law officials, the social networking sites... basically everyone.
"Before e-STOP sexual predators freely lurked in social networking sites trolling for innocent victims," said Laura Aheam, executive director of Parents for Megan's Law and the Crime Victims Center. "With e-STOP, Attorney General Cuomo has sent a clear message that there is a new sheriff in the cyberworld protecting our most vulnerable."
Now here's the scary part: thanks to the sweep, Facebook disabled 3,410 accounts linked to 2,782 sex offenders. MySpace disabled 1,975 accounts linked to 1,796 sex offenders. There's also an overlap in the numbers because 1,045 sex offenders registered on both sites. Again, these numbers were generated from New York statistics, and don't include the other 49 states.
The Daily News said that one of the sex offenders kicked off Facebook was a man convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy. Another sex offender raped a 2-year-old girl. A third booted Facebook user was convicted of sexual misconduct with a 10-year-old girl. Given the nature of social networking, we're wondering why these felons were getting on the Internet in the first place without some kind of external firewall.
Get more tech and gaming news by hitting me up on Twitter here.
- Square: Accept Credit Card Payments on Phone
- AT&T Places Last in Consumer Reports Study
- Man Officially Married Virtual GF, Plans Future
- Royal Navy to Use PSPs as Training Tools
- Using Google-Wave to Track A Man-Hunt
- Leak Says Google Phone is a "Certainty"
- 12-inch Netbooks to Go Mainstream in 2010
- Man Arrested Robbing RuneScape Characters
- Nintendo Sold 1.5 Million Systems Last Week
- Mirror's Edge Leaps Onto iPhone Jan 2010
- AT&T's Case Against Verizon Dismissed
- Roomba Saves Family From Poisonous Snake
- Snoop Dogg Lends His Voice to GPS Navigation
- Xbox Live Marketplace Getting Pets
- Parents Pull Girl's Tooth, Scares Cat With RC Car
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii Looks Great in 1080p
- Bing Maps Beta Now Available, Uses 3D
- App Plays Mario Sounds to Match Your Movement
- Man Controls Prosthetic Arm With His Mind



Um, they can always create a new one... or a hundred.
"Another sex offender raped a 2-year-old girl."
WHAT THE FUCK? shot his head off please.
oh i love how the media loves to up play this as "they made web safe" by doing this . it's jsut horse shit , because this only targets REGISTERED sex offenders, it deosn'tmake teh WEB ANY SAFER because the good lord knows there are alwasy twice as many unregistered sex offenders in any state , they never been caught and convicted , yet the media and police are gonna use this news to make people feel warm and cozy and safe , and more importantly to make them think the net is some how safer than it was before. it'sd back pattign sdelf promotion . and i hope most folsk relize that those sites are still full of possible freaks and wierdos.
oh and that guy that molested a 2 year old .. WTF , he should have his dick cut off with a spoon
Lighten up! No need for hysteria.
An article from CNET News contains this statement from Hemanshu Nigam, chief security officer for MySpace parent company News Corp: "There are still zero cases reported of any registered sex offender who was booted off MySpace being prosecuted for illegal contact occurring on MySpace."
These people already did their time in prison. We cannot assume that they will only use the sites to try and commit sex acts. They may use the site to socialize and network and be a normal person in society like everyone else who uses their site. Aren't these people rehabilitated since they are free again? It's time to start treating them like human beings. Remember there are stiff penalties for them to repeat their actions, so this should be deterrent enough. We have tough laws for a reason. There is no reason to blanket ban these people and limit freedom and liberty of Americans.
wonder how they got through the prison system alive. usually they are the first ones to go
wonder how they got through the prison system alive. usually they are the first ones to go
True. Plus after they go to a "rehabilitation" facility which is a load of shit! I have one in my area in northern NY that looks like a maximum security prison...they work on trying to get them "help" and back out into the public. Cost NY 3 million dollars just to install THE FENCE around the facility. Nice to see where else tax payer's money gets wasted...
These people already did their time in prison. We cannot assume that they will only use the sites to try and commit sex acts. They may use the site to socialize and network and be a normal person in society like everyone else who uses their site. Aren't these people rehabilitated since they are free again? It's time to start treating them like human beings. Remember there are stiff penalties for them to repeat their actions, so this should be deterrent enough. We have tough laws for a reason. There is no reason to blanket ban these people and limit freedom and liberty of Americans.
...you must be a sex-offender that infiltrated Tomshardware...
I think the whole sex offender thing is a lot of BS though, because almost anything can get u convicted of it, and its always a he said she said thing unless there's witnesses or its rape... I can understand rape but being marked for the rest of ur life and not being able to live in A LOT of places for touching some one wrongly... I know a guy who was convicted as a sex offender in GA and all he did was touch a girls ass, and now hes screwed forever... ffs he was like 17-18 at the time... gotta love today's world.
These people already did their time in prison. We cannot assume that they will only use the sites to try and commit sex acts. They may use the site to socialize and network and be a normal person in society like everyone else who uses their site. Aren't these people rehabilitated since they are free again? It's time to start treating them like human beings. Remember there are stiff penalties for them to repeat their actions, so this should be deterrent enough. We have tough laws for a reason. There is no reason to blanket ban these people and limit freedom and liberty of Americans.
