Sex offenders face website ban.....by email

[andrewb]

The government have an idea to ban sex offenders from social networking sites so they can't encounter children.

I have a feeling they're doing it to try and look tough on law and order, since it also comes around the time of the 42 day detention without charge, where some Labour members are trying to make the Conservatives look weak (but that's another thread and lets keep the debate about the specifics to there).

I don't think they understand just how easy it is to set up an e-mail account. They'd only know about the new e-mail if the sex offender was caught, in which case what's the point in banning the e-mail address in the first place.

I feel that it may send them underground into less known social networking sites, that won't be enforcing this like Facebook, Myspace ect will. Therefore they'll be much harder to catch, making children less safe.

BBC NEWS | UK | Sex offenders face website bans

[MargaretR]

This is a token gesture to appear as though they are doing 'something'
Net users know that the internet is unregulatable - and it is better for that most of the time. The chinese have tried to stop their population from accessing some sites - and failed.
It is a last bastion of freedom of speech, so there is bound to be some misuse,-we just need to be aware of the risks.

[slinky]

Cyfr, I thought that about the email thingy this morning when I heard it on the news.

They say that Child Sex Offenders have to give the police their email addresses. But come on, we all know how easy it is to have loads of different email accounts.

Probably not the very best idea they ave ever come up with.

[onlyme]

I like the way the unit that deals with this sort of thing, knew nothing abou tthe announcement till it was made! Even they have turned round and said it wont work due to the fact that that email addresses are too easy to create.

Would it not be easier to do something with IP addressses?

[Nickelson]

Very much doubt it will be email address as they can make a new one to easy.

IP address ? come on most people dont have a fixed ip and you can easily hide it.

MAC ID thats something you cannot change.

Why not just block sex offenders from accessing the internet full stop ?

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Nickelson

MAC ID thats something you cannot change.

Why not just block sex offenders from accessing the internet full stop ?

Even Mac addresses can be spoofed.

[Nickelson]

See there is nothing in this world that someone cannot bypass.

[panther]

stop the perverts even logging on to the internet!

[garinda]

Without introducing draconian measures, there will always be sick individuals who target vunerable children via the internet.

As Cyfr said, these limited measures will just force the perverts to be smarter, and there will be ways around the proposed changes.

The only good thing to come out of this is all the extra publicity, and that ultimately it is up to the parents to know who their children are talking to on the internet, and wise up on educating themselves, and to tell their kids not to give out personal details, on things like their social networking sites.

[onlyme]

Originally Posted by Nickelson

Very much doubt it will be email address as they can make a new one to easy.

IP address ? come on most people dont have a fixed ip and you can easily hide it.

?

So sorry Nick, bag ya pardon n all that

Incidentally, they are talking about it being email address, thats why everyone is saying its too easy

[Nickelson]

Originally Posted by onlyme

So sorry Nick, bag ya pardon n all that

Incidentally, they are talking about it being email address, thats why everyone is saying its too easy

Sorry if you got it the wrong way, i was just explaining how things can be minipulated and changed so much.

[onlyme]

to my mind, even if it means they have to work that bit harder to get on there, its worth doing.

Of course, the harder they try, the less likely the excuse of 'oh i didnt mean to do that' will be believed in court.

[churchfcrules]

it could be done fairly easily through ip address, most people are on broadband, and conecct via a router/modem that authenticates on the network, the relevant ip address that is logged to that piece of kit, is quite easily traceable and also can be regulated, why not force them into registering their isp, same as forcing them to sign SOR, nothing would be easy to enforce, but if they are found to be in breach, they would be breaching their licence conditions, as for just emails quite right ridiculous, although the details are not yet formalised and the media always play down any measures that would be introduced, they wont be happy until we carry out public castration, and then we will get slammed for breaching their human rights!

[Nickelson]

Originally Posted by churchfcrules

it could be done fairly easily through ip address, most people are on broadband, and conecct via a router/modem that authenticates on the network, the relevant ip address that is logged to that piece of kit, is quite easily traceable and also can be regulated, why not force them into registering their isp, same as forcing them to sign SOR, nothing would be easy to enforce, but if they are found to be in breach, they would be breaching their licence conditions, as for just emails quite right ridiculous, although the details are not yet formalised and the media always play down any measures that would be introduced, they wont be happy until we carry out public castration, and then we will get slammed for breaching their human rights!

To easy to hide i.p adresses, anyone with half a brain can do it.

[jaysay]

To me this idea is just another gimmick, if these excusses for humanity can set up Web Sites which are protected by a sophisticated raft of transfers and pass words, which push even the best techs to the limits to break, then having to regester an email address is a waste of time