Re: Net KiddiePorn Hype on TV

[jkandt@mail.wsdot.wa.gov (Jeff Kandt)]

>     That's not all.  This morning I was listening to National Peoples
>     Radio when there was a story about the "Cyber Angels."  It appears
>     that the "Guardian Angels" from NYC are now out on the net trying to
>     catch people talking about child pornography.
>
>     This will be real interesting to watch.  I don't remember all of the
>     story, but the best part I heard was when some "Cyber Angel" was
>     talking about listening a chat session and according to her, GIFs are
>     codewords for pornography.
>
>     wsh

I heard that piece too.  Sounded like a total PR move for Curtis
Slewah(sp?) and his Guardian Angels.  They certainly didn't sound like they
knew what they were doing, technically speaking.

Representatives from the EFF _AND_ the FBI talked about their "concerns"
over private attempts to patrol cyberspace.  The EFF representative pointed
out that when you "see" a 15 yo female being propositioned by a 45 yo male
you really have no idea if either party is what they purport to be.  The
FBI guy pointed out that there is no provision in the current law for
anyone other than law enforcement to posess child pornography and the mere
act of downloading such images, even if the intention is to turn them over
to the police, would put the "Angels" in violation of the law; also
concerned that they might get in the way of police undercover
investigations.  Slewah himself admitted that there is no way to guarantee
that his "Angels" don't tend towards pedophilia themselves and might not
have completely pure motives.

-Jeff

-------
Jeff Kandt           "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
jkandt@wsdot.wa.gov   temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Ph:(360)664-3510 (W)       --Benjamin Franklin, 1759
PGP Fingerprint: F1 59 8F 88 85 4F 2F 65  C2 5F D3 B5 8C 71 E0 E3