Online Game Becomes Sexploitation Site

The only person he is trying to make happy is himself.

Everyday we are bombarded with news stories about pedophiles going after children on the internet. These people (pedophiles) are sick and need help. I blame the parents of the children. Parents today are giving their children these technology advanced devices (i.e. computers, cell phones etc.) and are not monitoring what they are being used for. What is really sad about this is that these young children are going on the computer, web cameras, cell phones etc. and looking for these relationships with these older men. What is happening in the homes of these children that would make them feel the need to look up a stranger and then go off and try to meet them? In some of the horrible cases it seems as if the young girls and young men were really turned on by these old sick men making these perverted comments to them. Again, what in the world is going on in the children’s homes?

I would like to see a book with clinical studies and analysis of men who have been convicted of these sorts of things. You see it happening so often nowdays. Everybody knows under 18 is not legal but it keeps happening, I don’t get it. 18 would be weird but nobody goes to jail. Why does this sort of thing keep going on? I don’t get it. It’s good that her parents did something but I’d like to see the root of the problem worked on also.

When the interenet was first getting started, in my mind and I believe I told some others that this internet “thing” is gonna be the death of us all. AND YOU KNOW WHAT….. IT IS. 911, pedophiles, MySPACE, drugs, etc. etc. and I could go on and on and on. IT’S GONNA BE THE DEATH OF US. SIMPLE

This guy must think we are all stupid, making people happy, yeah right. he was out for one thing and one thing only.

Yes. You are right, these people that molest youngsters are sick. Please let me give them their medications by injection. Everybody gets an injection of straight hydrocloric acid,,,sweet dreams! now call me the sicko!

I agree with one of the above comments, it’s absolutely disgusting that the man arrested did what he did, but I believe that it’s partially the parent’s fault, as well. I don’t care if she’s fourteen or however old, if she’s on the computer, her parents need to know what she’s doing and who she’s talking to. It’s not “an invasion of privacy”, it’s “keeping your child safe”. Heck, I’m fifteen, and I know better than to talk to some stranger online, much less one who openly admits to being a pedophile, and my mom knows that. But whenever I’m talking to someone I know, my mom asks who it is, and I’ve no problem with that. She’s doing what she supposed to be doing: Being a parent.

I’ll bet there are a lot more young girls out there looking for older men then there are older men looking for young girls. And the whole legal age thing is inconsistent State to State. 16 to consent and drive, 18 to vote and die in a war, 21 to drink, pretty stupid… And they all have raging out of control hormones. Historically it wasn’t all that long ago those 13 year olds were getting married. Comes down to the parents if you ask me.

Tricked the girl into nude photos? You can’t be serious. I am not too old to remember how I acted at her age and I wasn’t so stupid that I could be tricked into something like that. A lot of these children participate because they think it’s a game and don’t realize the danger. Yes we need to stop pedophiles but has anyone considered educating these teenagers and really highlighting the danger. All a teen has to do is stop chatting with these people or turn the computer off. For people who criticize parents- I also remember lying to my mother and covering up stupid things. Parents can take precautions but they can’t be everywhere at all times.

Instead of sending our Soldiers over to war and getting them killed for nothing, why does’nt the Government make it so these pedophiles go and fight for there right to live. If and when the war ends, if they are still alive they are free to live in that said Country.

I blame the girl’s parents just as much as I blame the sick pedophile. How out of touch are they, if their 14 year old daughter is playing online games, sending naked photos, and having online sex chat? Parents need to be more responsible in knowing their child’s whereabouts online.

It is all about SIN, not a disease, an illness, or even a moral disorder, just sin. It’s Christ or Chaos. Ponder this. The biggest problem facing children today is the King of Drugs. During a three-year period we have lost approximately 2500 troops in Iraq. This King of drugs has claimed 10 times more lives in America alone. Can you guess which drug it is? Alcohol! 80% of all adolescent suicides have been reported to be children of alcoholic parents. (Source: Univ. of MN Ext. Service) And it’s a sin too. Send this man to jail, but what about the criminals that sell the liquid death, Alcohol!

Short of making the kid a prisoner, there is no way to ensure that a parent can see everything all the time. At some point, you have to allow them the opportunity to grow up and start to make decisions for themselves. I agree with the people who said to educate these kids. Knowledge IS power. You can’t stop the wave of technology, nor do you really want them to not understand this technology (someday they’re going to need it in their adult lives). With that said, however, there has to be an understanding on the dangers of online communication.

