Attorney General To Get Sex Offender Information

Monday, May 21st 2007, 7:26 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma authorities will review information provided by a social networking Web site to determine if any sex offenders violated conditions of their paroles by using the site to contact minors. Attorney General Drew Edmondson said attorneys general sent a letter to MySpace on May 14 demanding that the company turn over information about sex offenders known to be using the site.

He said MySpace recently identified and deleted the user profiles of thousands of registered sex offenders from its site. The company said Monday it will provide state prosecutors with information about all offenders found on its site.

``The information MySpace provides will be turned over to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, which can review it for possible criminal conduct,'' Edmondson said. ``We have been working with MySpace since January.

``This is just one piece of a larger look at social networking Web sites. I am pleased that MySpace has taken this step.''

``While this is an important step, it is, in all likelihood, just the tip of the iceberg,'' the Oklahoma official said. ``There is no way to know how many sex offenders are on these sites under fictitious identities. This company has taken an important step, but the users of these sites must also play a role in ensuring their own safety.''

Edmondson urged parents to talk to their children about Internet safety.

``A profile on a child's MySpace page often includes information about what school they attend, what their after-school activities are, who their friends are and where they live,'' Edmondson said.

``Kids are putting this information out into the world for thousands, if not millions, of complete strangers to see. Parents should talk to their kids about what is, and what is not, appropriate content for the Internet.''

For Internet safety tips, visit News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright's safety tip webpage.