This story is must reading for parents.
Editor note: The following story illustrates how an adult sexual predator used the Internet to entice a teenage girl to run away and have sex with him. Thirty year old, Sidney C. Moreno, of Reno, Nev, used the Internet to convinced a 14 year old girl from Indiana to run away with him and have sex. When the 14 year old Indiana girl was finally located in Utah, she had $5,000 in cash taken from her father's safe, and, the hard drive from her computer. Read the story to learn how good detective work and effective use of the Amber Alert lead to the arrest of the perpetrator and the location of the girl.
Friday, July 30, 2004
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
Your Opinion: Should Your Internet Service Provider Block Child Pornography Websites?
British Telecom (BT), the largest telecom operator in the UK, announced on Tuesday that it is using software to block visits to websites that contain child pornography. The software called Clean Feed, blocks access to illegal websites that are listed by the Internet Watch Foundation .
Should Your Internet Service Provider Block Child Pornography Websites?
By Robert T DeMarco
British Telecom (BT), the largest telecom operator in the UK, announced on Tuesday that it is using software to block visits to websites that contain child pornography. The software called Clean Feed, blocks access to illegal websites that are listed by the Internet Watch Foundation . Clean Feed prevents BTs 2.5 million Internet customers from viewing child pornography websites.
BT spokesman Jon Carter said:
We use the technology to protect our customers from accessing illegal content...they would be committing a crime if they downloaded the images from the Internet.
During the first three weeks of use, the Clean Feed software stopped more than 250,000 attempts to access websites containing child pornography --more than 10,000 attempts per day. For those doubting that child pornography is a problem on the Internet this is the first clear evidence of the pervasiveness of the problem.
In describing the software Carter went on to say:
It is essentially a server hosting a very powerful filter that checks requests for Web sites against the Internet Watch Foundation list, and if it finds a positive match, it gives an error message -- 'Web site not found.' Filtering is easy, as all the server has to do is to match the HTTP Web site address supplied by the customer against the IWF list.
British Telecom does not pass on the name of any individual blocked from accessing a child pornography website. This information currently remains private.
Carter says British Telecom is willing to offer the software to other Internet Service Providers and said:
We will be happy to make the filtering technology available free of charge to other ISPs to help them prevent access to child-pornography Web sites. We are in fact in talks with several ISPs at the moment.
Would you be for or against the installation of this software by your Internet Service Provider (ISP)?
About the Author
Robert T DeMarco is CEO of IP Group in Herndon VA. IP Group offers software communication tools for use on the Internet. These include: PowerTools, Watch Right, Always on Time and IM Frame. Mr. DeMarco is the author/editor of several Weblogs and is also a member of the High Tech Crimes Industry Association (HTCIA). Mr. DeMarco has university level and corporate training and teaching experience, spent 20 years on Wall Street, acted as CEO of a small software company, and is currently discovering the world of blogging.
Contact by Email
Other Blogs and Resources
The War on Child Pornography, Who are the Victims?
All American Investor Weblog
Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Weblog
Robert T DeMarco
British Telecom (BT), the largest telecom operator in the UK, announced on Tuesday that it is using software to block visits to websites that contain child pornography. The software called Clean Feed, blocks access to illegal websites that are listed by the Internet Watch Foundation . Clean Feed prevents BTs 2.5 million Internet customers from viewing child pornography websites.
BT spokesman Jon Carter said:
During the first three weeks of use, the Clean Feed software stopped more than 250,000 attempts to access websites containing child pornography --more than 10,000 attempts per day. For those doubting that child pornography is a problem on the Internet this is the first clear evidence of the pervasiveness of the problem.
In describing the software Carter went on to say:
British Telecom does not pass on the name of any individual blocked from accessing a child pornography website. This information currently remains private.
Carter says British Telecom is willing to offer the software to other Internet Service Providers and said:
Would you be for or against the installation of this software by your Internet Service Provider (ISP)?
Please feel free to comment in detail and express your opinion.