I am like a lot of other people and feel the blame is to be put on the parents more. There are parents out there being so selfish and worrying about their own needs being met. They should have thought about that before having children. Being a parent is a 24/7 job, responsibility, and above all else “sacrifice”, that as a parent we must make. These creeps wouldn’t even be given the opportunity, if the parents were paying attention. As far as the creeps, castrate every single one of them. Something must be done because they offend, get jailed for a short period of time, return back to the streets, and commit worse crimes, and citizens who have an illness and are addicted to drugs, are ending up with longer sentences. Something wrong with that picture.It has been proven, these sickos cannot be rehabilitated. Furthermore,if a girl is posing in explicit photos,could it be that she is being parented by a sicko (s)? Is anybody paying attention? A girl doesn’t pose like that without there being a story behind it, and my guess is, it isn’t a good one. I hope we are all paying attention!

I have three teenage sons and I have a great filter(b-safe online) that lets me control what is blocked-(MySpace, for example). But, I am not foolish enough to believe that they are not tempted to go to websites that are not condusive to a healthy state of mind and heart. So, their father and I (on a consistent basis) talk to them about the issues going on in their lives.
It is up to parents to educate and protect their children-boys as well as girls. But, sometimes teenagers just want to rebel and do things they are not supposed to. I know I did. In that case you remain vigilent as you can-and pray, that always helps.
Also, about the comment that it is ridiculous to think that anyone under eighteen is not having sex, I agree there are many young people having sex. But, just because they are doing it doesn’t make it right, especially if they are with someone much older. I know I thought I was fully grown at 15-I am 37 now and I know differently.

I have a 14 year old stepdaughter. Our computer is in our kitchen where there is frequent traffic. She has email (which we monitor closely) and she is not allowed on MySpace or any other sites like it. She has a cell phone and we monitor her text messages. Of course, she is not aware of this. She is a very good girl but a lot of good girls have bad things happen to them. We do all we can to protect her. I don’t understand how parents can be so oblivious to what their children are doing.

The whole idea that someone over 18 is not suppose to have sex with someone under 18 is the one of the most rediculous ideas I’ve ever heard of. No wonder this country is going down the tubes!
Posted by: JS | Jun 22, 2006 10:34:54 AM
Get a clue man…you probably think driving under the influence is ok too, right?

Please. Where are the parents? The first responsibility falls to THEM to know just what their kids are up to. Making the computer the new inanimate babysitter because you haven’t the time for you kids is your own fault!

I absolutely agree with the comments regarding the parents being partially responsible. I also think society as a whole is responsible. As consumers we encourage the exploitation of our youth every time we buy a Brittany Spears album and the like. Hollywood and marketing firms are making the issue worse by portraying our children as sexual objects. That includes adults who present themselves as youthful
But who is to blame? We are, as they simply give us what we’ll buy. If we feel that strongly about protecting our children then put your money where your mouth is. Stop enabling the exploitation by boycotting goods and services that use our children as sexual objects for profit.
Am I alone?

Personally I wouldn’t call this instance pedophilia. Pedophiles are interested in pre-pubescent children, not really 14 year olds. (just my personal thoughts)
I like some of the ideas people have, most are at the individual level of analysis (blame the parents or the “predator”) but a couple have been at the institutional level of analysis (defining age of consent, stricter laws etc.)
To find a real solution, it becomes paramount to take into account both levels….according to Sociology anyway.
Also, realize that pedophilia, homosexuality, even beastiality are all well within the realm of “normal” in society, so stop the bashing, it does nothing to help the situation.

I agree with some of the post above , the young girl should know better not to give any type of personal inormation to anyone over the net let alone send pics of herself to someone over the net , as for where are the parents well im a parent of 6 kids , and now days the kids dont need to be on a home computer to log onto sites or even chat on sites etc, they can go to librarys, coffeeshops , schools , etc , yes at school kids have been known to get onto sites and play games and chat , so its not just the parents at fault , we as parents try our best to teach our kids right from wroung etc , but when there at there friends homes etc , shool , and stuff like that kids will act diffrently than what they do at home , just like parents at work , they act diffrntly, talk diffrently etc at work than what they do at home etc, the guy who was talking to this girl im sure found out how old she was so as soon as he found out her age he should of stoped all comunication with the girl , i do agree tht the girl should not of sent the pics of herself but the guy should of never asked the young girl ,, our kids are very impresionable , and like to have friends and most are willing to do whatever to fit in , and if the child is missing something at home there more likely to look for it somewhere else , maybe the child was just wanting attention from her dad but he worked to much and was always to tired so the girl looked on the net for a male figuer to fill in the gap , just like some pepole that were moleted as young children there likely to molest someone there self or some will turn to drugs alchol, and even sex to fill the void , what ever the reason is the guy was in the wroung for doing what he did he needs to be taken off this earth adn the girl she needs counsling to see why she did what she did , and the girls parents well they need to be more active in the childs life as well , and they need to block some of the sites on there computer ,

