Social Networking Pedophiles.

So, just to have a discussion.

Lets say you live on Main St. in North Canaan, CT (Random city and address)   You take a look at the sex offender registry for that city and you discover that there are no offenders in a mile radius of your house.   This makes you feel safer knowing that your daughter / son can play outside, walk to the corner store for  a soda and you have them as safe as possible.

When your child arrives home from school they immediately beeline for their computer, ipod, tablet, internet TV, whichever device they use.    They immediately log into Facebook and check out all of the posts from their friends.   Julie is excited because the new Justin Bieber video is coming on tonight; Tommy is stoked because he scored the winning touchdown in last nights High School Football game and excitedly your child responds to each of their posts.   Then she comes across Jenny's latest wall entry "I am so depressed. My boyfriend broke up with me last week, we were supposed to go to the Green Day concert, now I have no way of getting there and I have two tickets. I asked my dad if he wanted to go, but he was drinking, and not in a good mood. He's just an ass.   All I want is someone to treat me the way I deserve and love me for who I am"  Feeling bad for her friend she leaves a message on her wall replying to the above saying that she was sorry and "Someone will love you, someone will love all of us"


Harmless?     Well maybe.    Jeremy Joe Sex Offender living in Hartford (Which by the way has more than 100 sex offenders registered) is perusing around Facebook and comes across Jenny's post that has shown up on the wall of one of her friends who is not security conscious.  "Hmmmm"   Immediately sends a message to Jenny to Friend her since he is an "Incoming transfer from another town" tells her he loves Green Day and plays himself off to be a nervous new student.   Being lonely and distraught she agrees.     After a couple of days of conversation Jeremy Joe makes plans to meet with Jenny since he will be in town while his "Folks" look for an apartment.


The rest is a story I refuse to tell, it's too disturbing to even begin to type.  

This maybe a fictional scenario with fictional people.  

But do this for me. 

Go look at the sex offender database.  See how many live near you. 

NOW.  Expand that search to people within an hour drive or so of your house. 

I'll wait while you look...... 


NOW how safe do you feel in your small town USA, letting your kids post all of their personal information on-line.

Wake up parents.   don't let your kids post their personal information on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace or any other social networking site.   It's up to you to keep them safe.  Not abide by the "It can't happen to me" attitude.  Because I guarantee you that every parent who has ever lost a child to an evil son of a bitch like that thought the same thing.

Social Networking fad.

Every generation has a fad that affects it to the core. The Beatles, Summer of Love, Break Dancing, Grunge, etc.

I started this because I have been closely watching a trend in the latest fad that has become the most disturbing one I can find while looking in the past.  The Beatles caused mass hysteria while touring the US. The Summer of Love resulted in Love Children and hippies with smelly feet. Break Dancing became the gang rage of the early 80's and Grunge made everyone run around looking like they just crawled out of a train wreck.  

Social Networking caused.    Well..  Where do I start?   

• Socially inept society
• Pedophiles now have a central data repository and shopping cart. 
• Kidnappers have a way to learn the most interpersonal secrets about their prey
• Virus mongers can distribute their destructive wares en mass without any effort. 
• Parents looking to their children's Facebook pages to learn about their social life instead of actually TALKING to them.   What a though. 
• Stalkers can follow you and never wear anything more than their underwear. 
• A perfect medium for wanna be teenage porn stars to practice their special look, down shirt cleavage shot. And what better way to practice than to post it and see what all of your "Friends" say about it. 
• Misconception of what a friend is.   I am sorry to break the news to you, a friend is not someone whom you have likely never met, or only briefly have known in your life. 
•  I can go on nearly forever with this list.   And will be adding to it as I see fit.

Read more of my posts as I detail my thoughts per post.

Thanks

17 kids facebook pictures re-posted

I am not individually blaming the parents of these children, however I do believe that our society has become so socially reliant on Facebook and other social networking sites that we believe it is not only OK, but completely acceptable to place pictures of yourself, personal information, life hopes, desires and most personal thoughts on a public forum for all to read and absorb.

Do any of us really think it safe to publish this information? Are we misled by the illusion of security on-line? Do we really need to publish to the world that down shirt longing expression for the world to see. Do we really have the overwhelming desire to publish our innermost feelings / desires for the world to read?

I believe as a parent, as a human that this is nothing more than an invitation for pedophiles, kidnappers, sociopaths, etc.. to delve into our private lives in a way that we would never have wanted them to.

Let me ask you this.. Would you allow a photograph of your 16 year old daughter to be placed on a billboard along I-95 with her phone number, name and school? Would you take out an advertisement in the newspaper with the same information?

Well, they just did. Facebook, Myspace, Forsquare and any other social networking site has the potential to have the same information broadcast to an audience 3000 times larger than a full page newspaper ad, or a billboard. What could go wrong?

Just wanted to put in my 2 cents. Folks, it's time to take a long hard look at our social ineptness and ask yourself, do you REALLY need to have a website in the public forum that everyone can read? (Yes, there is security that is only 40% effective at best. Would you lock only the front door of your house?)

I do not have a Facebook account, I will not have a Facebook account. If I want to talk to someone, I email, call or visit. 

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