Online Predators

While researching for online privacy issues, I thought it would be a good idea to point out a few stories which I have come across. The following article is from a reporter trying to catch out pedophiles by posing as a 14 year old girl. I imagine that its on facebook as she “petted her virtual pet”.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/7171589.stm

Such a frightening thought and the way its done to lure users away from the privacy of that site. It seems like Instant Messengers like MSN have an important role in the mind of these predators. They seemingly know that its safer to use that type of content on there rather than through a website.

This is useful link if you feel that you are being victimized – http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/special_initiatives/wa_resources/wa_shared/backgrounders/online_predators.cfm

The direction of the project is looking at privacy and how users seemingly give endless amounts of information away just because its a secure and legitimate website, what you dont think of at the time is that your private information is easily accessed by anyone (unless you set up the right settings). But unless your computer literate most people generally dont know how to protect themselves, one way to think of it is would your mum or dad know what they were doing? Imagine how would a young teenager know what they were doing.

Sort it!