FIRST OF ALL THE GRWON MAN IS SICK IM SURE HE FOUND OUT HOW OLD THE GIRL WAS , AND KNOWING HOW OLD SHE WAS HE SHOULD OF BACKED OFF , OK THE GIRL WAS 13 OR 14 WELL SHE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER NOT TO SEND THAT TYPE OF PIC ANYWAY , AS FOR THE PARENTS IF ALL THIS WAS HAPPENING ON THE HOME COMPUTER YES I AGREE THEY SHOULD OF KNWON ABOUT THIS SONNER THAN WHAT THEY DID BUT KIDS DONT NEED A HOME COMPUTER TO GET ON THE NET AND PLAY GAMES CHAT ETC , THEY HAVE ACESS AT SCHOOOLS LIBRARYS , AND COFEESHOPS ETC , SO I THINK IN THIS CASE ALL 3 ARE AT FAULT, MOST OF ALL THE MAN THAT WAS PERSUING THE YOUNG GIRL , THEN NEXT THE GIRL AND THEN THE PARENTS , IM A M OTHER OF 6 KIDS BUT CANT BE WITH MY CHILDREN ALL THE TIME LET ALONE WHEN THERE ON THE NET ETC , WE AS PARENTS HAVE TO TEACH OUR KIDS RIGHT FROM WROUNG ETC , BLOCK CERTAIN SITES ON THE COMPUTER TAKE AWAY THE DIGITAL CAMERAS , THE PUTTER CAMS, THE SCANNERS , THE PICTURE PHONES AND THAT SHOULD PUT A STOP TO THEM SENDING THOSE TYPE OF PICS, BUT IT WONT STOP THEM FROM CHATIN G WITH THE CHILD OR THE CHILD CHATTING WITH THEM , BUT IT WILL HELP A LITTLE BIT , THEY NEED TO SEND THESE MOLESTERS, RAPEST PEDIFILES TO THE ELECTRIC CHAIR AS SOON AS THERE FOUND GUILTY IN THE COURT OF LAW WHO CARES IF ITS PAINFULL IN HUMANE ETC IF IT WAS , LOOK AT THE PAIN THEY INFLICT ON THERE VICTUM , AND WHATS 5 MINUTES OF PAIN WHEN A VICTUM GOES THEREOUGH A LIFE TIME OF PAIN AND SUFFERING .

I blame Sony and the makers of EverCrack – it’s a sick, perverted, rape-pillage-kill game that becomes an obsession to its sick, demented players who skip work and ignore their kids just to plan their next attack. Sick, sick, SICK.

All these comments, to a certain degree are correct. But let’s not forget the environment in the games such as Everquest. They promote behaviour not previously exhibited in RL (real life). Men take up with girls, 40 year old women take up with 16 year old boys. 14 year old girls will cyber for equipment to further their character, girls pretend to be adults, men pretend to be women, women pretend to be men, adultery, etc. One yahoo support group for family members adversely affected by these games has over 6,000 members. Marriages have been broken up, children have committed suicide, mothers have left their children unattended, parents have given up custody to be with the strangers they meet in the game. The fantasy no longer is staying in the game, but coming out in real life. Police are not suprised anymore when they answer a domestic violence call and an online game is involved. Sadly, what is entertainment for some, is becoming the addictive drug of this century. It IS destroying families. I know. My spouse left our 25 year marriage to marry a girl more than half his age . . . one he met in Everquest and moved 1,700 miles to live with him after meeting him once in RL. My story is not the first, and will not be the last. Maybe the techniques used in the programming of these games needs closer scruitny.

Yes, obviously a 14 year old having a fantasy relationship online is much worse than her having sex in real life. Obviously at 18 when she is old enough to legally have sex she will suddenly know everything she needs to know about sex without having been exposed to any sexual material earlier. Obviously parents heavily censoring the materials their kids see so that the kids have no idea how to deal with it when they’re outside their parent’s supervision will help the kids a lot.
The older guy was stupid but it’s no good to have a kneejerk reaction and say that kids shouldn’t have any access to anything online. Get across the idea that this guy could be posting your pics online and it could come back to haunt you and he might keep harassing you long after you want to talk to him and dangerous things could happen if you met up, that might make them think. But sooner or later they have to learn to make their own mistakes and it’s better for them to do that when they have you as a safety net than later when they’re off on their own. Yes, sooner or later they should be on their own too.

