States, MySpace agree to new measures on child predators

[The Straight Story]

States, MySpace agree to new measures on child predators

By CLARE TRAPASSO
Associated Press Writer
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NEW YORK (AP) -- Under mounting pressure from law enforcement and parents, MySpace agreed Monday to take steps to protect youngsters from online sexual predators and bullies, including searching for ways to better verify users' ages.

The hugely popular online hangout will create a task force of industry professionals to improve the safety of users, and other social-networking sites will be invited to participate. "We must keep telling children that they're not just typing into a computer. They're sharing themselves with the world," said North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, who was joined at the announcement by attorneys general from New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

The deal comes as sites such as MySpace and Facebook have grown exponentially in recent years, with teenagers making up a large part of their membership. This has created a new potential venue for sexual predators who lie about their age to lure young victims and for cyber bullies who send threatening and anonymous messages.

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