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Habbo Hotel: NSPCC urges government and technology industry to act Habbo Hotel: NSPCC urges government and technology industry to act
(12 days later)
The technology industry and government should do more to protect young internet users from potential abuse, the NSPCC has warned in the wake of revelations about highly sexualised content on Habbo Hotel, a virtual world popular with children and teenagers.The technology industry and government should do more to protect young internet users from potential abuse, the NSPCC has warned in the wake of revelations about highly sexualised content on Habbo Hotel, a virtual world popular with children and teenagers.
Sulake, the Finnish company that owns Habbo, which has about 15 million users a month across more than 100 countries, has suffered a series of setbacks since a Channel 4 News investigation found seemingly routine occurrences of sexualised or violent online chat on the site, as well as sexual approaches to young participants.Sulake, the Finnish company that owns Habbo, which has about 15 million users a month across more than 100 countries, has suffered a series of setbacks since a Channel 4 News investigation found seemingly routine occurrences of sexualised or violent online chat on the site, as well as sexual approaches to young participants.
The British private equity group 3i announced it was selling its 16% stake in Sulake, it said in a statement late on Wednesday: "3i has actively supported the Sulake board in determining the right course of action in these very challenging circumstances. Following a board meeting today, we have resigned our board position and will cease to be a shareholder in the company."The British private equity group 3i announced it was selling its 16% stake in Sulake, it said in a statement late on Wednesday: "3i has actively supported the Sulake board in determining the right course of action in these very challenging circumstances. Following a board meeting today, we have resigned our board position and will cease to be a shareholder in the company."
Tesco, WH Smith and Game had announced shortly before that they had stopped selling gift cards for the virtual currency used on the site, with which players can "buy" extras, such as accessories for virtual hotel rooms. The revenue from this helped Sulake bring in an annual turnover of more than £50m.Tesco, WH Smith and Game had announced shortly before that they had stopped selling gift cards for the virtual currency used on the site, with which players can "buy" extras, such as accessories for virtual hotel rooms. The revenue from this helped Sulake bring in an annual turnover of more than £50m.
Habbo, in which users create online alter egos, or avatars, to explore a hotel-themed world of brightly coloured teddy bears and cartoon characters, is officially aimed at children aged 13 upwards but used by some as young as nine.Habbo, in which users create online alter egos, or avatars, to explore a hotel-themed world of brightly coloured teddy bears and cartoon characters, is officially aimed at children aged 13 upwards but used by some as young as nine.
Channel 4 News producer Rachel Seifert spent two months playing on Habbo Hotel, visiting the site 50 times. Posing as an 11-year-old girl, she found the speech balloons through which users communicate were often full of pornographic chat. She said: "Within two minutes I was being asked individually: 'Do you have a webcam?', 'Can we chat on MSN, on Skype?' I was also, within a couple of minutes, asked to strip, fully naked, and asked what would I do on a webcam."Channel 4 News producer Rachel Seifert spent two months playing on Habbo Hotel, visiting the site 50 times. Posing as an 11-year-old girl, she found the speech balloons through which users communicate were often full of pornographic chat. She said: "Within two minutes I was being asked individually: 'Do you have a webcam?', 'Can we chat on MSN, on Skype?' I was also, within a couple of minutes, asked to strip, fully naked, and asked what would I do on a webcam."
Not only were such activities not blocked, but the infrastructure of the online world appeared geared to such sexualisation, with some rooms given names such as "naughty nightclub".Not only were such activities not blocked, but the infrastructure of the online world appeared geared to such sexualisation, with some rooms given names such as "naughty nightclub".
Sulake announced earlier this week it was blocking all chat between Habbo users while the claims were investigated. The company's chief executive, Paul LaFontaine, said: "I am greatly saddened that following reports of abusive behaviours amongst a very small part of the Habbo community we have taken the decision to mute all conversations across the site."Sulake announced earlier this week it was blocking all chat between Habbo users while the claims were investigated. The company's chief executive, Paul LaFontaine, said: "I am greatly saddened that following reports of abusive behaviours amongst a very small part of the Habbo community we have taken the decision to mute all conversations across the site."
Sulake says it employs 225 moderators who monitor 70m lines of typed conversation every day.Sulake says it employs 225 moderators who monitor 70m lines of typed conversation every day.
