I came across a disturbing story today about an Internet sting operation carried out against 13 potential child molesters last weekend in Laguna Beach, CA:
The men are accused of contacting adults posing as 12- or 13-year-olds through popular websites such as MySpace.com. Members of a citizens group called perverted-justice.com, which has worked with law officers nationwide to catch would-be child molesters, chatted with the men and alerted Laguna Beach police, authorities said, whenever a man suggested a sexual rendezvous.
Hugh Hewitt commented:
This story should be read over the loudspeakers of every junior and senior high school in America. MySpace isn’t going away, but kids should know who’s reading their journals.
I don’t like to sound pessimistic, but I fear that the problem of predators stalking kids on enormously popular sites like MySpace is going to get worse before it gets better. I hope I’m wrong.
