TECHNOLOGY SOPHISTICATED, BUT COSTLY TO TRACK ONLINE SEX CRIMES

To help prevent online sex crimes, like online solicitation of a minor, and to better catch this type of illegal activity for the protection of children in Illinois and throughout the entire U.S., some websites including Facebook have software that scans for suspicious conversations between minors and adults.

Recently, sensors picked up a chat between a Facebook user in his 30s and a middle-school student as the two were arranging to meet. The flagged conversation was read by a Facebook worker and turned over to law enforcement authorities, who confiscated the 13-year-old’s computer and charged the adult with multiple counts of minor solicitation.

Facebook’s predator-detecting software is a technologically-sophisticated crime prevention technique that has become popular amongst social media sites that can afford it. Online companies are using programs that can censor language, trace personal data exchanges and cross-check convicted pedophile records.

New defensive technology takes a deeper look at sexual predator habits, tracing series of messages that may be used to reach several minors at once and “groom” them for sexual relationships. Companies who discover online violations can automatically block or expel users without involving any human intervention.

Federal officials say the number of online sex crimes against children has dropped steadily from over 5,700 cases in 2009 to less than 3,700 in 2011. This is likely due to the number of sites that are now using predator-detecting software.

The real obstacle to sex crime prevention online may be users themselves. Adults and children can lie about their ages to access sites that would not normally be open to them. Children may think they are chatting with a peer. Adults may have intimate online conversations without realizing that the person on the other end is underage.

Not all online users who have been accused of soliciting a minor online or other Internet crimes are guilty of such crimes. Sometimes an adult may think that he or she is carrying out a relationship with someone who is much older. These individuals could face serious penalties such as time in prison and the requirement to register as a sex offender if they are convicted of such crimes. To avoid a conviction or to reduce one’s penalties, if possible, folks may benefit from working with an attorney who is experienced with handling cases involving Internet sex crimes.

Source: Huffington Post, “Facebook’s Hunt For Child Predators Meets Uneven Success: Other Social Sites Face Similar Problems,” Joseph Menn, July 12, 2012