Child Sex Chatrooms on Yahoo Targeted

Merika · 06-24-2005, 02:31 PM

Investigation Shows Big Business Funding Sex Chat Rooms
Companies Pull Ads After Station Exposes Problem

UPDATED: 7:30 am PDT June 1, 2005

HOUSTON -- Several well-known companies have pulled ads from a popular online chat room service after an investigation by Houston television station KPRC revealed to them what their money was funding.

Yahoo! is facing a $10 million lawsuit that accuses it of cashing in on some disturbing chat rooms. The stations' investigation showed what's really going on in those rooms.

The companies are paying huge fees for their ads to appear on Yahoo!. But many are now canceling those ads because of the report. The discovery has prompted fast action in corporate America and a strong reaction at the nation's capital.

"Yes, more legislation is required. The law has not kept up with this type of criminal activity," U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, told the station.

Among the thousands of chat room titles, where people can look for common interests like music or movies, there are other rooms with some disturbing titles, such as:

9-17-Year-Olds Wantin' Sex
Younger Girls 4 Older Guys
Girls 13 And Under For Older Guys
Girls 13 And Up For Much Older Man
Girls 8 to 13 Watch Boys (In A Particular Sex Act)

The station found all of those rooms listed as education chat rooms, sponsored day in and day out by some major companies consumers have heard of -- all paying money for their ads to be seen before a person enters the child-sex chat rooms.

"Children are the largest victimized group in this country, and we need corporations to do the right thing," Child Rescue Network, Inc. spokesman Charles Clickman told the station.

Before entering the chat room titled "5 To 13-Year-Old Kiddies Who Love Sex" or "Girls 5 To 13 For Older Men," guests were required to click on a Star Wars-themed ad from Diet Pepsi.

Inside the chat rooms, not only were men trying to meet children or even take them away from home to run away, the station found countless adult men using Web cameras to send children in the room lewd pictures or display live nude images of themselves.

However, the nation's top law enforcement officers said it is all legal.

Link: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/4554266/detail.html

Star · 06-24-2005, 05:47 PM

well it's about freaking time!

I used to chat in yahoo and a couple times i went into these "teen or kids" chat rooms pretending i was 12 or 13 wondering what went on in those rooms and OMG! the PM's I got from old perverts were unbelievable! I had reported it to yahoo and nothing was ever done about it. I got an e-mail back telling me that there was nothing they could do about it. Can you imagine?!? I wasn't the only one who did this either. there were a few of us that did.

Those chat rooms are horrible for kids. predetors get in and they prey on the kids big time in those rooms. it's sick!

I'm happy they're finally doing something about it. it's about time!

dogula · 06-24-2005, 11:46 PM

At my dad's office the guy who he replaced apparently spent most of his hours there sitting in chatrooms posing as a teenage lesbian.

Star · 06-25-2005, 06:53 AM

a lot of sick people out there. I think these kids chat rooms should be closely monitored so that these kids can be safe from these perverts.

Duke · 06-25-2005, 02:50 PM

I wish I was a teenaged lesbian.

This sort of thing doesn't just happen on Yahoo, MSN actually took most (if not all) of their chatrooms offline over a year ago for the same reason.

Vautrin · 06-25-2005, 04:47 PM

Yes, Duke you are right about that.

It really surprises me that you can't do a thing about sexual predators on the web, when you are aware of all the limitations you have you are a teacher. Can you say "ef u cee kay you" to a student, without disciplinary measures being taken? No. And I think the laws already do exist, but that law enforcement does not make it a priority.

Merika · 06-28-2005, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Star

a lot of sick people out there. I think these kids chat rooms should be closely monitored so that these kids can be safe from these perverts.

The deal is....I think the kids on there are just as bad the way they talk to each other and carry on. It's not just adults pervs on there acting that way.

Star · 06-28-2005, 11:58 AM

that's true even in real life. Kids today have no fear of authority at all. We were afraid of our parents so that kept us somewhat in line. kids today aren't afraid of anything.

Merika · 06-28-2005, 12:31 PM

Man....when we were kids....we didn't even THINK about picking what was going to be watched on TV....much less would we have had access to what would've been 'Dad's' computer. My parent's were wonderful....but their idea of the 'Information Highway' was bopping you in the head if you got out of line. THAT was your information! Either it COMPUTED....or you would get in again.

I know people think our society has progressed beyond that....but they are WAY WRONG! I think kids were much happier when they knew their place and boundaries.

Star · 06-28-2005, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merika

I know people think our society has progressed beyond that....but they are WAY WRONG! I think kids were much happier when they knew their place and boundaries.

I totally agree. we got spanked and if we did something really really bad, we got spanked with a belt or a wooden spoon. we were scared! That control was all taken away from us by the time we had kids. I don't think our discipline of the "time out chair" was as affective as the hand of our parents.

They can call that abuse all they want, I don't think of it that way. It was good old fashioned discipline and it did keep us in line.