Teachers, parents, law enforcement agencies and others can get a free syndicated news feed for their Home Pages at Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Syndicated News Feed
About the Author
Robert T DeMarco is CEO of IP Group in Herndon VA. IP Group offers software communication tools for use on the Internet. These include: PowerTools, Watch Right, Always on Time and IM Frame. Mr. DeMarco is the author/editor of several Weblogs and is also a member of the High Tech Crimes Industry Association (HTCIA). Mr. DeMarco has university level and corporate training and teaching experience, spent 20 years on Wall Street, acted as CEO of a small software company, and is currently discovering the world of blogging.
Contact by Email
Other Blogs and Resources
The War on Child Pornography, Who are the Victims?
All American Investor Weblog
Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Weblog
Robert T DeMarco
Sunday, July 18, 2004
Patriot Act used to investigate and convict couple in child pornography case
A report from the U.S. Justice Department this week said the Patriot Act helped authorities bring down suspected child molester Terry Adkins and his wife. In May, a federal judge sentenced Terry Adkins, 26, to 75 years in prison. Jane Adkins, 34, was sentenced to 30 years.
You can read about Crimes Against Children on the Internet at Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Weblog
In his remarks to Congress, Attorney General John Ashcroft detailed how the Patriot Act was used to investigate a child pornography case. In his testimony Ashcroft said (excerpt of the entire remarks): The Patriot Act has also allowed us to go after violent criminals who would harm the innocent. In Kentucky, law enforcement used section 210 of the Patriot Act to investigate an individual linked to several sexual assaults of children at public libraries and local parks. Just before the individual in question became the primary suspect in the case, he attempted to rape and abduct a six-year-old girl at a playground in Boone County, Kentucky. Investigators used section 210 to obtain key information from an Internet service provider. Within 20 minutes of receipt of the subpoena, the investigators obtained the information that allowed them to get a search warrant of the suspect's residence. Without that information, it is unlikely that investigators could have obtained a search warrant for the house. Evidence located in the house proved essential in the arrest of the suspect and his wife within 24 hours. The couple was charged and prosecuted for 100-counts of receipt and possession of child pornography (Source). The case described above led to the conviction and sentencing of Terry and Jane Adkins. Terry Adkins, 26, was sentenced to 75 years in prison. Jane Adkins, 34, was sentenced to 30 years (Source). About the Author Robert T DeMarco is CEO of IP Group in Herndon VA. IP Group offers software communication tools for use on the Internet. These include: PowerTools, Watch Right, Always on Time and IM Frame. Mr. DeMarco is the author/editor of several Weblogs and is also a member of the High Tech Crimes Industry Association (HTCIA). Mr. DeMarco has university level and corporate training and teaching experience, spent 20 years on Wall Street, acted as CEO of a small software company, and is currently discovering the world of blogging. Other Blogs and Resources The War on Child Pornography, Who are the Victims
The War on Child Pornography--What to do?
Teachers, parents, law enforcement agencies and others can get a free syndicated news feed for their Home Pages at Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Syndicated News Feed
Thursday, July 15, 2004
Instant Message Deal Leaves Consumers Out in the Cold
Would you pay five dollars a year, or twenty-five dollars one time to get a service that would allow you to “talk” across all instant message systems?
Instant Message Deal Leaves Consumers Out in the Cold
The big three of instant messaging, AOL, Microsoft, and Yahoo announced a deal today that will allow their instant messaging systems to interact by early 2005. The systems will use the Microsoft Live Communications Server 2005 (LCS 2005). However, in order to use the service a software licensing fee will be charged. While this is good news for businesses trying to leverage the benefits of instant messaging in the enterprise; it will leave consumers out in the cold.
Once again the Big 3 are trying to find a way to turn instant messaging into a profitable business. It remains to be seen whether businesses will migrate to the new LCS 2005 server or continue to use the public system which is free. It also calls into question the viability and roles of Face Time and IM Logic which have spent millions developing systems that allow instant messaging systems to inter-operate.
With more than 400 million instant message users worldwide there is no doubt this is an enormous market. It will be interesting to see how the service is priced. The Big 3 have already exited their efforts in the enterprise server market once. Once again, AOL says it will explore ways to allow AIM to inter-operate with MS Messenger, but don't hold your breath. This has been going on since 2000. And, with this announcement it seems less likely.
