DISQUS

Mashable - The Social Media Guide: 2007/01/18/myspace-sued-after-girls-sexually-abused/

  • Charlotte · 2 years ago
    Hello, intersting stuff you got hear.
  • Ronald Lewis · 2 years ago
    The blame lies squarely on the parents and their daughters -- if you look at the average profile of these teenage girls, you'd think they were trying out for Playboy Magazine. These girls are selling appeal in exchange for attention, and when it's too much, they cry "victim."
  • Edd Mills · 2 years ago
    This just reminds me of when them people sued McDonalds for making them obese. At the end of the day, the parents should be keeping a closer eye what there kids are doing online. But hey, this is America, any excuse to sue someone ay?
  • netta · 2 years ago
    I agree completely. MySpace is not responsible. I stopped going on My Space for personal reasons but my younger relatives are still active members. The things kids are posting on their pages are ridiculous. Young girls are showing off their new breasts and every other part puberty is beginning to mature. Its ridiculous! The parents cant sue for their child's promiscuity. My Space definitely should not lose those cases and they definitley shouldnt settle out of court either. These are prime examples of how parents dont keep track of what their children are doing and are basically failing at what they are supposed to do.

    Common sense says MySpace is not responsible. These parents are just trying to place the blame on someone other than themselves.
  • Amber · 2 years ago
    I agree that there is a problem with how teenagers express their sexuality these days. That being said, when sexual assault happens, blame should not be put on the victim, but the perpetrator.

    MySpace is doing a lot to maximise the safety of underage people online. You can't search for people under 18, profiles are private, and so on. Now it is up to the parents to maximise their children's safety the same way, by supplying their kids with the tools to identify dangerous situations, and to monitor activity if they don't have those tools yet. The concept of stranger danger hasn't changed, although now it is without a face.
  • Kelli · 2 years ago
    It's exactly because of this "let's blame someone else" kind of attitude by the parents that sort of thing happens in the first place. If people (in the general sense, parents, teens, etc.) would stop blaming other people and take some personal responsibility for their own actions and for the actions of their children, situations like this wouldn't be nearly so commonplace.
  • paul king · 2 years ago
    With two teen girls, I agree. Not MySpace's problem. Both the girls have an account and you bet we stay on top of it.

    This reminds me of something I heard someone else say a while back. She said, "you ever see these 12-13 year old girls walking around the mall dressed like sluts? Ever see the proud look on their mom's face? Yeah, THAT's the problem"... so true too. I never noticed until I started to notice.
  • Ross Borden · 2 years ago
    OK, hang on guys...no matter how provocative the kid's myspace pages are these days, that is NEVER and excuse for sexual assult. A couple of them were kidnapped and drugged! That is some hardcore felony sexual assault. 15 year old girls are confused about the world, you can't tell they are to blame.

    At the same time, MySpace is definitely not to blame either. The parents have to take any responsibility that the criminals haven't already taken. It's petty easy to see how this kind of thing could happen on the big bad internet these days...pervs and psychos are a dime a dozen on myspace...or any other sample size of 140 Million people!

    What I think is most sad about Americans these days is that everyone acts as if "dollars in the millions" are going to make anything better. Notice they aren't pressuring MySpace to spend those millions on better safety controls--they want the money themselves. Is winning the lottery of a major suit like that going to take back that your daughter was raped? No, if you're truly outraged about myspace not being safe for teens, sue myspace into making the site safer, not into making you personally more wealthy. That's bullshit.
  • Ken · 2 years ago
    I'm not saying that MySpace couldn't do more to make their place safer (like removing the filth that is displayed WITHOUT being asked to do it), but those parents should take the blame. It drives me crazy with parents these days not taking responsibility for their children. It reminds me of the frivolous lawsuits you hear about so often, like the old lady suing McDonald's for the hot coffee SHE spilled in her lap while driving a car.

    Where's personal accountability? Where's doing the responsible thing?