I want to remind people how sexist our society has become. If the 40-year old was a woman and the 14-year old was a male, not nearly as many people would care, and certainly not as many people would want the 40-year locked up, castrated, put to death, etc. If I was 14 and I sent naked pictures to a 40-year old lady, who would be in trouble? I WOULD. BIG TROUBLE. And I would never be tought that I had been victimized. The poor-little-lamb big-bad-wolf scenario is hugely distorted. This country is becoming a really weird place.

I think it is clear from all these comments that this is a complex situation with many facets to be addressed. All arguments have some degree of merit. With the exception of William’s comments that “pedophilia, even bestiality are all well within the realm of normal in society”. I sure don’t want to raise my family in his society!
A remedy that has not been mentioned is working through the system. All these emotive opinions; Has anyone written their representative requesting action? Do they know who their representative is? Did they go to the polls to elect someone that would listen to them and act on behalf of the constituency? It is a social problem requiring social resolution. Make your voice heard where it makes a difference.

Wow. I’m seeing a recurring theme here of “This guy is wrong, BUT…” People, this guy is a criminal, a pervert! A man in his forties preying on a CHILD for sex is never okay – no matter how inattentive her home life, no matter where it happens -internet, school, neighborhood. Thank God this little girl had a father that checked things out. Someone said that the girl knew better than to send a naked pic – you bet she did, but this pedophile is probably very practised at persuading children to comply. Do you think this is the first time for him? This monster was in a gaming room, LOOKING for a child victim…and he found one. I don’tcare if a kid has a lousy home, has a wild streak (none of which you know about this child),etc. it NEVER makes it okay for an adult to USE the child for their sexual perversions. THAT’S WHY IT’S A CRIME. I hope this pervert gets locked up and becomes someone’s prison toy.

Pedophiles have always been around, the internet has just given them an easy playground to ply their trade and multiplied their ranks by about ten-fold from pre-internet days.
Even more troubling to me is the absolutely moronic behavior exhibited by today’s youth, particularly those in the under 21 age group. No doubt they acquire this rite of stupidity from their parents. I had more common sense and intelligence in my pinky finger at age 6 than this dumb Illinois girl shows at age 14, a fact that I attribute to my parents.
I cringe thinking that the future leaders of this country and other world countries are coming from the MTV generation. Their minds are totally enveloped by today’s perverted 24-hour a day “sex culture.” Only divine providence can save us from these morons.

That’s what you get for teaching abstinence (read: ignorance)instead of offering real sex-ed.

Wow, what an outdated pic of EQ. That’s from, like, 1999.
People misrepresenting themselves on the intrawebs, huh? Who’da thunk it.

I think the state governors need to consider uniform age of consent laws as Canada is doing now.
If they want a so called Romeno and Juliet law for 18 year high school seniors, fine.
I’d advise parents to limit exposure to internet, MTV, hip-hop etc, because everything is being sexualized. I’d advise against have a computer or TV in a child’s room.
Children do not understand the adult world…that’s why they are called children.

I positively do NOT want anymore government involvement in the internet or anywhere else. I am a responsible parent, and don’t want the government doing MY job!
I have some positive suggestions for folks here:
1) Take some time to LEARN HOW THIS TECHNOLOGY WORKS. It will pay off in SPADES if you’re a parent. My son, who is eleven, loves Star Wars Battlefront II. It has an online option. However, I have told him “no” because of what we’ve been discussing here. Parents – it’s okay to say “no” to online gaming, if you feel your son or daughter is not responsible enough to make good decisions regarding who they talk with online. But, learn how to use the technology yourself, and gain credibility. It’s not that difficult; it’s not magic or voodoo! There are so many educational options (I’m a teacher and one of my goals is to use the good ones in my classes, if I can modify them to suit group instruction; another is I plan to get my advanced degree online, but I digress).
2) Watch your son or daughter play online games. I personally find it very entertaining to watch my son play, or my other kids play the website games. Now, my son has a twin, and the other one is younger, so they go to sites such as Nickolodeon, and other kids sites. And I watch; talk about entertainment.
3) This is not a popular position, but…TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT THIS KIND OF THING! Tell them exactly what a pedophile is. If there’s a registered sex offender living in your neighborhood, TELL YOUR KIDS HE/SHE LiVES THERE!
The point is, action speaks louder than words. Sure, kids DON’T want to hear that stuff. Mine didn’t either. BUT… well, they heard it. And continue to hear it, when I feel it’s necessary.
I apologize if I sound preachy. But, IMHO, the only way to keep excess government out of our lives, is to take the reins of responsibility for ourselves, and take back our society, one child at a time, one home at a time, one society at a time.
Oh, I forgot to add: I’m a single parent.