With usage prices plummeting on all competing devices it will be interested to see if businesses are willing to pay single user licensing fees north of ten dollars, or usage fees like those charged on telephone lines. Smaller corporations are already using the free “public” versions of these systems with great success. It’s unlikely they will pay licensing fees for a service they already get for free. In industries like financial services AIM already dominates and the new inter-operable system is not really a necessity. While most financial services companies are worried about uncontrolled use of IM, SPIM and viruses, they are not concerned about interoperability. So, where is the “beef”.
Would you pay five dollars a year, or twenty-five dollars one time to get a service that would allow you to “talk” across all instant message systems?
About the Author
Robert T DeMarco is CEO of IP Group in Herndon VA. IP Group offers software communication tools for use on the Internet. These include: PowerTools, Watch Right, Always on Time and IM Frame. Mr. DeMarco is the author/editor of several Weblogs and is also a member of the High Tech Crimes Industry Association (HTCIA). Mr. DeMarco has university level and corporate training and teaching experience, spent 20 years on Wall Street, acted as CEO of a small software company, and is currently discovering the world of blogging.
Robert T DeMarco
IP Group Inc.
Send me Email
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Other Blogs and Resources
All American Investor Weblog
Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Weblog
Robert T DeMarco
Penn State Football Fanatics Weblog
Instant Message Deal Leaves Consumers Out in the Cold
The big three of instant messaging, AOL, Microsoft, and Yahoo announced a deal today that will allow their instant messaging systems to interact by early 2005. The systems will use the Microsoft Live Communications Server 2005 (LCS 2005). However, in order to use the service a software licensing fee will be charged. While this is good news for businesses trying to leverage the benefits of instant messaging in the enterprise; it will leave consumers out in the cold.
Once again the Big 3 are trying to find a way to turn instant messaging into a profitable business. It remains to be seen whether businesses will migrate to the new LCS 2005 server or continue to use the public system which is free. It also calls into question the viability and roles of Face Time and IM Logic which have spent millions developing systems that allow instant messaging systems to inter-operate.
With more than 400 million instant message users worldwide there is no doubt this is an enormous market. It will be interesting to see how the service is priced. The Big 3 have already exited their efforts in the enterprise server market once. Once again, AOL says it will explore ways to allow AIM to inter-operate with MS Messenger, but don't hold your breath. This has been going on since 2000. And, with this announcement it seems less likely.
With usage prices plummeting on all competing devices it will be interested to see if businesses are willing to pay single user licensing fees north of ten dollars, or usage fees like those charged on telephone lines. Smaller corporations are already using the free “public” versions of these systems with great success. It’s unlikely they will pay licensing fees for a service they already get for free. In industries like financial services AIM already dominates and the new inter-operable system is not really a necessity. While most financial services companies are worried about uncontrolled use of IM, SPIM and viruses, they are not concerned about interoperability. So, where is the “beef”.
Would you pay five dollars a year, or twenty-five dollars one time to get a service that would allow you to “talk” across all instant message systems?
About the Author
Robert T DeMarco is CEO of IP Group in Herndon VA. IP Group offers software communication tools for use on the Internet. These include: PowerTools, Watch Right, Always on Time and IM Frame. Mr. DeMarco is the author/editor of several Weblogs and is also a member of the High Tech Crimes Industry Association (HTCIA). Mr. DeMarco has university level and corporate training and teaching experience, spent 20 years on Wall Street, acted as CEO of a small software company, and is currently discovering the world of blogging.
Robert T DeMarco
IP Group Inc.
Send me Email
RSS Feed
Other Blogs and Resources
All American Investor Weblog
Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Weblog
Robert T DeMarco
Penn State Football Fanatics Weblog
Friday, July 09, 2004
Operation Predator Update
Launched in July 2003, Operation Predator has resulted in the arrest of more than 3200 child predators nationwide.Each year, millions of children fall prey to sexual predators. Experts estimate that one-in-five girls and one-in-ten boys in the United States are sexually exploited before they reach adulthood. These young victims are left with permanent psychological, physical, and emotional scars. That tragedy is compounded by the fact that child prostitution, human trafficking, child pornography, and international sex tourism now generate billions of dollars a year worldwide.
Seeking to reverse this trend and protect children worldwide, the Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) developed Operation Predator, an initiative to identify, investigate, and arrest child predators.
