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Pedophiles Flock to Skype

by Joshua Fruhlinger on May 7, 2007 at 11:48 AM

Pedophiles target children on Skype
According to a report from the Times Online, sexual predators have found a new playground. They are now flocking to Skype, a voice and text chat service that lets you make free calls to other Skype members and low-cost calls to regular phones. Unlike similar chat services such as MSN Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger, Skype uses what's called a peer-to-peer connection, meaning that callers are connected directly -- there is no intermediary between the chatting parties. MSN and AOL, on the other hand, uses centralized servers that allow the service to not only block problematic users, but also monitor conversations in cases of criminal activity.

Unfortunately, sexual predators appear to know about this loophole. According to an article by the U.K.'s Times Online, reporters who posed as minors under 16 on Skype were approached by a plethora of sexual predators who suggested -- and followed through with -- actual, in-person meet-ups. The report suggests that Skype warn children in a more obvious manner, while making parents aware of the service and its potential pitfalls for their kids. Consider this your first warning, parents!




From Times Online

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Tags: breaking+news, chat, pedophilia, skype, top

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