Pandora’s Blog

Lawmakers in Washington have taken another step towards trying to make the Internet a safer place. Though the bill passed unanimously, and most parents will feel a bit better about it’s enactment, there are a lot of people out that that think the bill is wrong because it a) won’t stop anyone from breaking the [...]

This is a couple weeks’ worth of those wacky slimeballs getting caught for soliciting minors online. Last Wednesday I was at home for the 1st day with my new baby girl (yay!).
Here are three stories, in chronological order with links, of a collection of dirtbags arrested for soliciting minors online. Let these serve as reminders [...]

Ok, so this story unfolded last week. Basically, a 13-year old girl from Oregon ran away. After she did, her parents discovered that she was leading a double MySpace life. One profile was mostly accurate and claiming to be 17 (so, in reality, both accounts were false), but in another she presented herself as a [...]

Thought I’d do a quick follow-up to Monday’s post: Facebook Steps Up Security and Safety Measures.
This comes straight from Facebook, but was printed in the LA Times. It’s a bulleted list of plans included in the new safety agreement. Check it out, but remember: “Only you can prevent forest fires”… translation: “Only parents can truly [...]

Here’s some great news from last week from Uncle Sam and his gang in Washington:
New prosecutor jobs to target online predators
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department said Wednesday it will spend $5 million to create 43 new jobs for prosecutors targeting online sexual predators of children.
The assistant U.S. attorney positions are being funded through [...]

An uplifting post today: two great little presentations for online safety.
This video below comes from Protecting Kids Online (PKO), an awareness program (based in PA) designed to educate parents, caregivers, teachers and children about Internet safety. They have created a 22-minute Internet safety video on topics from understanding the serious repercussion of cyber-bullying to learning [...]

This is the HUGE news yesterday/today. The story is now world-famous: 13-year old Megan Meier committed suicide, allegedly over a MySpace relationship that went south. But it turns out that the whole relationship was a hoax, spearheaded by Megan’s former friend’s mother, Lori Drew!
Well, yesterday a tiny slice of justice prevailed, as a warning shot [...]

Despite popular social network website Facebook’s commitment to increase security for its users, PC Pandora reminds parents that the best protection this summer is inside the home, not on the web…
New York, NY (PRWEB) May 15, 2008 — Last week, the popular social networking site Facebook signed a commitment with 49 state Attorneys General (and [...]

This is a follow-up to the post below: Four Internet Predators Caught in Eastern PA
Apparently there were SIX guys arrested in conjunction with the investigations and crimes.
Go here to read details about each of the scumbag predators:
‘DirtyOlderMan’ Among Locals Charged In Internet Sting
And go here to watch the video:
‘DirtyOlderMan’ Video Story
Again, these guys exist. It [...]

I have to start making this a regular thing…
From NBC 30 in Hartford CT:
Man Thought He Was Meeting Girl For Sex
A 44-year-old East Windsor (CT) man was arrested, accused of trying to meet what he thought was a 13-year-old girl for sex.
Meriden police arrested Steve Warren Thursday (May 8th) after a group that works [...]