Launched in July 2003, Operation Predator has resulted in the arrest of more than 3200 child predators nationwide.
Read the complete Operation Predator Factsheet.
Seeking to reverse this trend and protect children worldwide, the Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) developed Operation Predator, an initiative to identify, investigate, and arrest child predators.
Launched in July 2003, Operation Predator has resulted in the arrest of more than 3200 child predators nationwide.
Read the complete Operation Predator Factsheet.
Teachers, parents, law enforcement agencies and others can get a free syndicated news feed for their Home Pages at Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Syndicated News Feed
About the Author
Robert T DeMarco is CEO of IP Group in Herndon VA. IP Group offers software communication tools for use on the Internet. These include: PowerTools, Watch Right, Always on Time and IM Frame. Mr. DeMarco is the author/editor of several Weblogs and is also a member of the High Tech Crimes Industry Association (HTCIA). Mr. DeMarco has university level and corporate training and teaching experience, spent 20 years on Wall Street, acted as CEO of a small software company, and is currently discovering the world of blogging.
Robert T DeMarco
IP Group Inc.
Send me Email
Other Blogs and Resources
The War on Child Pornography—Who are the Victims?
All American Investor Weblog
Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Weblog
Penn State Football Fanatics Weblog
Thursday, July 08, 2004
Gold regains its Sparkle
Today gold surged to a 3 month high. Serious investors should take note of this trend.
Read the article at All American Investor.
Read the article at All American Investor.
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS)
This is the first in a series of articles on Treasury Inflation Protected Securities.
This is the first in a series of articles on Treasury Inflation Protected Securities.
Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, often called TIPS, are government issued securities whose value is linked to the inflation rate. Like Treasury bills, bonds and notes, TIPS are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. This make TIPS an ideal investment for those concerned about safety when investing. Treasuries are considered to be the safest investment in the world. TIPS are liquid securities that can be bought and then resold at any time on the open market or directly to the Treasury Department.
TIPS are very different than standard bonds. TIPS pay a stated interest rate like a typical bond (fixed interest rate); however, the principal is adjusted every six months based on the changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). If inflation rises the principal of the bond increases, if deflation occurs your principal decreases. Just like all government securities you can never receive less than par (100) if you hold the TIPS to maturity. One of the best features of TIPS is you receive the inflation adjusted principal or the original principal, whichever is greater when the bonds mature.
TIPS pay a fixed rate of interest. However, the interest is applied to the inflation-adjusted principal of the security. If inflation as measured by the CPI increase over the course of ownership of the TIPS every interest payment would rise. If deflation occurs then the interest payment would decline. The amount of interest paid is calculated by multiplying the inflation-adjusted principal (regardless of whether it is greater or less than the original face value) by one-half the fixed annual interest rate (TIPS pay interest every six months).
Unlike typical bonds where you pay a broker a fee, you can buy TIPS direct from the US Treasury. This means 100 percent of your investment goes to work from day one. It is not unusual to suffer a 25-50 basis point drop in yield when purchasing a bond from a broker (the commission you pay reduces the yield, something investors often fail to take into account). And, if you are purchasing a small amount of bonds, the “real” yield on your investment can be reduced by one or more percentage points. The ability to buy TIPS direct from the Treasury is certainly a feature that makes the bonds more attractive.
You can purchase TIPS with 5, 10 or 20 year maturities. This is accomplished by setting up an account with the Treasury online or through the mail; and then, by submitting your non-competitive bid amount at the time of the next auction (the amount you intend to invest). Since most Treasuries are purchased with non-competitive bids you can feel assured that you will receive a fair price at the time of the auction. If you are too busy to set up your own account your broker or bank will do it for you, but they will charge you a fee.
Next time, how to get started buying TIPS.
About the Author
Robert T DeMarco is CEO of IP Group in Herndon VA. IP Group offers software communication tools for use on the Internet. These include: PowerTools, Watch Right, Always on Time and IM Frame. Mr. DeMarco is the author/editor of several Weblogs and is also a member of the High Tech Crimes Industry Association (HTCIA). Mr. DeMarco has university level and corporate training and teaching experience, spent 20 years on Wall Street, acted as CEO of a small software company, and is currently discovering the world of blogging.
