Topic: "Sweetie" trapped 1000 pedophiles from 65 countries

[Samker]

An international sting has trapped “international Webcam sex tourists” from 65 countries by using an avatar in place of a 10-year-old child to solicit viewers into asking for on-camera sex acts.

The avatar, dubbed “Sweetie”, was developed and operated by the Dutch arm of international group Terres Des Hommes, and was operated from The Netherlands. The group claims it identified more than 1,000 adults “willing to pay children in developing countries to perform sexual acts in front of the webcam” by using the avatar.

In all, the group claims that 20,000 people approached the “child”, and through those interactions, Terres Des Hommes researchers sought further information via social media to try and identify the individuals making the approaches. The group is using its research as the basis of a world-wide petition for governments to “adopt proactive investigation policies”, it says.

While the report doesn't identify the list of countries in which predators were identified, other news reports have included Australia, Britain, the USA, Canada, Ireland, Japan and Korea: http://www.terredeshommes.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Webcam-child-sex-tourism-terre-des-hommes-NL-nov-2013.pdf

Not everybody is delighted at the result. Europol told Reuters that “criminal investigations using intrusive surveillance measures should be the exclusive responsibility of law enforcement agencies”, while Andy Baker of the UK's National Crime Agency told the BBC that “tackling child sex abusers is best left to specialist law enforcement agencies”: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24818769

Terres Des Hommes defends its actions, stating that it hasn't indulged in entrapment: “Individuals who initiate contact and request a sexual webcam show from someone claiming to be a prepubertal child are not victims of entrapment. Terre des Hommes Netherlands regards those individuals as predators who are actively attempting to abuse children through WCST and who can therefore be considered “inclined” or predisposed to commit this crime.”

The group has posted a YouTube video about its use of “Sweetie” here: http://www.youtube.com/sweetie

(ElReg)

[devnullius]

Yeah this Dutch girl really did some damage. Too bad that it would not be against the law in the Netherlands to chat with this girl: she's virtual.

It's a strange loophole - not sure if I think that's a good thing or not.

But technically I am impressed - Turing test defeated? ;p

Karma!

devnullius

[Samker]

...

Too bad that it would not be against the law in the Netherlands to chat with this girl: she's virtual.

...

Are you sure about this?

They don't know that she is virtual, so if they initiate contact with her, they are guilty...

...almost same situation like with undercover cops and drug dealers.

[devnullius]

...

Too bad that it would not be against the law in the Netherlands to chat with this girl: she's virtual.

...

Are you sure about this?

They don't know that she is virtual, so if they initiate contact with her, they are guilty...

...almost same situation like with undercover cops and drug dealers.

For child pornagraphy, an actual child has to be involved. Kinda makes sense. A virtual character is just that: virtual.

:s

[Samker]

...

Too bad that it would not be against the law in the Netherlands to chat with this girl: she's virtual.

...

Are you sure about this?

They don't know that she is virtual, so if they initiate contact with her, they are guilty...

...almost same situation like with undercover cops and drug dealers.

For child pornagraphy, an actual child has to be involved. Kinda makes sense. A virtual character is just that: virtual.

:s

I know, but in both cases, the intent is obvious...

[Pez]

...

Too bad that it would not be against the law in the Netherlands to chat with this girl: she's virtual.

...

Are you sure about this?

They don't know that she is virtual, so if they initiate contact with her, they are guilty...

...almost same situation like with undercover cops and drug dealers.

For child pornagraphy, an actual child has to be involved. Kinda makes sense. A virtual character is just that: virtual.

:s

I know, but in both cases, the intent is obvious...

The main idea is probably not to get them trapped in the first action it is probably to get them reviled so they can go true with the investigation and collect evidence to a future prosecutors. And probably also to map the network of the peoples and their other connections. It probably is joust a beginning to build a case on those peoples.