12-Year-Old Gets Probation for Facebook Cyberstalking - Polidicks

[URL]http://digitallife.today.com/_news/2011/07/13/7076989-12-year-old-gets-probation-for-facebook-cyberstalking[/URL] [QUOTE]That's right, you read the headline correctly: A [I]12-year-old [/I]was given probation Wednesday after being charged with cyberstalking a former "friend" on Facebook. The defendant, from Issaquah near Seattle, also was charged with first-degree computer trespassing for using the victim's password information to get into her Facebook account in order to post sexually explicit content on the girl's page. There's a second defendant in the case: She's 11. She was "sent to the Juvenile Court Diversion Committee, which will order her to complete community service," according to a report in [URL="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2015596548_suspended_sentence_for_12-year.html"]The Seattle Times[/URL]. If you've been following this so far, you may have been wondering: How is it that such young teens are even [I]on [/I]Facebook? The social networking site has a minimum age of 13. But, Consumer Reports recently found that of the 20 million minors who use Facebook, [URL="http://digitallife.today.com/_news/2011/05/10/6618390-75m-kids-lie-to-get-on-facebook?chromedomain=moms"]7.5 million are younger than 13[/URL], and 5 million are younger than age 10. The age restriction "violation" was the least of the defendants' problems. As often happens with teen-age friendships, this one, among the girls, went south. The repercussions, however, in the age of menacing mouse clicks, went viral. Prosecutors said the victim had "been at the home of one of the defendants in early March when she logged into Facebook," the Times said. The victim's "password information was somehow stored on the girl's computer." When things turned ugly, the defendants used the victim's Facebook password " 'with the intent of embarrassing and tormenting the victim,' police said." They not only posted explicit photos, but sent out solicitations for sex. Despite the family's deleting the postings, they've been copied and reposted elsewhere and everywhere. The 12-year-old defendant is getting counseling and is allowed to use the computer during the next six months, but must be supervised by a responsible adult, according to [URL="http://www.king5.com/news/local/Girl-charged-in-Facebook-cyberstalking-sentenced-to-6-months-probation-125500178.html"]KING 5 News[/URL]. The mother of the victim listened to what seemed to be a heartfelt apology from the 12-year-old in court Wednesday. But she was unmoved. "We are still dealing with a lot of damage control," the mother told the TV station.[/QUOTE] I love pre-teen drama. Don't you?

Why can't the people judging such cases understand how the Internet works? They never seem to understand. Ofcourse, what she did was wrong, but a sentence like this is too much in my humble opinion.

Aren't like half the people on Facebook use it to stalk each other?

snip

I hope Google+ doesn't get the influx of children that Facebook got...

[QUOTE=valkery;31115088]The article specifically said that it was two [I]girls[/I] involved. No males involved in this one I'm afraid.[/QUOTE] Already fixed that.

[QUOTE=RIPBILLYMAYS;31115116]I hope Google+ doesn't get the influx of children that Facebook got...[/QUOTE] If it gets as popular, it will get the same amounts of children. Though I can't see why you'd be bothered by it so much, seeing as you're meant to add your friends on it, as opposed to a forum like this where you can see all of the users posting.

Ehh, wouldn't be a big deal imo until it became sexual harassment.

wow, and how many stalkers are out there again?

Community service for a 12 year old? I don't think there's a good reason for that.

[QUOTE=garychencool;31115509]wow, and how many stalkers are out there again?[/QUOTE] Too many. Those stalkers need to get out of there.

[quote]If you've been following this so far, you may have been wondering: How is it that such young teens are even on Facebook? The social networking site has a minimum age of 13.[/quote] guy who wrote this is new to the internet if he is surprised by this

[QUOTE=YouWithTheFace.;31115729]guy who wrote this is new to the internet if he is surprised by this[/QUOTE] I don't think he is, it's just a "look what have we come to" directed towards concerned soccer moms

Why did facebook even lower the age from 18 to 13?

[QUOTE=Zet;31121010]Why did facebook even lower the age from 18 to 13?[/QUOTE] [img]http://financialphilosopher.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/04/29/money.gif[/img] this is why pic related: it's zuckerburg

So does this mean its a crime to stalk people online now? Shit...

"Menacing mouse-clicks" Sensationalism at it's finest.

Well, the forum is called Sensationalist Headlines :downs:.

[QUOTE=DarkendSky;31124156]Well, the forum is called Sensationalist Headlines :downs:.[/QUOTE] I know. Now I feel stupid, don't downs me :(

[QUOTE=DarkendSky;31124156]Well, the forum is called Sensationalist Headlines :downs:.[/QUOTE] I need to stop going into this section. Every thread title is the same. "OMG YOU CAN GET ARRESTED FOR STALKING PEOPLE ON FACEBOOK." But oh wait, an actual crime was also involved, whoops.

The sexually explicit material should be the issue here, not cyber-stalking. People need to chill the fuck out. Not that it was right, but still...

[QUOTE=Zet;31121010]Why did facebook even lower the age from 18 to 13?[/QUOTE] Because no one obeys age requirements on websites anyway? Websites just place them to avoid being sued by soccer moms that ran into their kid watching porn, it's why porn websites usually have them, so that the website owners have a defense to use in court.

ya thats true. But a new site Google+ may fill this effects of facebook.[img]http://goo.gl/jAQjS[/img]