Robert T DeMarco
IP Group Inc.
Email
Other Blogs and Resources
All American Investor Weblog
Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Weblog
Robert T DeMarco
Penn State Football Fanatics Weblog
Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Syndicated News Feed
This is the first in a series of articles on Treasury Inflation Protected Securities.
Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, often called TIPS, are government issued securities whose value is linked to the inflation rate. Like Treasury bills, bonds and notes, TIPS are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. This make TIPS an ideal investment for those concerned about safety when investing. Treasuries are considered to be the safest investment in the world. TIPS are liquid securities that can be bought and then resold at any time on the open market or directly to the Treasury Department.
TIPS are very different than standard bonds. TIPS pay a stated interest rate like a typical bond (fixed interest rate); however, the principal is adjusted every six months based on the changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). If inflation rises the principal of the bond increases, if deflation occurs your principal decreases. Just like all government securities you can never receive less than par (100) if you hold the TIPS to maturity. One of the best features of TIPS is you receive the inflation adjusted principal or the original principal, whichever is greater when the bonds mature.
TIPS pay a fixed rate of interest. However, the interest is applied to the inflation-adjusted principal of the security. If inflation as measured by the CPI increase over the course of ownership of the TIPS every interest payment would rise. If deflation occurs then the interest payment would decline. The amount of interest paid is calculated by multiplying the inflation-adjusted principal (regardless of whether it is greater or less than the original face value) by one-half the fixed annual interest rate (TIPS pay interest every six months).
Unlike typical bonds where you pay a broker a fee, you can buy TIPS direct from the US Treasury. This means 100 percent of your investment goes to work from day one. It is not unusual to suffer a 25-50 basis point drop in yield when purchasing a bond from a broker (the commission you pay reduces the yield, something investors often fail to take into account). And, if you are purchasing a small amount of bonds, the “real” yield on your investment can be reduced by one or more percentage points. The ability to buy TIPS direct from the Treasury is certainly a feature that makes the bonds more attractive.
You can purchase TIPS with 5, 10 or 20 year maturities. This is accomplished by setting up an account with the Treasury online or through the mail; and then, by submitting your non-competitive bid amount at the time of the next auction (the amount you intend to invest). Since most Treasuries are purchased with non-competitive bids you can feel assured that you will receive a fair price at the time of the auction. If you are too busy to set up your own account your broker or bank will do it for you, but they will charge you a fee.
Next time, how to get started buying TIPS.
About the Author
Robert T DeMarco is CEO of IP Group in Herndon VA. IP Group offers software communication tools for use on the Internet. These include: PowerTools, Watch Right, Always on Time and IM Frame. Mr. DeMarco is the author/editor of several Weblogs and is also a member of the High Tech Crimes Industry Association (HTCIA). Mr. DeMarco has university level and corporate training and teaching experience, spent 20 years on Wall Street, acted as CEO of a small software company, and is currently discovering the world of blogging.
Robert T DeMarco
IP Group Inc.
Other Blogs and Resources
All American Investor Weblog
Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Weblog
Robert T DeMarco
Penn State Football Fanatics Weblog
Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Syndicated News Feed
Saturday, July 03, 2004
Instant-messaging virus costs a man his job
You should take note of the following story. Can you imagine what would happen if all of your instant messages were sent to everyone on your buddy list? At the minimum complete embarrassment, at the maximum "You are fired".Source ZDNet UK June 30, 2004, 09:05 BST
A virus can transmit previous IM conversations to a user's buddy list without his or her consent - and with disastrous consequences
Virus attacks are not yet frequent on instant-messaging applications, but the latest threat is likely to send a shiver down the spine of all IM users. A businessman whose computer had been infected by a virus found that his entire buddy list had been sent a record of all his IM conversations, said Derek O'Carroll, managing director of IM software vendor IMLogic on Tuesday.
O'Carroll was speaking at a panel discussion on the war against spam at a security event aligned with the Microsoft TechEd conference in Amsterdam. He said the businessman, a vice president at a US-based company, discovered that IM conversations stored by the application had been sent to colleagues on his buddy list, which included partners at the company.