I agree. Unless they were convicted of using the social networking sites or the internet in general to lure their victims in, there's no reason to ban them from these networks. It's like banning people from malls because there are kids that go to the malls as well. Or banning the use of Vans because kids get raped in them.
The guy who raped a 2 year old can not be rehabilitated imo. That guy shouldn't be out on the streets.
This should indeed be a wake up call for any parents who can do math. The prevalence of sex offenders on facebook is less than the prevalence of sex offenders in the general populace. (About 400k offenders out of 300M citizens, and 3.5k offenders out of 5M Facebook users in NY -- the 3.5k figure includes duplicates as does the 5M figure.)
This has been the case in the past when a state has eliminated a group of sex offenders from social networks.
If data shows that sex offender with access to social networks commit crimes at a higher rate than those without, then by all means states should pursue this. But this is only one aspect of a difficult problem.
+1 to goliasd89293.
Just because they're on a social network doesn't automatically mean they're using it to stalk victims. If they could actually find evidence this was true, it would make sense, but it sounds like they instead just decided that because they were a registered sex offender, they'd kick them.
Oh, and by the way, not all registered sex offenders are as bad as the ones described. You can get registered as a sex offender these days for something like an office 'joke' and patting some girl on the behind, if they take it seriously enough. Sure, it may not actually be funny, but it can get you on the list, even though it's a 'minor' infraction.
No wonder my friends list is so empty now.
Are you yanks so scared of your own shadows that you have to resort to tactics like this? You have more guns per capita than any other nation, and you have to hide behind your govt.'s skirts to 'feel safe'?
In matters like this, it is best to be safe rather than sorry.
My first thought when I see a headline like this is the same as when I hear something like "Saudia Arabia catches x-number of terrorists":
"Great. They are catching the stupid ones."
croc wrote:
"You have more guns per capita than any other nation,..."
Actually, on a per capita basis, we are 4th or 5th. First is Finland. And Israel and Switzerland are ahead of us.
I say screw them. If you do something like molest a child you should pay for it the rest of your life.
And this is what causes this mass panic and mobs with pitchforks mentality towards anyone labeled an "offender".
I got slapped with the charge when I was 18.
all because I was dating a 15 year old while I was 17. on my 18th Bday the father of the girl called police and downhill it went.
So by your guys mentality, without knowing my reasons for getting it, you assume I'm a sick child molester...
as does EVERYONE that sees I'm listed by looking it up in my neighborhood.
Learn about the reason behind why someone has it before lumping them in with the child rapist...
Wonder how many 18 year olds got booted for having sex with their 17 year old significant others, and got labeled a sex offender in the process....Broken system....
DXWarlock, sorry to hear it man, I've had friends have the same thing happen, though fortunately the courts sided with them and they never got the title.
My first thought when I see a headline like this is the same as when I hear something like "Saudia Arabia catches x-number of terrorists":"Great. They are catching the stupid ones."croc wrote:"You have more guns per capita than any other nation,..."Actually, on a per capita basis, we are 4th or 5th. First is Finland. And Israel and Switzerland are ahead of us.
can you show some proof we are 4th or 5th? i'm pretty sure we have the highest number of guns per capita.
I've heard Canada has more guns than us. Not sure where or if it's true.
Actually, on a per capita basis, we are 4th or 5th. First is Finland. And Israel and Switzerland are ahead of us.
I know what they say about citing Wikipedia as source, but most articles in Wikipedia cite their (usually reliable) sources. So, here's the relevant article in Wikipedia (including its sources) that places the USA at the very top of the list of countries with the higher per capita gun ownership:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_ [...] _ownership
There are 90 guns per 100 people in the USA
With all the banning of sex offenders from not only online social sites but also even living in certain areas or near certain ares I see a potential problem in the long run. Where I live there are a number of cities that have passed local laws, ordinances, or whatever you call them that literally have made it so no-one even excused or convicted of a sex crime can even live in the city limits. Sounds good or at least it did to me till I started to think. If more towns and cities did this in the long run would this no force the offenders to go and gather together and form their own town or city? I mean we keep pushing them out like we are it just might happen, which means they could become "political".
Look at Cassadaga, Florida. It started out as a small spiritalist camp and has now grown to the point of being a unincorporated community with its own town charter.
I am just a little concerned about just what might happen is all.
And this is what causes this mass panic and mobs with pitchforks mentality towards anyone labeled an "offender".I got slapped with the charge when I was 18.all because I was dating a 15 year old while I was 17. on my 18th Bday the father of the girl called police and downhill it went.So by your guys mentality, without knowing my reasons for getting it, you assume I'm a sick child molester...as does EVERYONE that sees I'm listed by looking it up in my neighborhood. Learn about the reason behind why someone has it before lumping them in with the child rapist...
