Mother And Daughter Still Blame MySpace For Not Protecting Her From Sexual Assault
from the go-after-the-money dept
Two and a half years ago, we wrote about a teenager who sued MySpace following a sexual assault, saying that it was the site's fault that she was assaulted. This despite the fact that she had signed up for the site, lied about her age and the actual assault (obviously) happened outside of MySpace. That's not to say that a crime didn't happen, but it's quite difficult to see how it could possibly be MySpace's fault. In fact, a judge made exactly that point in dismissing the lawsuit last year, noting that MySpace was protected under section 230 safe harbors, and even if it wasn't, it would "cripple" 3rd party communication systems if you could attach liability to them for every crime committed that touched on those services. The judge also pointed out that this seemed like a clear case of a parent trying to blame a big company for her own failings: "If anyone had a duty to protect Julie Doe, it was her parents, not MySpace."Of course, that's not good enough for the girl and her mother, who have now appealed the case, still claiming that MySpace somehow is responsible. The girl's lawyers claim that MySpace still had a responsibility to protect the girl, even though he doesn't explain how it can protect a girl who lied about her age and then went off to meet with a much older guy in real life. It's difficult to see how that can possibly be MySpace's fault -- but the rule of thumb these days is always sue the big company that has the most money. As for the older guy accused of the sexual assault, he's been indicted, but last we heard, his lawyers were also thinking about blaming MySpace. After all, if the girl is blaming MySpace, then how could it be the guy's fault?
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Filed Under: blame, safe harbors, sexual assault
Companies: myspace, news corp
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Girl blaming MySpace for Sexual Assault
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Re:
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Re: Re:
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DAD????????????????????????????????????????
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I've said this before!
As for the parents of their whore child... GOOD FOR HER! Maybe people will pay more attention to what their kids are doing. Move the computer OUT of the sluts bedroom! My hope is that MySpace turns around and SUES the parents "1) Gross Negligence (YOUR F*CKING KID KEEP AN EYE ON HER YOURSELF), 2) Endangering the welfare of a child (YOU'RE GOING TO MEET - WHO/WHERE MAYBE IN THE AFTER LIFE!), 3) corruption of minor (YOU ALLOWED HER YO CREATE AN ACCOUNT ON MYSPACE AND DID NOT CHECK AGE), ENTRAPMENT (FOR BAITING YOUR WHORE WHO HAD LIED ABOUT HER AGE TO PLAY GROWN UP GAME!), etc..."
The retarded fat-cats in congress will turn around and make a law to enforce how MySpace failed our kids. When this could all be solved SO quickly by THREATENING the parents!
PARENTS not corporations or the victims whom will have to bare the name "Sexual Offender" FOR THE REST of THEIR LIVES should not be held accountable - for some 2-bit WHORE - LYING ABOUT HER AGE IN FRONT OF HER PARENTS!!!
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Re: DAD????????????????????????????????????????
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What a joke
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Re: I've said this before!
Huh? So are you advocating background checks for anyone signing up for any web communication? What about web forums? Instant messaging?
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Re:
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hmm
To be honest he might have more of a case than she does, never seen much of the details of this case beyond describing it as "sexual assault", now this covers quite a lot of terroritry, from rape to unknowingly having sex with a minor.
Now if it was the former he would have no case but if it was the latter he took her age from myspace, he did not lie she did and myspace published her lie and he went to jail for it
Not saying he should win here, but if that was the situation he more than anyone else has a case, but to be honest he would have an even stronger (morally at least) case against the child's parents for not controlling their child
It's a sad world we live in where teenagers have to go around asking other teenagers for proof of age before they have sex.
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And is this the same thing where that fat cow-whore Perry Aftab latched on with her stupid organization and tried to milk it for all the personal attention she could get out of this girl's story?
When are people going to start suing schools? Your child is far likely to be raped by a teacher at their school or school district than some random person on line. Not to mention their preacher or an uncle or something.
It's really amazing how I've been online nearly my entire life, dating back to 1988 at eleven years old and out of all those BBSes, websites, forums, social groups, get togethers, meetings, dates, hangouts and everything else... I haven't been raped or chopped up and stuffed into duffle bag.
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Re: hmm
He wouldn't have any more of a case than victim. MySpace is not responsible for user-generated content. Whether the posted information was accurate or not is irrelevant.