He was fired because of negative comments he'd made about his colleagues in what he thought were private IM conversations. His computer had been infected with the virus after clicking on a URL received in an IM application, according to O'Carroll.
O'Carroll pointed out that various IM applications can keep a record of conversations although they can be set up so that they do not do this. He advised that companies implement content checking with instant messaging to prevent employees from making defamatory comments and to stop critical information from leaving the company.
The Radicati Group recently predicted that instant-messaging spam, dubbed 'spim', will increase dramatically during the next year. This increase in spim could result in an increased risk of security breaches such as these, because hyperlinks embedded in spim can provide a doorway through which viruses enter a corporate network.
About the Author
Robert T DeMarco is CEO of IP Group in Herndon VA. IP Group offers software communication tools for use on the Internet. These include: PowerTools, Watch Right, Always on Time and IM Frame. Mr. DeMarco is the author/editor of several Weblogs and is also a member of the High Tech Crimes Industry Association (HTCIA). Mr. DeMarco spent 20 years on Wall Street during his second career.
Robert T DeMarcoIP Group Inc.
mailto: rtdemarco@aol.com
A virus can transmit previous IM conversations to a user's buddy list without his or her consent - and with disastrous consequences
Virus attacks are not yet frequent on instant-messaging applications, but the latest threat is likely to send a shiver down the spine of all IM users. A businessman whose computer had been infected by a virus found that his entire buddy list had been sent a record of all his IM conversations, said Derek O'Carroll, managing director of IM software vendor IMLogic on Tuesday.
O'Carroll was speaking at a panel discussion on the war against spam at a security event aligned with the Microsoft TechEd conference in Amsterdam. He said the businessman, a vice president at a US-based company, discovered that IM conversations stored by the application had been sent to colleagues on his buddy list, which included partners at the company.
He was fired because of negative comments he'd made about his colleagues in what he thought were private IM conversations. His computer had been infected with the virus after clicking on a URL received in an IM application, according to O'Carroll.
O'Carroll pointed out that various IM applications can keep a record of conversations although they can be set up so that they do not do this. He advised that companies implement content checking with instant messaging to prevent employees from making defamatory comments and to stop critical information from leaving the company.
The Radicati Group recently predicted that instant-messaging spam, dubbed 'spim', will increase dramatically during the next year. This increase in spim could result in an increased risk of security breaches such as these, because hyperlinks embedded in spim can provide a doorway through which viruses enter a corporate network.
About the Author
Robert T DeMarco is CEO of IP Group in Herndon VA. IP Group offers software communication tools for use on the Internet. These include: PowerTools, Watch Right, Always on Time and IM Frame. Mr. DeMarco is the author/editor of several Weblogs and is also a member of the High Tech Crimes Industry Association (HTCIA). Mr. DeMarco spent 20 years on Wall Street during his second career.
Robert T DeMarcoIP Group Inc.
mailto: rtdemarco@aol.com
You can read about Crimes Against Children on the Internet at Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Weblog
Teachers, parents and law enforcement agencies can get a free syndicated news feed for their Home Pages at Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Syndicated Feed
Child Pornography on the Internet--What to do?
If you are a parent of a child between the ages of 10-17 it is likely that your child is receiving unsolicited pornographic images. These are typically sent by “bots” to everyone who enters a chat room where children congregate. If you don’t believe this then all you need to do is set up a profile describing yourself as a 14 year old and start entering a few chat rooms. It will not be long before you will start getting bombarded by unsolicited instant messages (IMs) with embedded hyperlinks that lead to pornography.
Child Pornography on the Internet--What to do?
Child Pornography on the Internet--What to do?
By Robert T DeMarco
If you are a parent of a child between the ages of 10-17 it is likely that your child is receiving unsolicited pornographic images. These are typically sent by “bots” to everyone who enters a chat room where children congregate. If you don’t believe this then all you need to do is set up a profile describing yourself as a 14 year old and start entering a few chat rooms. It will not be long before you will start getting bombarded by unsolicited instant messages (IMs) with embedded hyperlinks that lead to pornography. It also won’t be long before you receive IMs from anonymous strangers asking you what you are wearing and asking questions of a sexual nature. Some of these anonymous strangers are adults disguised as kids looking for vulnerable or inquisitive kids. When this occurs you become a candidate for a more sinister and illegal form of pornography—child pornography.
