Friday, August 27, 2010
CANADIANS HANDCUFFED FOR INVOLVEMENT IN FACEBOOK PORN RING
Since Facebook doesn't listen to reported online hate groups but gives a fart about glamour models posting pictures of themselves in bikinis, this doesn't really surprise me.
According to Toronto Star, two Canadians make up just a fraction of the 11 individuals arrested for supposedly participating in an almost global child pornography ring that ran through Facebook.
However, Australian officials are angry at Facebook, which they say had found the profiles of these criminal activities but kept on neglecting to tell police.
The arrests, announced Friday by Australian police, consist of half a dozen people in Britain, three in Australia and a couple in British Columbia — one in Vancouver, one in Kelowna.
It has been claimed that the men created Facebook accounts under counterfeit identities to exchange thousands of pictures and videos of “adults and children engaged in sexual behaviour,” said Neil Gaughan of the Australia Federal Police.
They know Facebook were aware of these profiles, since they ended up removing them, Gaughan told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Facebook had cancelled the suspects’ online accounts, he said, but their profiles had been re-established within hours.
Facebook’s “lack of cooperation and their lack of proactive assistance to law enforcement could lead to a child assaulted,” Gaughan said.
Australian police said an undercover officer created a Facebook profile and was then cyber-encountered by one of the suspects.
The investigation, called Project Ocean, started in March in assistance with the RCMP, British authorities and the FBI.
British sex offender Ian Green, the assumed group’s boss, has been locked up for four years for distributing over 100,000 inappropriate photos of children.
The 45-year-old pleaded guilty to a extension of charges pertaining to creating, having, and sharing pictures of abused children. In Green’s trial, the court heard that he implemented 11 individual Facebook accounts to send the images.
There isn't much info about the two Canadian suspects, except that police in Kelowna and Vancouver overlooked the Canadian involvement in the investigation.
No names or ages have been mentioned. One of the males has been charged with four counts regarding child exploitation, while an investigation is still in the works concerning the second suspect.
How could Facebook not react any sooner? Sure, Facebook users have to be at least 13, but many lie about their age to register for the well-liked social networking site. Facebook can't be be blamed for criminal minds, but how does that saying go? Evil aren't those who do evil but those who witness evil and do nothing about it. Criminals may not be able to control their actions with a mental instability, so it's up to us to get them the help they need and the punishment they (might) deserve. Come on, Facebook! Man up!
As for those who are being victimized, please be careful as to who you trust on the internet.
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