Jon Brown, head of strategy for the NSPCC, said: "We've been concerned for some time that websites designed for children and young people are vulnerable."Jon Brown, head of strategy for the NSPCC, said: "We've been concerned for some time that websites designed for children and young people are vulnerable."
While would-be online predators seeking to get access to children are "extremely skilled and extremely inventive", he said, more needed to be done: "It is very difficult, but I think the industry needs to take it a bit more seriously. They're reluctant to. It's not very good publicity for them to say: this is a fantastic resource for their child, and they may also be targeted for abuse."While would-be online predators seeking to get access to children are "extremely skilled and extremely inventive", he said, more needed to be done: "It is very difficult, but I think the industry needs to take it a bit more seriously. They're reluctant to. It's not very good publicity for them to say: this is a fantastic resource for their child, and they may also be targeted for abuse."
The government's UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), which brings together industry groups, campaigners and police, also needed to "pick up this issue more robustly", Brown said, while schools could also deliver better education about online safety.The government's UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), which brings together industry groups, campaigners and police, also needed to "pick up this issue more robustly", Brown said, while schools could also deliver better education about online safety.
Ultimately, he said, it was up to parents: "Particularly for younger children, it's really important that parents are monitoring internet use, that the laptop isn't tucked away in a bedroom and they're not able to monitor the sorts of sites the children are visiting."Ultimately, he said, it was up to parents: "Particularly for younger children, it's really important that parents are monitoring internet use, that the laptop isn't tucked away in a bedroom and they're not able to monitor the sorts of sites the children are visiting."
The children's minister, Tim Loughton, said the government was working on the issue through the UKCCIS. He added: "Businesses need to do more to help parents enable their children to use the internet safely and responsibly. Websites should make it straightforward for people to complain about offensive content, and should have systems that allow them to feed back what they have done in response.The children's minister, Tim Loughton, said the government was working on the issue through the UKCCIS. He added: "Businesses need to do more to help parents enable their children to use the internet safely and responsibly. Websites should make it straightforward for people to complain about offensive content, and should have systems that allow them to feed back what they have done in response.
"Parents have to help their children learn how to be safe online just as they would teach them to be safe in the offline world. Sites where children – some really very young indeed – are known to be networking should have suitable and appropriate moderating.""Parents have to help their children learn how to be safe online just as they would teach them to be safe in the offline world. Sites where children – some really very young indeed – are known to be networking should have suitable and appropriate moderating."
Comments
185 comments, displaying first
14 June 2012 11:34AM
I used to go on Habbo Hotel when I was about 12. I could have told you then it was full of paedos, and I'm sure anyone who has ever been on there would be able to.
This investigation hasn't really brought up anything new, but it's good that the issue is being highlighted.
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14 June 2012 11:38AM
Ever since the Habbo community launched, Armies have existed under the 'Groups rooms'. They are a hub of internet crime, where children work to gain ranks, respect and pay.
Children join the armies much like gangs in real life, it's turf war but online, in the comfort of there own bedrooms. Once a Habbo Soldier, these kids must be loyal and show Respect to the Higher ranks. In essence, these are child warriors who are fighting virtual wars.
Many british families believe the idea of children taking part in armies only happens in Africa, but in reality Sulake are allowing it to happen on every computer.
I've played in these Armies since 2003, and during that time i've witnessed:
Hacking: One soldier had his girlfriend exposed, her nude pics were spammed across Enemy Armies, They were of course both children. Many incidents like this happen every week across Habbo Armies, as they are constantly competing against each other, trying to 'diss' one another to become the biggest and best.
Bullying: I was requested at one stage to kill myself and film it in real life since i wasn't worthy enough to continue fighting for the army. Many soldiers constantly threaten each other in real life, saying if they ever meet they'll kill each-other.
Sex: Girls underage have prostituted themselves out in Habbo Armies to be 'promoted'.
The user badimpacter was the owner of 'British Army' on habbo for years, he always boasted
sleeping with underage girls who did it for high positions. He was friends with Habbo Staff.
He's now quit habbo but the 'British Army' continue, along with US army, Canadian Army etc which are all the same.
I have reported these numerous times, and they happened over numerous years but of course your moderation team are entirely hopeless. Your community has actively promoted Habbo Armies by allowing 'Group Badges', ''Group Rooms' etc and many moderators befriended the leaders of Armies.
If Habbo don't immediately ban all 'Armies', 'Militias', 'Gangs' etc on Habbo, which revolve around violence then you are playing with fire as sooner or later people will get injured or killed in real life.