Recently, I wrote a series of articles about pedophilia and child pornography on the Internet. As a result, many people asked me to write an article about what to do when a child receives a pornographic image or a sexual solicitation while on the Internet. There are three good ways to deal with this problem: use the CyberTipline offered by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), contact the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) unit near you, or call your local law enforcement department and ask for the Internet crimes unit. I will explain the importance of taking action below.
The best way to report a crime against a child is by using the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline. The CyberTipline contains unique categories for:
• Possession, manufacture, and distribution of child pornography
• unsolicited obscene material sent to a child
• online enticement of children for sexual acts
• child prostitution
• and, child sexual molestation (not in the family)
While each report section asks for specific information it is important to try and capture the information when you first notice the problem. Where did the incident occur (which ISP, which domain name)? The screen name or email address of the perpetrator. And to copy any email, instant message, or the image if it is separate from a webpage (if it comes as an attachment).
NCMEC maintains a very sophisticated database in conjunction with the FBI. By sending the image to them, you could accomplish more than you might imagine. The FBI has a specific methodology of examining each image. In effect, each image is like a partial fingerprint. If they can associate a series of images they might actually be able to identify a specific place where the image was taken (a state, city, or country). Over time as they collect information they can narrow the geographic area to the point where they can then get the picture of the child to local law enforcement which then might be able to identify the child and identify the perpetrator of the crime. So while it will take several minutes to report the incident you might be the one person who helps save the life and future of the victim—the child. In 2003, NCMEC received more than 200,000 images via its CyberTipline. I can assure you only a tiny fraction of parents are aware of this resource.
If you prefer you can locate the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force near you. The detectives that work in these units are specifically trained to handle crimes against children. In some cases, they might want to assume the identity (screen name persona) of your child with the express purpose of bringing the perpetrator of the crime into the real world where the “perp” will be arrested.
The easiest, but not necessarily the most effective action, is to call your local police department and ask for the Internet crimes department. If they don’t have the appropriate person on staff, they will know what to do next.
While I know that the detectives working in Internet crime unit are doing a great job, I also know they are buried under a never ending and still growing number of cases. Over time I have come to believe that one of the most effective ways to combat this sinister problem is get more parents and teachers involved. I will continue to write on this issue and explain my growing belief that teachers might be the most effective deterrent to these perpetrators of crimes against children. I’ll tackle that issue shortly.
If you are interested in reading more on this issue go to Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Weblog
Teachers, parents and law enforcement agencies can get a free syndicated news feed for their Home Pages at Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Syndicated Feed
About the Author
Robert T DeMarco is CEO of IP Group in Herndon VA. IP Group offers software communication tools for use on the Internet. These include: PowerTools, Watch Right, Always on Time and IM Frame. Mr. DeMarco is the author/editor of several Weblogs and is also a member of the High Tech Crimes Industry Association (HTCIA).
Robert T DeMarco
rtdemarco@aol.com
Other Resources and Blogs
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Customs Child Pornography Enforcement Program
Supreme Court Says Porn Law Likely Violates First Amendment
Source Wall Street Journal (subscription) and Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court ruled that a law meant to punish pornographers who peddle dirty pictures to Web-surfing kids is probably an unconstitutional muzzle on free speech.The high court divided 5-to-4 over a law passed in 1998, signed by then-President Clinton and now backed by the Bush administration. The majority said a lower court was correct to block the law from taking effect because it likely violates the First Amendment.
The court didn't end the long fight over the law, however. The majority sent the case back to a lower court for a trial that could give the government a chance to prove the law doesn't go too far.
The majority, led by Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, said there may have been important technological advances in the five years since a federal judge blocked the law.
Holding a new trial will allow discussion of what technology, if any, might allow adults to see and buy material that is legal for them while keeping that material out of the hands of children.
Justices John Paul Stevens, David H. Souter, Clarence Thomas and Ruth Bader Ginsburg agreed with Justice Kennedy.
The American Civil Liberties Union and other critics of the law said it would restrict far too much material that adults may legally see and buy, the court said.