    There's a condition called "not-my-child" that more and more parents are suffering from each day. And it will continue to get worse as more companies give in to irresponsible parents. I'm sorry for what happened to these teens, but time to wise-up.
  • dmm · 2 years ago
    I'm with you. I intensely dislike myspace on principle but really, where are mom and dad while this is going down? I mean, it's up to them to observe their child's online usage, and their job to know where their kids are. I dont fault the girls even if they were superslut all over their profiles because that does not make sexual assault okay and teenage girls arent exactly renowned for making rational decisions, hence why they have parents.
  • Pete Cashmore · 2 years ago
    dmm,

    I think the issue these days is that kids know more about the web than their parents, who see nothing wrong with letting them have computers in their bedrooms and use them without any guidance or supervision. Also agree with Ross: don't blame teens for being overly provocative on MySpace - there's *no* excuse for those crimes, and the parents should have been checking up on their kids.
  • Matdredalia · 2 years ago
    I'm going to start off by saying that I don't blame the parents, MySpace, or the girls for what happened to these girls. I do blame the sick, twisted psychos that hurt these girls for what was done.

    However, if anybody is negligent, it is the parents for A) not teaching their children to be more responsible where the internet is concerned, B) for not keeping an eye on their online activities, and C) not keeping an eye on their children, period.
    I've spent the last 7 years of my life on the net. I've met all of my best friends online, and have met over a dozen "net-friends" in person, and you don't see me being raped or kidnapped.

    I'm not going to say that I'm smarter than these girls, just maybe a bit more cautious. I was taught better. From the time I was a little girl, my mother pounded one thing into my head above all else: The world is dangerous.

    Parents these days don't bother to tell their kids that. They let them think the world is safe and nothing bad could ever happen.

    It's the same problem with parents letting their daughters go to parties and the girls wind up overdosing, being raped, pregnant, whatever. Parents don't keep an eye on their children anymore, whether it be because they don't care or because they're too busy.

    If anyone is negligent, it's the parents. Does that make it their fault? No. But they should take responsibility for the fact that they were neglectful instead of trying to shove their guilt off onto MySpace.

    And really, that's all it is. Somewhere deep down, these parents know that they neglected their children's safety, and so they need someone to blame to help themselves feel less guilty.
  • MEGAN · 2 years ago
    OMG! THIS IS SO GAY MYSPACE IS OFF THE CHAIN GURLS ARE JUSS SLUTS ALL OF THEM I EVEN FIND MYSELF ACTING SLUTY AT TIMES IN DIFFERENT WAYS FOR ATTENTION ITS NOT MYSPACE'S FAULT HORMONES ARE KICKIN IN
  • IZZI · 2 years ago
    I also agree myspace is inapropriate at first i was upset because my friend wanted to hook me up on myspace but my mom said no i was kinda upset but after reading this it was really for my safety.mY FRIENDS ALSO GO ON MY SPACE BUT THEY ALL QUIT WE ARE ALSO NOW ON A COMPAINION TO STOP IT SO WHOEVER WANTS TO JOIN IN THIS CONCEPT FEEL FREE TOO.TIMES ARE SOO BAD I CANT EVEN PUT MY OWN NAME I HAVE TO PUT IZZY THIS WORLD HAS TO BE PUT TOO AN END LETS PRAY.
  • phillysfinestaka · 2 years ago
    I am sorry about what happen to the girls but the parents should not blame myspace. where were the parents when the kids were online and going to meet the perverts. How did they get there and what did they tell their parents? It is sad that you have to blame a website because you were negilent as a parent. I stay on top of my kids and my nieces myspace account, I check to see who they are emailing and who is emailing or sending them comments. It is the parents responsible to teach their children about internet safety. Myspace is not to blame for those crimes.
  • paul king · 2 years ago
    ok - I read all the comments. I don't see one reference where ANYONE blamed the girls. It doesn't make sense to rail against a fantom, as if someone came on here and said it's the childs fault. That's a red herring. It's like saying you're for clean air. Isn't everyone? Of course it's the perverts fault for the abuse, but the parents are culpable - not MySpace.

    I hope that judges (and more inportantly probably jurors, usually the dumbest of the lot) throw any and all lawsuits like this out. And if they don't, they at least require the plaintiff to go the full way and sue every single service that contributed - from ISP's on down - that will show (if it's not already evident) how absurd these lawsuits are.
  • Czenfan · 2 years ago
    Firstly let me say that I was never a big MySpace fan, The whole site seems shady to me.

    But when people sign up for a Myspace account the MINIMUM age they should be is 16 - This is why 16 is the Minimum age you can put on a profile.

    Myspace is NOT for 10, 12, 13year olds. I definitely don't blame Myspace as I'm sure these same things can and do happen on facebook, orkut, and similiar sites.