I've played habbo for 8 years and i'd say its more dangerous than letting your child go join a Gang in Brixton, as they can do it on any computer with freedom to abuse. To find Habbo Armies, first click on 'ROOMS', then 'GROUPS'.
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14 June 2012 11:42AM
These Habbo soldiers of which you speak sound like a bunch of badasses.
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14 June 2012 11:47AM
I certainly respect anyone who runs a virtual army of children, that is some powerbase.
At the same time I am very sad that my personality and ego isn't of such that amassing legions of online 'followers', be it Facebook, Twitter or this, means bollock all to me.
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14 June 2012 11:53AM
I understand the pool's closed anyway
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14 June 2012 11:59AM
Habbo's always been known as a pedo-magnet. I didn't realise it was quite as extreme as gregorymahony's description. Regardless, I'm surprised nothing's been done about it sooner.
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14 June 2012 12:00PM
Pool's closed.
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14 June 2012 12:03PM
It says chillax on the home page.
Always be suspicious and preferably avoid anything or anyone who uses that word seriously.
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14 June 2012 12:04PM
Many british families believe the idea of children taking part in armies only happens in Africa, but in reality Sulake are allowing it to happen on every computer.
mmmm, because this is *really* equivalent to child soldiers in say the DRC.
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14 June 2012 12:07PM
It's not all bad, mind. Once the pool got infected, and a group of public spirited Habbo users all put on suits and blocked access to the pool, to stop the children getting that infection.
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14 June 2012 12:11PM
Paese dei Balocchi, Neverland Ranch, Habbo Hotel.
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14 June 2012 12:14PM
How naive are people??
Anywhere where there are children on the internet, there will be paedophiles trying to prey on them.
Rachel Seifert spent 2 months confirming something that she must have knew within 5 minutes.
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14 June 2012 12:16PM
Channel 4 should have its own internal investigation to round up the incompetent producers and journalists who put together that asinine story. "Here we have a screenshot of terrible, terrible chat, but we can't show you it because it's just so terrible, but rest assured it is indeed very, very terrible, terribly." That in itself demonstrates the poor methods through which these supposed "journalists" conducted their investigation. They did not simulate the average Habbo's experience, but rather prompted treacherous scenarios by portraying a persona that would be the most susceptible to such advances. If an officer dressed as an eleven-year-old girl and wandered on her own into the most sordid alleys of America, of course she'd be at a greater risk of assault, but those uncommon conditions do not represent the average American experience anymore than this half-baked investigation represents the average Habbo's experience.
There are over 300-million Americans alive today. Habbo Hotel, counting all regional branches, is estimated at 10-million, or so I believe Channel 4 said. That is no small fraction of our population and would be enough people to surpass the populations of entire countries. Yet one wouldn't close down that whole country because a fraction of the population is at risk of sexual predators.
Don't get me wrong, we should fortify our every buffer against such risks, but not at the cost of the whole hotel. People have invested their own money into the site, which might seem foolish to some, but is no less a way of enhancing a game's experience than buying the latest DLC for a console game. Speaking of which, OH MY GAAAAWD, DAWNGUARD LOOKS SOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD!
Let me also say it's nonsense how some people think eliminating this website somehow would eliminate these crimes. Habbo is not the source, its criminals are the symptoms of our sociopolitical flaws in the real world. FaceBook is also a common Internet source of bullying and pedophilia, yet rarely do I see a fist raised for its eradication. The difference is, most practically, FaceBook is much more integrated into our lives; and secondly, I believe its presentation grants it more empathy from users. It represents people as they are, whereas Habbo gussies up the whole show, so that when people push aside the furni and avatars to realize real people are committing sordid acts, they treat the whole thing as a massive, sick cover-up. Sometimes people find crimes more sickening when they occur in settings that would normally seem to never host such spectacles, yet that does not change the practical severity of the crime nor should it necessitate a harsher response.
Hacking, scams, sexuality -- yes, Habbo is a hub for it all, though no more than many, more common websites. But what people ignore is what good can come from this site. On the English-speaking hotel, habbo.com, the RPG floor (as in for role-playing games) hosts user-designed, text-based games where through their own ambition and organization, they've forged epic scenes and legacies within the confines of their happily tremulous society. These RPGs are run by often democratically appointed leaders, a digital alternative for student council, except much more useful and with greater responsibilities. I've participated in them for almost eight years now and I can assure you all that if it was not for them, I wouldn't carry the same values or critical thinking I cherish today. Those RPGs, with their forums and unique social dynamics, are a chance to discuss and share ideas some might have never heard if not for this particular platform. Simply, a lot of us would not have earned as much meaning in our lives if not for Habbo.