Ummm......you are a child molestor. You were an adult...she was a child = child molestor. How else are we to look at this. What were you doing with a 15yr old in the first place? Idiot..... What if she was 14? Would that be different.....what about 13...12...11.... or 2.
If that was my daughter I would have called the police too. There is absolutely no reason for a 18 yr old to date a 15yr old. NONE........
Sick perverts.....I am glad that perverts like that are branded for life....Thats your punishment for raping a child: Prison sentence + branded for life. Some of you argue that they should have their rights back when they get released from prison, but I don't think so. Someone that molests a child should have no rights. That person is no more than an animal....animals have no rights in the country, and neither should the ones molesting children.....
Ummm......you are a child molestor. You were an adult...she was a child = child molestor. How else are we to look at this. What were you doing with a 15yr old in the first place? Idiot..... What if she was 14? Would that be different.....what about 13...12...11.... or 2. If that was my daughter I would have called the police too. There is absolutely no reason for a 18 yr old to date a 15yr old. NONE........Sick perverts.....I am glad that perverts like that are branded for life....Thats your punishment for raping a child: Prison sentence + branded for life. Some of you argue that they should have their rights back when they get released from prison, but I don't think so. Someone that molests a child should have no rights. That person is no more than an animal....animals have no rights in the country, and neither should the ones molesting children.....
I think his point is this. According to what he said he was 17 dating a 15 year old. Only a 3 year differance. Then when he turned 18, affectivly now an adult under the law, the father of the 15 year girl reported him. In a way I can see his point, if the father had such problem why did he not do anything before, but no he waited till he turned 18 and effectivly ruined his life(Hey just going by what was stated). It would be the same if you were a 17 year old boy dating a 16 year girl. Only a 1 year differance. When the boy turns 18 and is still dating the 16 year old girl or by that time she could be 17; under the law that would make you a child molester.
I believe that was the point anyway. I do recall a incident like this, I believe in Georgia or one of the Carolinas, in which this happened and it went to court and has a result that state put into place a law stating that if the relationship was establised before either party was 18 years of age and one of them then turned 18 they could not be charged with child molesting based on that alone, or something to that effect.
Ummm......you are a child molestor. You were an adult...she was a child = child molestor. How else are we to look at this. What were you doing with a 15yr old in the first place? Idiot..... What if she was 14? Would that be different.....what about 13...12...11.... or 2. If that was my daughter I would have called the police too. There is absolutely no reason for a 18 yr old to date a 15yr old. NONE........Sick perverts.....I am glad that perverts like that are branded for life....Thats your punishment for raping a child: Prison sentence + branded for life. Some of you argue that they should have their rights back when they get released from prison, but I don't think so. Someone that molests a child should have no rights. That person is no more than an animal....animals have no rights in the country, and neither should the ones molesting children.....
Wow dude.. such hatred. First of all being 17 dating a 15yo is extremely common. Is that wrong? Is the 17yo a child molester? Perhaps you missed out on the whole highschool dating scene and don't know what it entails. The fact that he turned 18 and instantly became a child molester is wrong, especially considering a 15yo is not a child, she is underage, but by no means a child. Even if he was guilty of raping an underage girl, he would be a registered sex offender, NOT a child molester. Children I believe by definition are 13 and under. That said, he is not guilty of raping an underage girl because it was consensual. You also have to ask the question - did anything happen AFTER his birthday or was he simply reported for dating her? What if he was 18 and she was 17 as someone else mentioned? One year gap, is that wrong? What if he was 18 and she was going to turn 18 in a month, is he still a child molester?
What about my situation. I'm 34 and my wife is 26. That is an 8 year gap... is that wrong? When I was 18, she was 10. Should I only have married someone who is 2 years younger at most?
Besides, I believe there is a law that says there can safely be a 2 year gap between two people, so you can be 19 dating a 17yo, or 18 dating a 16yo and not be charged.
I love all the ignorant people here that think 17 or 18 is too old to date a 15yr old or even a 14yr old. Did you all sleep thru history class? Not too long ago, women would be courted and get married between the ages of 12-14 by men much older. Furthermore, look into the science behind why men are attracted to younger post-pubescent women - we are animals that reproduce, and our brains are instinctively geared to find the most suitable mate.
Oh yeah, and watch "Lie To Me". One of their episodes this season(2) touches on this topic of why men are attracted to younger women.
You can't change biology.
Well, at least now I know where all of them went after being kicked off Facebook.....TomsHardware. I get thumbs down for ripping on child molestors...... what a sad world
Well, at least now I know where all of them went after being kicked off Facebook.....TomsHardware. I get thumbs down for ripping on child molesters...... what a sad world
child molesters go ahead...but you seriously think that a 17yo dating a 15yo is ok..but let that 17 year old get 24 hours older, to turn 18, and now hes a sexual perverted deviant? nice.
My younger sister is on FB. Go facebook!
If you think this kind of stuff is a good idea; think again:
http://www.economist.com/displaySt [...] d=14165460
and
http://www.economist.com/displayst [...] d=14164614
I seriously doubt much good will come of this. Alas, to thus unjustly caught in this net, harm will be done.