    One more point... I don't know how Millions of dollars will help these girls and families make better decisions as money often times makes (irresponsible) people even more so.

    heres a thought, let the parents sue myspace...and if they win (XX) amount of dollars I think judges should be able to decide how the money is disbursed.

    I think Myspace (if they loose) should have to incur all legal fees of the plaintiff, Counseling fees of the girls for about the next 10 years or until a counselor deems necessary...and ALL the remainder of the money should go to "an Awareness education group"

    If money was to be disbursed in such a way and the parents reaped NO GAIN off of their children's pain --- I don't even think they would sue.
  • Just a Mom · 2 years ago
    I'm glad to see so many comprehend that parental neglect is the #1 factor in these situations. But I'm surprised after the Duke Rape case that people still rush to believe claims of horrid sexual assault and predator solicitation when they have no idea of the real facts, or know anything of the people making such claims.

    A little common sense might suggest skeptism of parents who think myspace.com should be like a daycare center and is responsible for the trouble their kids find online AND offiline, and not themselves. Skeptism should flare as well when millions of dollars are involved in these law suits.

    Just may end up that the true "predators" are the parents, and myspace and some of these boys the true "victims".
  • meriah · 2 years ago
    the girls that have something happen to them are the stupid ones because im 16 and smart enough to know you dont talk to creepy old guys on the internet or anyone about sex
  • Kelly · 2 years ago
    HELLO PERANTS !!!!! YOU CAN'T JUST LET YOUR KIDS DO WHAT EVER THEY WANT!!!! THE INTERNET IS NOT A SAFE PLACE, THATS YOUR JOB TO GET INVOLED SO THINGS LIKE THIS CAN BE PREVENTED! I'M SICK THAT THESE THINGS HAPPEND TO SUCH PRESIOUS CHILDREN , BUT LETS TEACH OUR KIDS TO BE CAUSIOUS , CLEARLY THESE KIDS WERE NOT TAUGHT THAT !
  • Kelly · 2 years ago
    This comment go's out to "MERIAH" true that girl I'm 13 and I know that to!! Hello we were taught to not talk to strangers in like kindergarten , the Internet is no different!!

    Plus I think the parents just want some extra cash , and I think they found a way to get it!
  • Felicia Williams · 2 years ago
    hahahaha yall r unny myspace is COOL!!
  • A FAMILY AFFECTED BY MY SPACE! · 2 years ago
    While I agree that PARENTS are responsible to teach their children about the dangers of the internet- I have learned that if they want to do something they will. I recently discovered that my teenage girls had profiles on MY SPACE. They got into some pretty dangerous conversations and gave out WAYYY too much personal info. Parents need to understand how W I D E MY SPACE opens the door to pedophiles and those who use MY SPACE to MANIPULATE teens. Teenagers are extremely vulnerable and predators know that. They gain their trust and thats how young girls are manipulated into running away, cyber sex and abduction. These teens have no way of knowing that they are talking to the people that they think they are talking to. Something needs to be done to insure the safety of our children if they choose to be on MY SPACE-- What that is.... I'm not sure.
  • JoeLex · 2 years ago
    These people who sue and attempt to sue are worthless people, there is always some scum bag out there trying to sue for something they had control over but apparently are not wise enough to use common sense. But these same people who sue for these things are the same one's who vote and complain they want their freedom of speech and freedom to do what they want, when they want; but it's obvious these incompetents believe everyone else is to blame and that everyone should feel sorry for them.. Too bad !

    I blame our countries attorney's and the jury for letting this shit happen.