People need to stop looking at the Internet and its many outlets as a virus to combat. It has the potential to be the greatest stage for human intelligence the world has ever known. People are not so shy to share their beliefs on the Internet, and though they are often mocked for "spewing" their ideals in a status on FaceBook, what they're really doing is starting conversations that in traditional social settings, people do not normally have. The Internet frees people from its inhibitions, offers a new plane of existence where thought reigns supreme. Think of it not as a disease, but a new outlet with all the potential in the universe to be something incredible, but must be kept in check to ensure it remains on course.
Removing Habbo will not cause an end to these problems. It will only relocate them.
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14 June 2012 12:18PM
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14 June 2012 12:26PM
Rachel Seifert spent 2 months confirming something that she must have knew within 5 minutes.

In fairness, she's the only one who's bothered to do anything about it in the 12 years it's been active. Habbo's own staff must have been aware and they've done bugger all until this investigation.
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14 June 2012 12:26PM
WTF?
I'm probably going to sound old now but if these youngsters spent as much effort learning real skills/knowledge as they do in virtual worlds, who knows what they could achieve.
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14 June 2012 12:32PM
Desperate non-story of the year by channel 4 news.
I thought it was a parody of a news story reminiscent of Brass eye's Paedogeddon.
Honestly, if it's even half as bad as it's made out why would any normal child stay on it?
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14 June 2012 12:38PM
Removing Habbo will not cause an end to these problems. It will only relocate them.
The internet has very little to do with this outcome for Habbo Hotel.
It doesn't matter if it's playground equipment, confectionary, or a website - if your business involves attracting people (and especially children) then you have a legal responsibility to ensure that whatever you are providing is safe to use. Swings that don't fall apart and cause injury. Sweets that don't contain toxic chemicals.
With the right allocation of resources, moderation would have allow Habbo to operate safely, but those resources were sacrificed for profit.
So it's not the case that eliminating a dodgy confectioner (or a dodgy website) just shifts the problem elsewhere - it is a clear signal that a business model which doesn't include safety and protection is unsustainable. That information means something.
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14 June 2012 12:42PM
Call me cynical and paranoid but it seems rather odd that we have had this story, the story about the recent pedophile raids and the story from CEOP about how pedophilic images are apparently getting worse just as the Home Secretary attempts to justify the new internet snooping laws.
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14 June 2012 12:44PM
Honestly, if it's even half as bad as it's made out why would any normal child stay on it

Because children are vulnerable. They don't know any better and Paedophiles know just how to respond to that vulnerability. Also as gregorymahony points out, some of them are blackmailed into staying. Others stay because they want to to fit in with older members so that they feel mature and feel a like they're a part of something.
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14 June 2012 12:47PM
Channel 4 News deserve congratulating for exposing the seriously anti-social and outright criminal behaviour being enabled by this web site, which appears to be little more than a sewer. Clearly, this exposure disappoints some people.
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14 June 2012 12:49PM
In other news, public roads have now been shut down following claims that paedophiles may be using them to transport and/or meet children.
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14 June 2012 12:50PM
Honestly, if it's even half as bad as it's made out why would any normal child stay on it?
Well, it seems we are in the presence of an expert in child abuse. Any more pearls of wisdom?
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14 June 2012 12:51PM
Habbo's been full of creeps since it opened. I went on about 10 years ago and got propositioned all the time. About time someone shut the place down.
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14 June 2012 12:53PM
To vilify people for blowing the whistle on paedophiles really is the lowest of the low.
This site is for children, it has become a target for child abusers - 2 where recently jailed for abusing hundreds of children from the site. This had been going on for years. Not only have there been no effective safeguards put in place, but the site has been penailizing children who dared to reported such abuse. If you set up a childrens' playgroup, and made it an open door policy to paedophiles you would be closed down and thrown in jail.
~
PS
It (the internet) has the potential to be the greatest stage for human intelligence the world has ever known.
People have invested their own money into the site, which might seem foolish to some, but is no less a way of enhancing a game's experience than buying the latest DLC for a console game. Speaking of which, OH MY GAAAAWD, DAWNGUARD LOOKS SOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD!