The law, which never took effect, would have authorized fines up to $50,000 for the crime of placing material that is "harmful to minors" within the easy reach of children on the Internet. It also would have required adults to use access codes and or other ways of registering before they could see objectionable material online.
For now, the law, known as the Child Online Protection Act, would sweep with too broad a brush, Justice Kennedy wrote. "There is a potential for extraordinary harm and a serious chill upon protected speech" if the law took effect, he wrote.
He said that filtering software "is not a perfect solution to the problem of children gaining access to harmful-to-minors materials." He said that so far, the government has failed to prove that other technologies would work better.
The ruling was the last of nearly 80 cases decided in a busy court term. The year's marquee cases involving presidential power to dealing with suspected terrorist were announced Monday, and mostly represented a loss for the Bush administration.
Tuesday's pornography ruling is more nuanced, but still a blow to the government. It marks the third time the high court has considered the case, and it may not be the last.
Congress had tried repeatedly to find a way to protect Web-surfing children from smut without running afoul of the First Amendment.
The justices unanimously struck down the first version of a child-protection law passed in 1996, just as the Internet was becoming a commonplace means of communication, research and entertainment.
Congress responded by passing COPA, saying the new law met the Supreme Court's free-speech standards. The American Civil Liberties Union challenged COPA immediately, arguing that the replacement law was every bit as unconstitutional as the original. The law has been tied up in the courts ever since.
In dissent, Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and justices Sandra Day O'Connor, Antonin Scalia and Stephen Breyer said the law is constitutional and should be upheld.
Restrictions about who would be covered by the law and how it would be enforced "answer many of the concerns raised by those who attack its constitutionality," Justice Breyer wrote.
The ACLU challenged the law on behalf of online bookstores, artists and others, including operators of Web sites that offer explicit how-to sex advice or health information. The ACLU argued that its clients could face jail time or fines for distributing information that, while racy or graphic, is perfectly legal for adult eyes and ears.
Material that is indecent but not obscene is protected by the First Amendment. Adults may see or purchase it, but children may not.
That is a tricky rule to enforce in the murky and anonymous reaches of the Internet. Most Web sites, chat rooms and other Internet venues are available to adults and minors alike, and commercial transactions do not take place face to face.
The Internet also presents a difficulty in translating old rules about what children could see and what they could not.
In writing the 1998 law, Congress said "contemporary community standards" should guide what is harmful to children. Civil liberties defenders said that the standard would lead to the most prudish place in America having veto power over the most liberal, because Internet material is available to them both.
The ACLU also said the community standards idea would force legitimate web site operators to self-censor, for fear of running afoul of someone's idea of what is inappropriate for children.
The Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, and ruled that the standards issue alone made the law unconstitutional. The Bush administration appealed to the Supreme Court, which delivered a partial victory for the government two years ago. The court said at that time that, by itself, the community standards issue did not make the law unconstitutional. The justices then sent the case back for a fuller examination of the other free speech objections raised by the ACLU.
The Philadelphia-based federal appeals court then struck down the law a second time, on much broader First Amendment grounds, and the administration again appealed to the Supreme Court.
(Ashcroft v. ACLU)
Copyright © 2004 Associated Press
You can read about Crimes Against Children on the Internet at Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Weblog
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Robert T DeMarco is CEO of IP Group in Herndon VA. IP Group offers software communication tools for use on the Internet. These include: PowerTools, Watch Right, Always on Time and IM Frame. Mr. DeMarco is the author/editor of several Weblogs and is also a member of the High Tech Crimes Industry Association (HTCIA). Mr. DeMarco spent 20 years on Wall Street during his second career.
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About Robert T DeMarco
Robert T DeMarco is CEO of IP Group in Herndon VA. IP Group offers software communication tools for use on the Internet. These include: PowerTools, Watch Right, Always on Time and IM Frame. Mr. DeMarco is the author/editor of several Weblogs and is also a member of the High Tech Crimes Industry Association (HTCIA).
You can read about Crimes Against Children on the Internet at Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Weblog
Teachers, parents and law enforcement agencies can get a free syndicated news feed for their Home Pages at Watch Right Internet Crimes Against Children Syndicated Feed
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