    Furthermore, I actually feel bad for them I would hate to be in their shoes when that 'Day' comes. "What goes around comes around."
  • Shelly · 2 years ago
    when i heard of this on the news, i was neither shocked or surprised to hear of something like this happening. Of the young girls' profiles i have seen, i knew it would just be a matter of time. i don't blame the victims or the parents. i believe that young girls of this age group acts primarily from their hormones and not their brains. Alot of young girls will have multiple accounts and they do all their "good" myspacing on it and their "promescuity" on other accounts that parents aren't aware of. the only way to stop it all together is to not let young people use myspace and guess what? That'll never happen. These perps that lurk on myspace is looking for a weak young victim that is an easy target. parents have to educate their young children(the one's that are allowed on myspace) how to conduct and protect themselves from "strangers". But for me personally, there is not enough restrictions on myspace as well as not enough police-ing by web officials and parents to protect these kids from what they see as a harmless cyber hangout. Until the web becomes totally safe, just keep your young and immature kids off the internet!!
  • julie · 2 years ago
    I am not positive yet but I think I know one of these cases. On par, the girl had one of those websites saying come get me, plus she said she was 18. I don't blame her though, she pretty much ran wild because her mother has a drug problem, mom even shared the drugs with the girl. It sounds so bad to say the boy is serving 10 years for sexual assault but in Texas, that means 10 years for age of consent violation. And if it is the same, he didn't meet her on the internet, rather at a neighbors house when she had snuck out to have some fun while mom lay passed out. Then they talked online the next day and off she went again. when mama found her gone, she became major drama queen calling amber alert. FBI solved a big one since he had given her his name, phone number, etc. and only lived a bit on down the road. I do suspect this one is a major scam/
  • andre · 2 years ago
    I just hope that if myspace loses, it won't be like the tabacco settlement of the 90's and I don't have to be bombarded with preachy PSA's with self-righteous hippies 24/7
  • AnDr3A · 2 years ago
    Well what i think is that, is not MySpace's problem, little sluts go in myspace and out pics of their nasty body, which some guys might think is "sexy"... It could be the member's fault too, by adding like 10,000 people so people can say, oo they're so popular, i have a myspace, but evrytime someone adds me, they have to know my last name or e-mail... So i don't think myspace should be out.
  • Heart In Heaven · 2 years ago
    Joe Lex is an ignorant @#$%^

    When I discoved a MySpace account in 2005 that was NOT allowed I took my daughter's computer away for half a year. She used the high school computer to communicate with the creep predator and said all kids could pass the "block". After he used her and tossed her away, she got depressed and killed herself !!! He was 28 and she was 15 !! I worked from my home and was HERE for my kids. I had to sleep JOELEX and my daughter left my eye sight when she went to school. Under my horrible circumstances of loss I would rather be me JOELEX than ignorant YOU !!
  • Heart In Heaven · 2 years ago
    Kelly!!! You are wrong!! Yes, my child was taught of the dangers of the Internet!! Do you think that teenagers listen to every single thing a parent teaches them?? With the technology today, there are ways to prohibit a 28 year old grown man from having his big creepy face on a 15 year old child's MySpace site. They just need to spend the time and money to implement it!! One would guess that the most critical here on this site don't have children. If you had children then surely you would have a dictionary to assist with fewer instances of the misspelling of words. OK . . .I see you may be only 13. It's not too late to buy a dictionary and USE IT !! People will hear what you write, even when you are WRONG .
  • anonymous · 2 years ago
    it's clearly the parents fault u cant just expect ur daughters 2 b perfect n that they don't need 2 be looked after its da girls fault as well dey should've kept the details to themselves guys are so bad these days
  • Mishi · 2 years ago
    If you have an open and trusting relationship with your child and were competent to raise children before you had them this would not happen. If you can have open and honest conversations with your child about sex and drugs early they will know the dangers. My mom did and inspite of mostly having internet friends in my teens, and knowing more about the internet and tech than she did, I was never used, molested, or raped. And yes I went with my girlfriends on a road trip to L.A. to meet some internet boys. Because the people I spoke with did not view me as a sex object and had no reason to it was honest clean fun. I'm sorry for your lost Heart in Heaven but are you sure you don't feel a little guilty. You don't seem to be blaming myspace but you are still inappropriately lashing out. If you don't want to be responsible for a child don't have one.
  • jenn · 2 years ago
    i think its deffinitely all the parents fault. its not there fault that some girls on myspace take pictures wearing absolutely nothing then expect not to get people hitting on them. and its their parents fault that they didnt know that their daughters were going out to meet some random guy they meet online. there daughters should know better then to go out and talk to an absolute stranger. so i think its both the parents and their daughters fault.
  • LaLa · 2 years ago
    Ithink myspace should be shut down completley its stupid and not safe.
  • watchful mom · 2 years ago
    I do agree that these young girls are too promiscuous,and their parents should be monitoring their activities more closely.Under MySpace safety tips, it says that inappropriate content should be reported to the authorities or to MySpace. MySpace should also be monitoring what these kids are posting... I've seen drinking alcohol, middle fingers,and alot of cursing. For you parents that haven't read the safety tips... at the end of the tips, there is a line that reads "Click Here to remove your child's profile from MySpace. Check it out.
  • Jose' · 2 years ago
    I both agree and disagree. People should have the right mind not to talk to random people on the web 'today.' Then again, Myspace, I think, should toughen it's standards. Some people are sometimes innocently hurt in some way. That, people, is when it is Myspace's fault. I must agree that Myspace's limits are, right now, very leniant, and flexible. It's very easy to get around it. THAT is Myspace's fault. It's too easy. So, overall, Myspace should bare down.
  • tayy · 2 years ago
    ok im just starting off that i think it is both myspaces and the parents fault! yes myspace could prolly make it more safe for underaged kids and parents will say lies saying "yes i watch my kids online activities and they would never do anything like that for attention!

