<p>My older son has a hearing deficiency that makes it very hard to meet people in the traditional face-to-face settings. “Talking” on the internet has been a godsend for him, and his current girlfriend - whom he met online - has been with him for 2 years. So we can’t see ONLY the bad here. For some -like my son - it can provide a way of talking and listening that he can’t initiate elsewhere.</p>
<p>I know a couple who met on the internet (each living on the other side of the world) and now are married. Most people are creeped out when they hear those sorts of stories but i think over time it will become more and more common. Its great to hear it is helping your son digmedia!</p>
<p>While no one can be with their teenaged children 100% of the time, parents have to take responsibility for teaching their children about the potential dangers out there in the world. Why teach your children to look both ways before crossing the street or not to talk to strangers but stay silent on the dangers of the internet? This is just a ridiculous lawsuit.</p>
<p>The incident described in these allegations, if true, is a horrible and unfortunate event. However, how is this situation any different than if a girl meets a boy at a party, through friends, at the library, at the mall, wherever… and if the boy then sexually assaults the girl? It doesn’t matter whether the boy might have lied about his age, his school or his hometown. It also doesn’t matter how and where the boy and girl met. Would the movie theatre be liable if the boy and girl met there? How about the mall? Better yet, why not hold the friends who introduced the girl to the boy responsible? </p>
<p>Our society is way too willing to blame anyone and everyone else for unfortunate things that heppen to us in our lives. I certainly feel for the girl and her family in this situation, but sue the boy who allegedly sexually assaulted your daughter. Let’s place blame where it belongs.</p>
<p>I once talked to an older man on the internet and then agreed to meet up with him in person. Let me tell you, I’m so damn lucky that TheDad isn’t creepy, although he looks nothing like he said (Johnny Depp? I think not!). </p>
<p>…but if any of the CCers that I’ve met in person were completely weird, that’s not CC’s fault. That’s my own fault for not being paranoid enough to take care of myself. </p>
<p>It should come as no surprise to anyone that people you meet over the internet can lie about their age, their occupation, their names, and they can be criminals. </p>
<p>On a practical level, if the lawsuit is successful, it will open the floodgates for all internet-crime lawsuits. I imagine that MySpace, Facebook, and even match.com would probably shut down before facing the potential liability. Then, on a practical level, other venues would replace them - maybe. Maybe smaller sites or ones without the protections that Match.com and Facebook have (hiding profiles, only accessible to certain users, “ghost” email addresses).</p>
<p>Usually if you meet in a public space you should be safe i suppose. Risks are everywhere. When i am single i dont even like to date people who i dont have some common link with (like share friends or class) as i worry they may harm me… but then why would they be more likely to harm me than someone i know? I have heard that most rapes are done by people you know not strangers. </p>
<p>Its sad that we have to live in a society with such fear. I suppose to risk is the age, you hope that once one is an adult they can read situations better than they may be able to as a young teenager. But what has that go to do with myspace? crazy world.</p>