Says it all really.
~
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14 June 2012 1:00PM
Sounds about right. Guess Habbo was an obvious target.
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14 June 2012 1:01PM
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14 June 2012 1:01PM
I appreciate what you are saying about children being exposed to danger, but a bit hyperbolic no?
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14 June 2012 1:02PM
Sounds like someone is getting a little panicky about the sudden drop in value of their virtual home furnishings.
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14 June 2012 1:08PM
If you have these individuals account details - usernames - passwords email address then you have their IP addresses and locations. Are their conversations stored? Match their profiles to know puedos and unknown addresses - cross reference to see if any children live there. If the answer is no then the police need to be knocking on them doors.
All the data is there use it and then close this site down for good.
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14 June 2012 1:12PM
I've played habbo for 8 years and i'd say its more dangerous than letting your child go join a Gang in Brixton
Yeah mate, sure
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14 June 2012 1:13PM
Call me cynical and paranoid but it seems rather odd that we have had this story, the story about the recent pedophile raids and the story from CEOP about how pedophilic images are apparently getting worse just as the Home Secretary attempts to justify the new internet snooping laws.
Spot on. Just been over at the Sun checking out May's comment piece and they're fervently pushing the narrative that the state needs more powers to monitor our thoughts in order to stop the pedophiles. 'Fear of pedophiles' has got to be politicians' favorite meme to extend the powers of the state. Theresa May has even invoked the 'if you have noting to hide' defense:
But unless you are a criminal, then you’ve nothing to worry about from this new law."
Would additional state snooping powers prevent pedophilic predators infiltrating sites like Habbo Hotel? No.
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14 June 2012 1:14PM
I was quite disappointed in channel 4 too, it was overly sensationalist and singled out one single company when I'm sure this must happen all over the place. It's definitely concerning, the company were clearly doing very little about it, and it seems it's quite obvious this is going on, but don't go nuts.
Kids are in the main quite smart too, some are certainly vulnerable, but then so are some adults. Most of them will be well able to deal with weirdy fat 40 year oled's requests for them to go on skype or whatever, with the company's assistance too.

This though:
the infrastructure of the online world appeared geared to such sexualisation, with some rooms given names such as "naughty nightclub".
I'd imagine if the people outraged by this put their heads into an actual physical nightclub full of teenagers they might be quite feckin surprised at what goes on there too.
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14 June 2012 1:14PM
Phew, Good job the Cameron Family Robinson chillax down the pub and not at the Habbo Hotel. Can you imagine the headlineS: PM LEAVES CHILD BEHIND AT HABBO HOTEL!
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14 June 2012 1:18PM
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14 June 2012 1:19PM
Any website specifically aimed at children that allows users to chat to each other or message each other should take basic steps to ensure it doesn't become a haven for peadophiles to start grooming vulnerable children. And any child who takes a virtual world seriously I'd class as vulnerable.
If Habbo hotel, like Reddit, don't have a policy of protecting their vulnerable users, cracking down on grooming or distribution of child pornography, and essentially refuse to self police, then it makes the case for shutting them down and censoring bits of the internet very easy to make.
It is expensive to have users to monitor chat and make sure grooming doesn't take place, which is why money making ventures like this don't do it. The temptation of profit making ventures is not to disturb anything that interferes with profits (and that's certainly led to the owners of some online communities failing to act on peadophiles, because they spend so much money and sexy pics of ten year olds attract so many page views).
Habbo hotel needs to create a business model that allows it's child users to be protected, or it should go out of business.
And nobody come out with libertarian garbage about how it's interfering with free markets, or how children are perfect rational actors able to enter into contacts so if they webcam chat or send naked pics to 47 year old men that's a private contract and none of anyone else's business, because children are still developing and easy to con is why we have things like age of consent. If you want to complain about how age of consent laws are big government interference preventing the creation of a market to serve the demand created by peadophiles, take it to mises.org where people will pretend you are't a creepy bastard for coming out with that bilge. I recognise that these sort of libertarians are a minority, but we're already getting the 'what's so wrong about children talking to creepy people' and 'you can't interfere in this, big government, wah' or 'I like things just the way they are, why should it be changed to protect vulnerable users from abuse?' in the comments chat.
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14 June 2012 1:19PM
Any activity, event or location that attracts large numbers of children will inevitably also attract paedophiles. Before the invention of the internet it was parks, youth groups etc. The risk is the same it is just the location that has changed.