    even through i am only 14 i know better then to sell appeal in exchange for attention.and when its too much , they cry victim! Really the average girls myspaces are crazy they look like they are trying out for playboy magazines. how more stupid could you get to in life! im not sayin its only the girls fault but u have to realize the guys must be sick minded and just gross to acually do this!
  • KANDY · 2 years ago
    YOUNG GRL ACT LIKE ESCORT AND DONT EXPECT TO PUT OUT....AND PARENT..U KNOW YOU CAN BLOCK SITES OFF THE FREAKING COMPUTER OR NOT LET THEM USE ONE AT ALL....AND THOSE KIDS, I KNOW THEY'VE HEARD STORIES ABOUT TEENAGERS MEETING UP WITH STRANGERS AND GETTING RAPED..AND THEY STILL DO IT...HOW DUMB IS THAT..Y BLAME MYSPACE..IT COULD HAVE HAPPEN ON ANY OTHER SITE....MYSPACE IS NOT SUPPOSE TO WATCH EVERYTHING THE TEENAGERS DO...ITS THE PARENT JOB...MYSPACE IS ALSO USED FOR GOOD TO...DONT COPS USED IT TO NAB CHILD MOLESTER AND ETC...ONLY STUPID LITTLE TEENAGERS AND THEIR PARENT ARE TRYING TO TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM A SITE THAT ALSO HELPS GET THE PPL THAT U DUNT WANT NEAR UR TEENAGERS...SO GAY
  • Edwin Porras · 12 months ago
    you are right about that it not myspaces fault that teenagers are stupid enough to do that crap!
  • caligirl626 · 1 year ago
    This is definitely a problem. Reread Ronald Lewis' post. At that time, this 18 year old had the "innocent" Playboy bunny as her myspace layout background. http://www.myspace.com/lil_5_chula No worries her family and friends believed. Now, at 19, surprise surprise, she's pregnant. Maybe she planned it that way. Maybe all her other myspace friends she has on there, yes, similar 18-19 year old mothers planned it that way as well. But maybye, just maybe the problem is not Myspace. Perhaps it goes deeper into their family upbringing and education provided to these kids. Myspace is just an outlet, not the cause. Discretion is something you are raised with, and that begins at home.
  • Maverick · 8 months ago
    Stupid ass kids. When I was 8 and using the net I knew exactly what information not to give out, but these teens these days are looking for so much attention they will do anything to get it. Fucking retards. Also, it is not myspace's fault, its the fucking parents fault. If you dont want your kids doing stupid shit like that, keep a fucking eye on them you cock suckers.

    BAD PARENTS!!!!!!!

    I could ride with that statement all day, because its only the truth.

    Fucking
    Parents
    Need
    To
    Man
    The
    Fuck
    Up
    And
    Beat
    Their
    Fucking
    Children
  • samcaldwellx684867 · 3 months ago
    The problem is not myspace. These crimes could happen (as they did when I was a child) in any public place. The problem we have here is poor education of children. We need to constantly remind children of the dangers associated with talking to strangers. It is imperative that we take responsibility as individuals.

    If myspace wants to be proactive, then catch the first time and repeat offenders by (a) creating logs that can be viewed from the profile and a supervisory profile, (b) require any person under age 17 to have their account subordinated to the account of an adult during account creation, where the person authorizing the account can have their age verified through a credit card number or other comparable system, (c) Allow the supervisory account to view all activity of any subordinated account, and (d) Allow the supervisory account to set controls (such as age limits with which the subordinate account can communicate without express approval.