0.00000007% of Myspacers Are Pervs
At least, that’s what the AP bothered reporting to me today. It turns out that of the one hundred million accounts on Myspace, seven of them turned out to be unregistered sex offenders. Now, am I glad that they got caught? Of course I am. Do I acknowledge that there are some skeevy bastards on Myspace? Absolutely. But if you poll any given population of one hundred million people, you’re going to uncover just about every variation and deviance imaginable. You could probably find 7 necrophiliacs, 7 flat-earthers. . . maybe even 7 Bush supporters! Maybe.
The point, though, is that this likely wouldn’t have been a story if it hadn’t been on Myspace. Law enforcement did its job and caught some bad guys. Again, I’m glad to hear it. But if you think for a moment it would have warranted a full sentence, let alone an entire article, had it not had to do with “teh interwebs”, you’re sorely mistaken. It’s a non-story, disguised as news, designed to drive a wedge between old and young. Because computers are big and scary and strange. There are child molesters on your daughter’s cell phone and terrorists in your son’s closet. Be afraid. Be so fucking afraid.
It’s important to report “Internet Crimes” so publicly because of how stupid the public is. People get their identity stolen, tell random strangers they’ve ONLY met on the Internet where they live, and do tons of other really stupid things. Maybe by making this such a big story, mommy and daddy won’t let Susie 13 year old go meet her Internet boyfriend that seems to get her soo well. Alone.
JUST maybe, maybe, someone will read this article, and realize the Internet isn’t as shiny and golden and safe as they thought.
Soon they’ll tell us to live in caves.
But wait, bats live in caves!
Naked Dave-
Blast! Foiled by my own disdain for humanity!