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Wouldn't Worry
I think this girl just wants her 15-minutes of fame personally. I think it is sad she was stupid enough to go meet someone she didn't know from MySpace to begin with. She also lied about her age which should be a big red flag in the parents mind that...well maybe she lied about the assault and everything.
It is sad that society makes "victims" out of whiny lying teenage brats. Lives are ruined simply because "she didn't know any better." I think the rules should be rewritten because by the age of 16 (I would even argue 15) you are mature enough to know right from wrong and definitely smart enough to know when something in dangerous. And if you aren't by that age, chances are you will never get it.
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Re: hmm
Put it this way. If they went to the same mall and had met there instead of MySpace, would the mall be held responsible for them being allowed near each other to begin with? Of course not. The MySpace thing was just an extra first step before a physical meeting.
There's various ways of taking this case as you mentioned - from a forced rape to the guy trusting the MySpace profile rather than his own eyes - but either way it's the two parties involved (along with their parents) who have to take the blame. Whether this means the guy is 100% guilty or the girl should share blame is up to different court cases that have no relevance here.
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Re:
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I blame you techdirt
WHY AM I SUCH A VICTIM!?!?!? DAMN YOU TECHDIRT!!!
Seriously though, these people make me sick. Why can't anyone take responsibility for their actions any more?
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Re: Wouldn't Worry
eww, you said the A-word
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I know!
Or, how about a lawsuit against the post office because it delivered the letter used by my girlfriend to break up with me and caused me irreparable emotional damage!
Gotta love the American legal system.
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suing god for creating the people who created the
How about suing the company you work for because you have internet access at work.
So many people to blame, so little time.
Quick!!! Somebody get a bleeding heart liberal in here to save me from myself!!
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Re: Re: Wouldn't Worry
Yea and it was good for IM and that's about it. Surfing the Internet sucked. We eventually switched over to a local ISP then on to cable. I have been AOL free for at least 10 years.
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Pete Valle -- You are right
MONEY- we are going to be rich
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Re: Pete Valle -- You are right
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Loaded Gun
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Education and Integrity
If we keep blaming parents for not watching close enough, we are ignoring a larger educational problem that is cropping up in all areas of life.
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Re: hmm
It's a sad world we live in where people get together to have sex without getting to know each other first. You don't need proof of age if you actually spend time around and know the person whose genitals you want touch.
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Her Own Damn Fault
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Re: I've said this before!
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Re: Loaded Gun
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Re: Wouldn't Worry
"Caution: Children may be stupid. Parental supervision strongly recommended."
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Re: Education and Integrity
I was a lucky girl. My parents taught me right from wrong as soon as I could understand words and never felt the need to use filters or stand over my shoulder while I surfed. (I won't say I never did anything I wasn't supposed to, of course, but I stayed away from what was dangerous and/or could get me in lots of trouble.)
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Re: Re: I've said this before!
YOU'RE KID - should of known that when you play grown-up games YOU GET BURNT! Should we screen everyone that blogs, Im's or other... To protect the GROWN-UP from the "POOR DEFENSELESS CHILD!" YES!!!
YOU AS A PARENT should KNOW what YOUR STUPID IGNORANT KID IS DOING ONLINE!AND IF THEY GET F*CKED... WELL, WELCOME TO ADULTHOOD! As for the parents... THEY SHOULD BE THE REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER... FOR ENDANGERING THEIR CHILD - PROSTITUTION - CORRUPTION OF MINOR - ETC - ETC - ETC!
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We DONT need to educate our KIDS!
Parent know-a-days do not take responsibility for the things that happen with their kids... They blame other people - case point... this mother...
We don't need laws to protect our kids... We need laws to hold accountable - the people who are WITH THEIR KIDS - 20+ HOURS A DAY! While their kid is online - LYING about their age! THE PARENTS!
The government has done more than they should - and nothing has changed... People on "Sex Offender Registries" get banned from opening any account on MySpace, FaceBook, or most other social networks... So what happens when someone who is not a sexual offender ends up meeting someone who lied about her age... Now this person is labeled a "Sexual Predator"... He has no job to hold down - because of thie RED FLAG! - Basically, he gets blacklisted...
Meanwhile, the girl... STILL HAS NO PARENTS - and later goes on to get knocked up at 16! Go on welfare - more of our hard earn money goes to supporting this kids - KID! And the mother/Father is still crying - It was MySpace's fault...
IT IS YOUR OWN DAMN FAULT - YOU IGNORANT PIECE OF !!!!!
STOP BLAMING SOMEONE ELSE!