I like the way some people are speculating about what was going on. That is ridiculous. And no, no one is acting like the internet is the only place where under age kids are getting solicited. That is ridiculous. Also, how in the world are we just going to blame the victims parents. The pedophile has like 90% of the blame.
The article tells us about a growing trend. We need to tell our kids to be aware and tell their parents of strange behavior. That means trusting your kids. You can’t watch your kids all the time. Like how the father did in this story.

JS writes that this country is going down the tubes b/c people are not allowed to have sex with pre-18 year olds? Well I hate to break it to JS but there are other more important things going on in this country than sex (or lack there of w/pre- 18 year olds).

Wake Up Parents…! I just read one article right here on ABC News about a 17 year old girl who’s parents got her a passport to go with “supposed” friends to Canada and she takes off to the Middle East to meet her online boyfriend…! Be The Parent! There is no such thing as interfering if it’s your child…! BE THE PARENT…!

I think we should lower the legal age for consent to 13. Because if you dont know right from wrong by then you should be exploited.

Should a 30-year-old adult talk dirty to a sexually active 14-year old? No more than anyone else. Is it illegal? Apparently. Is it a significant crime? No. Is it pedophilia? No. Is it preying on a child? No. A 14-year old with nude pictures trolling for sex on the internet is not a child. Yet one woman here would have the adult – in this case a man — castrated. If any example of ugly sexism existed that is it, as well as echoing feminist propaganda that females are always innocent and males always victimizing brutes. What if the victim was a boy and the adult a woman? Would Patricia ask for some kind of life-altering physical punishment for a naughty conversation, say a mastectomy or a clitorectomy? I think not. She would probably demand the 14-year-old boy be locked up for leading the 30-year-old woman on. Frankly I think the demonizing of men, as demonstrated in her crude comment, is far more of a crime than a 30-year old talking dirty to a randy high school tart. It is curious that women, who insist men and women are no different and things be sex neutral, are quick to aim it below the belt.

In the United States it is illegal for anyone 18 years of age or older to have ANY sexual relations with someone under the age of 18. The man broke the law, he admits it, and he will be punished.
This is not something that should be used as an example of “games are evil” or “the internet will doom us all”. I play EverQuest. I belong to a guild that actively watches over our known child members and ensures that this kind of thing doesn’t happen. And we are not the only one’s to do this.
Should the man be castrated, no. Councelling, definately. Jail time, perhaps. But as the adult, the ultimate responsibility falls on him.
And given the number of anti-predator commercials on TV, the girl knew better.

Not all females are feminists.
As observed on most newscasts, most men that intend to commit violent sex acts against children, which in this case the incident was exposed before an actual crime was committed (if one was to be), act alone if given the opportunity, and carry out fully their intentions if there is no intervention. You can only speculate what someone’s intention was before the fact, if they are caught in the initial stages of a potential criminal offense. As a parent, it is always safer to contemplate the worst case senario given current, relevent statistics. By the way, there have also been news reports of children abducted by couples, in which both commit sexual acts against children together. Sometimes women can be VERY physically and sexually abusive.
There are ALOT of wonderful caring MEN out there. I can understand the offense taken.

Let me guess Jackie, you’re under 18 years old aren’t you? And you don’t think that you will ever be approached inappropriately by any adult, right? I guess we were all naive at your age.

“But, society has not done enough to ‘help’ pedophiles reverse their sick urges.”
You make it sound wrong when, in fact, it is biologically valid, natural behavior. A 14-yr-old can produce babies, so what exactly is wrong?

Ok, the title of the article is ridiculous, as is the “s” after pedophile making it plural.
So far:
ONE pedophile we know of did this, and SONY helped catch him and send him to jail.
So what is the problem? It is no different than the rest of the internet.
I think this really shows the need for parents to keep the computer in a family room where it is within sight. Children are too vulnerable and gullible for unsupervised interaction with adults like this. (adults that are not teachers, coaches etc ie. supposed to be there).