On the Web, vengeance is mine (and mine)

The presence of vigilantism on the Internet might suggest that individuals are simply rising up where institutions fall short.
The New York Times

The story "On the Web, vengeance is mine (and mine)" published March 28, 2004 at 12:45 PM is no longer available on CNET News.

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Not a serious concern.

I will go out on a limb here and say that none of these people have a true sense of concern for the problems they profess to deal with.

If any one of them believed in the cause (whatever it may be), they would start by fixing the broken system they are circumventing. If law enforcement is so behind the times, why is it they aren't either talking to their local politicians to address the issue, or taking their skill to a law enforcement agency where it might actually do some good?

The FBI is _always_ looking for skilled and unskilled people, I'm sure, to help them get their act in gear. If you (them) know so much about technology but all you do is sit home on your rear (like the UNEMPLOYED mathematician in New York), you are doing no good what-so-ever. Take your knowledge and good intentions to see criminals put behind bars and join the real fight at the county/state police or FBI and arrest them. Get a law degree, join the D.A. and prosecute them.

Do _something_, but for heavens sake don't complain that the authorities aren't doing enough to stop things like this if YOU aren't prepared to do it yourself by joining up, and actually getting results. Sitting at home and crying about cops that don't know how to use a computer is just that, crying. Join the police academy and show them how, or don't you think a little hard work is worth it?

[nrlz]

RE: Not a serious concern.

" If any one of them believed in the cause (whatever it may be), they would start by fixing the broken system they are circumventing. If law enforcement is so behind the times, why is it they aren't either talking to their local politicians to address the issue, or taking their skill to a law enforcement agency where it might actually do some good? "

Maybe they are talking to politicians. One well known problem is that the system is hard to change. Until you have significant damage, the politicians won't turn an eye. Online pedophiles only account for 3% of all pedophile crimes.

" Join the police academy and show them how, or don't you think a little hard work is worth it? "

Some people's current jobs pay more than law enforcements.

[Sentinel]

Consumers should be smarter

I don't think people should take matters of "web law" into their own hands, but I also don't think the current authorities are well equipped to handle online fraud. I think consumers should be smarter and know who they are making deals with. They should check the ratings of online sellers and the comments of previous buyers. Online vigilantism, as the article suggests, will only bring further government involvement with the Web, something that should never happen, as the government is not usually tech-savvy ans their involvement will result in further useless restrictions.

[Chatmag]

Perverted Justice no help to law enforcement

The web site Perverted-Justice.com which purports to "out" predators of underage children hampers law enforcement efforts to track down online predators.

The operators of Perverted-Justice cruise the chat rooms generally in Yahoo! Romance Chat, seeking victims to identify on their site. Operators private message chat room participants, enticing them to engage in a sexual conversation with the operator posing as an underage child. The Perverted-Justice operator coerces the chatter to divulge their telephone number, and provide the operator with a photograph.

At the end of the conversation, the operator informs the chatter that they have been busted by Perverted-Justice, and that their telephone number and photograph have been posted to the Perverted-Justice web site. The conversation is also posted. Yahoo! Messenger uses the XOR algorithm to encrypt messages stored on the users computer. The XOR algorithm is a weak encryption method, easily defeated by decoders, which are available for download via the Internet.

Posting IM messages that were obtained by recording private chats in Yahoo! Messenger and AOL IM violates both Yahoo!'s and AOL'S Terms of Service. Posting explicit chats involving a minor may also be in violation of current U.S. Federal Regulations.

Perverted Justice does not post the original private message. The posting is an altered version, and they do not post the chat room conversation leading up to the private message. There is no way to determine whether the person or the Perverted Justice operator initiated the conversation.

It is possible to alter Yahoo! messages, changing the tone of the message. Also, the archived messages are flawed in that they do not provide a date stamp, only a time stamp, and cannot be relied upon to be an accurate log for legal purposes. IRC logs are only marginally more accurate as to date and time, but still not generally usable in a court of law.

In other instances, the Perverted-Justice operators give the chatter an address to meet, and entice them to meet in person. When they do meet, it's not a young person, but generally a news crew or the Perverted-Justice operator acting alone. This sets up the potential for disaster with untrained persons meeting an unknown chatter.

Confronting a suspected predator should only be done by competent law enforcement personnel, and not untrained amateurs. It is only a matter of time before one of the Perverted-Justice operators encounters a situation that they are unprepared to handle.

The site is operated by anonymous persons, with no training either in law enforcement or the law. They disregard accepted law enforcement procedures covering the gathering and preservation of evidence; practice methods which may be regarded as entrapment; and do not follow the rules of "chain of custody" of evidence.

Perverted-Justice has been contacting various news outlets, seeking publicity for their site. Following each mention on news sites and TV news, questions arise as to the legitimacy and methods of operation. Several law enforcement officials and prosecutors have also questioned their methods, concerned that the site jeopardizes ongoing investigations, giving advance notice to other predators, driving them further underground and more difficult to apprehend in a legal manner.

Chatmag recommends persons not to enter any chat room with the intention of soliciting an under age person for any conversation nor do we condone or recommend anyone becoming involved in such unsupervised vigilante sites such as Perverted-Justice. The Perverted-Justice site deludes people into believing they are helping in the war against online predators.

We also recommend that news organizations more fully research Perverted-Justice prior to engaging in sting operations involving this group.

The owner of Perverted-Justice also operates Angrygerman.com A look at his home page clearly demonstrates this person is not an Internet Professional, but a person seeking notoriety. The site is chock full of ranting, profanities, and sexual innuendo.

One entry from the Angrygerman 'blog type site:

"Random Thoughts - Look, when you get to be El Gigante Intwardnet Celebitty like I am, you get accustomed to mailbags and mailbags of fanmail. Trust me, it comes by the boatload. In fact, just this week I got a few pieces of stellar fanmail. To give you fine peons a look at the life of a BIGGIE TIME website-guy, I figured I'd reprint a few for you."

We at Chatmag are opposed to such sites that have no accountability, operate outside the boundary of the law, and tend to incite "mob justice".