There needs to be a cooperative approach to dealing with this issue. In the same way that you wouldn't let a young child walk to the park and play on the swings and roundabouts unsupervised, parents (and I include myself in this) shouldn't allow children to wander around the internet without monitoring.
Parents need to take responsibility for protecting their children from inappropriate content and online predators. Likewise there needs to be someone you can contact to raise any concerns you have and be confident that those concerns would be addressed.
In addition, parents and website owners both need to take responsibility for educating children about the potential dangers. As a child I was taught "never take sweets from a stranger". This message is as relevant now as it was then, these days the sweets may be virtual but the threat is still the same.
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14 June 2012 1:22PM
Just been over at the Sun checking out May's comment piece and they're fervently pushing the narrative that the state needs more powers to monitor our thoughts in order to stop the pedophiles.
I am the Pedofinder General and by the powers vested in me by News International I find you guilty of Pedophilia!
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14 June 2012 1:24PM
FACT: All social networking sites aimed at children will attract pedos. Simple solution: don't let your kids have unsupervised access to the internet. Of course such a solution is both fascist and pretty much impossible to implement. Another solution: warn your children what goes on on these sites, that someone claiming to be a 14 year old girl might actually be a 40+ weirdo, and that they should never post pictures of themselves or divulge sensitive personal info to online "friends".
There's no point in closing down such sites. Pedos will always be able to join social networking sites aimed at children. I suppose the governments of the world could theoretically join forces to make social networking sites illegal, but that is a ridiculous idea. Most/nearly all such sites are used overwhelmingly by children. Banning such sites would be cruel to children, like never letting them go out to play with their friends because of "Stranger Danger". Bloody ridiculous,
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14 June 2012 1:25PM
The main problem with this sort of thing will be for those children whose parents think that plunking them down in front of a computer is equivalent to parenting. My husband plays an online game that has chat capabilities.He wishes he could play online with our nephews, but he would never suggest it because the things people say on chat are disgusting and although he can ignore it,he does not want our nephews exposed to such filth.Sad,as it would in theory be a nice way to interact with my sisters kids who live in another state. The reality is that internet is and always will be a place where sick predators an troll for victims.The only way to protect your children is to educate them and then keep a lose eye on them (this is called parenting - giving children the information they need to survive and then making sure that they listen). Most of the parents I know do not allow their children to engage in social networking and watch very carefully what they do online.Computers and televisions are not babysitters!
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14 June 2012 1:28PM
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14 June 2012 1:28PM
Those already swimming have been quarantined.
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14 June 2012 1:29PM
I'm so, so tired of hearing people whine about the protection of children. That's what PARENTS are for, or nannies, or teachers, or whoever. If a playground is unsafe, you don't go there. If food is unhealthy. you don't eat it. But if they 'might' find something unsavoury online, it's what? Too nebulous? Surely no-one would let children find it? Parents get away with too much irresponsibility. If you can't monitor your children, don't hand them the keys to a naughty nightclub.
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14 June 2012 1:29PM
Exactly what feral said. Teach! And while you are telling them that 14 y.o. girls online may be 40 yo freaks, remind them that anything they put up is essentially there forever, floating around on the internet for future employers to see. Some kids have lost their potential spot at university over having posted stupid things online.
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14 June 2012 1:33PM
There is plenty of evidence that the Internet inducts children into (deviant) sexuality massively, and at an earlier and earlier age. I fully agree that paedophiles should be charged and prosecuted wherever they can be found, but we also have to face the fact that the online world is not going to get any better, in that regard, any time soon, and that there is no realistic way to shield children from all that smut and propositioning (short of sending them to boot camp in the middle of nowhere, that is). Now (has is being suggested in other posts) there is also evidence that children are often surprisingly good at parrying online with perverts, and, apparently, getting better at it. But I'm not a psychologist, and I'm left wondering if we can really expect them to 'evolve' quickly enough to this new reality, or if we are witnessing the growth of a seriously damaged generation - sexually anyway.
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14 June 2012 1:34PM
I don't understand why people are surpised I mean the name of the site sounds like a sodding brothel - the only game one should play online is on with a gun in your hand and the only means of communications should be to repeated shout "shit" into a microphone when your 14 yr old son whacks you when you are hitting crouch instead of fire in game that is rated 18 that he shouldn't be playing anyway. Still that is better than getting him shagged online.