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Re: Re: Education and Integrity
Do you know how many SUGGESTIVE pictures I've found by these UNDER AGE KIDS - on their computer! The sickest things that I had seen were 13 year olds... In bikini or undies - lounging in back yards, beaches, the pool, THEIR OWN BED... And they had this on their computer - AND ONLINE!!! It wasn't for fun because these little girls (mentally) think they are ready to play big girl games... Worse still they WANT the older man... They know about "Experience"... Maybe they don't know what that means - but they want it! They KNOW - that a man is not going to go after them (Provided the man is not a sicko)... But they want to show off the "Lee Press-on bodies" that MOST girls are developing these days! So what's the big deal in saying that they are older than they actually are... PARENTS WONT DO ANYTHING TO THEM!
Ok - It's impossible to know what your kids are doing all the time... Get the computer out in the open... Put it in YOUR ROOM! Put it where it would be difficult for them to work up the nerve to do something they are not supposed to... F*CK their privacy!!! MY HOUSE - MY FOOD - MY CLOTHES!!! WANT TO BE STUPID AND TAKE IT FURTHER - OK - NO COMPUTER - FOR YOU! END OF STORY!!!
I believe that if parents were forced to face the charges of neglect, corruption, etc., in lieu of caring for THEIR KIDS... Things would be different... You would find a way to watch your kid - and keep your kid out of trouble... A "Predator" WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACH THEM!
Don't get me wrong - there ARE Predators out there... But not all Sexual offenders are predators. And if you make it a point to go on your son/daughters account (ON THE COMPUTER) and look through their pictures... Check their online profile - MAKE SURE THE AGE IS RIGHT! MAKE SURE IT IS SET TO PRIVATE! MAKE SURE WHO ARE HIS/HER FRIENDS! FOR GOD SAKE... GET THE FRIGGIN COMPUTER OUT OF THEIR DAMN ROOM!!!
Then I DOUBT sincerely - that anyone here reading this would be trying to sue MySpace - or others - for FAILING to protect - YOUR CHILD!
As for knowing 24/7 what they are doing... Let's see - about 8 hours out of EACH DAY - they should be SLEEPING!!! IF THE COMPUTER WERE NOT IN THEIR ROOM - THIS WOULD BE A NON-ISSUE! THUS, giving them - LESS TIME - to become a "VICTIM"
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The GOVERNMENT WILL BE UP - ALL OUR A$$!
Because parents are too STUPID to look after their OWN FUDGING KIDS... NEXT STOP - EVERYONE GETS A PROBE - COURTESY OF THE GOVERNMENT... In an attempt to "Protect some dumba$$' KID!"
IT IS NOT THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY - TO KEEP YOUR KID SAFE FOR YOU!!! During the Reagan years there use to be a commercial on WWOR TV channel 9 (New York City)... They showed a kid - with a baby... And the message... It's like being grounded for 18 years...
IT IS - YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! NOT MySpace's - Not FaceBook's - NOT THE GOVERNMENTS!!! YOURS!!!
MY SINCEREST WISH - IS THAT MySpace - and all other SOCIAL sites - ever blamed for - "Not keeping our kids safe"...
1)Instead of banning "Registered Sex Offenders" Banned kids! A kid will ALWAYS be the VICTIM - it doesn't matter WHAT they did! Well... KICK THEIR LITTLE LYING BUTTS OFF THESE SITES!!!
2) Turn around - and file civil and criminal suit against - parents who allow their kids online - UNSUPERVISED! It's called;
a) Gross Negligence - YOUR KID - NOT MINE!
b) Endangering the welfare of a child
c) Corruption of a Minor
d) Entrapment
e) Being a pimp of an under aged kid!
f) Prostitution of a child!
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Re: Re: Wouldn't Worry
CAUTION: NOT FOR USE FOR ANYONE WHO CAN NOT LEGALLY SMOKE!
CAUTION: PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL ARE NOT ALLOWED ONLINE
FOR YOUR PROTECTION - THERE IS NO MODEM - OR LAN CARD IN THIS COMPUTER! TO GET ONE INSTALLED - PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR LEASE - WITH EVERYONE WHO LIVES WITH YOU (AGE, DOB, SS#) LISTED CLEARLY... NOTE: ANYONE WHO LIES WILL LOSE FULL CUSTODY OF THEIR KIDS - AND BEATEN TO DEATH IN THE TOWN SQUARE BY ROCKS!
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