Updated at 8:06 p.m., Monday, May 21, 2007
State getting sex offender info from MySpace
Advertiser Staff
MySpace has agreed to provide names and other information about convicted sex offenders the company has identified on its Web site, state attorney general Mark Bennett announced today."We are very concerned about Internet predators using Web sites like MySpace to target children," Bennett said in a written statement. "The information we will receive will help us protect kids."
Benett was among state attorneys nationally who sent a letter May 14 to MySpace requesting cooperation.
MySpace has confirmed Sentinel Tech Holdings has identified thousands of registered sex offenders as members of the popular social networking site. MySpace has deleted these users from its site but has preserved information about them that will be provided to state attorneys nationally.
Bennett said information received by his office will be shared with other law enforcement agencies where appropriate.
The Hawai'i Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, headed by Deputy Attorney General Kristin Izumi-Nitao, have captured four men this year who have engaged meetings for sex with juveniles online.