I am going to lead the campaign for Father's that want their kids SHOT NOT SHAGGED online.
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14 June 2012 1:40PM
Why would "normal" children stay on it? Because "normal" children are curious for new experiences and easily led. That's the danger. Don't you know this?
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14 June 2012 1:42PM
There's an 'a' in paedophile... just saying ;-)
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14 June 2012 1:43PM
Because children's brains aren't often developed enough to process that they are being manipulated (something paedophiles are very adept in), and to know when things they are being asked to do are dangerously inappropriate, as opposed to a bit naughty. This is why adults need to look after children and endeavour to keep then safe in virtual life as well as real life, until they are mature enough to do it for themselves. It wouldn't even be difficult: employ moderators, enforce a code of conduct, ban abusive users etc., take complaints seriously.
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14 June 2012 1:44PM
To be fair to parents, having just looked at the Habbo site their information to parents section implies that Habbo police the site with greater care than they appear to have been doing. They also have a CEOP reporting button which some may have mistaken for some kind of CEOP certification.
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Call follows claims that paedophiles have targeted children and teenagers using the website
The technology industry and government should do more to protect young internet users from potential abuse, the NSPCC has warned in the wake of revelations about highly sexualised content on Habbo Hotel, a virtual world popular with children and teenagers.
Sulake, the Finnish company that owns Habbo, which has about 15 million users a month across more than 100 countries, has suffered a series of setbacks since a Channel 4 News investigation found seemingly routine occurrences of sexualised or violent online chat on the site, as well as sexual approaches to young participants.
The British private equity group 3i announced it was selling its 16% stake in Sulake, it said in a statement late on Wednesday: "3i has actively supported the Sulake board in determining the right course of action in these very challenging circumstances. Following a board meeting today, we have resigned our board position and will cease to be a shareholder in the company."
Tesco, WH Smith and Game had announced shortly before that they had stopped selling gift cards for the virtual currency used on the site, with which players can "buy" extras, such as accessories for virtual hotel rooms. The revenue from this helped Sulake bring in an annual turnover of more than £50m.
Habbo, in which users create online alter egos, or avatars, to explore a hotel-themed world of brightly coloured teddy bears and cartoon characters, is officially aimed at children aged 13 upwards but used by some as young as nine.
Channel 4 News producer Rachel Seifert spent two months playing on Habbo Hotel, visiting the site 50 times. Posing as an 11-year-old girl, she found the speech balloons through which users communicate were often full of pornographic chat. She said: "Within two minutes I was being asked individually: 'Do you have a webcam?', 'Can we chat on MSN, on Skype?' I was also, within a couple of minutes, asked to strip, fully naked, and asked what would I do on a webcam."
Not only were such activities not blocked, but the infrastructure of the online world appeared geared to such sexualisation, with some rooms given names such as "naughty nightclub".
Sulake announced earlier this week it was blocking all chat between Habbo users while the claims were investigated. The company's chief executive, Paul LaFontaine, said: "I am greatly saddened that following reports of abusive behaviours amongst a very small part of the Habbo community we have taken the decision to mute all conversations across the site."
Sulake says it employs 225 moderators who monitor 70m lines of typed conversation every day.
Jon Brown, head of strategy for the NSPCC, said: "We've been concerned for some time that websites designed for children and young people are vulnerable."
While would-be online predators seeking to get access to children are "extremely skilled and extremely inventive", he said, more needed to be done: "It is very difficult, but I think the industry needs to take it a bit more seriously. They're reluctant to. It's not very good publicity for them to say: this is a fantastic resource for their child, and they may also be targeted for abuse."
The government's UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), which brings together industry groups, campaigners and police, also needed to "pick up this issue more robustly", Brown said, while schools could also deliver better education about online safety.
Ultimately, he said, it was up to parents: "Particularly for younger children, it's really important that parents are monitoring internet use, that the laptop isn't tucked away in a bedroom and they're not able to monitor the sorts of sites the children are visiting."
The children's minister, Tim Loughton, said the government was working on the issue through the UKCCIS. He added: "Businesses need to do more to help parents enable their children to use the internet safely and responsibly. Websites should make it straightforward for people to complain about offensive content, and should have systems that allow them to feed back what they have done in response.
"Parents have to help their children learn how to be safe online just as they would teach them to be safe in the offline world. Sites where children – some really very young indeed – are known to be networking should have suitable and appropriate moderating."