Advice Regarding A Dangerous Website

[Verdeboy]

I've been getting into poetry lately and hanging out on a certain poetry website that usually has between 50 and 100 people on it, including many underaged girls. In fact, there is no age restriction, so the girls can be as young as 10 yo.

A few weeks ago, I noticed a suspicious character hanging around, whose sole intent was to hit on underaged girls. I notified the moderators and administrators, but they ignored me. I proceeded to investigate this guy, since he was dumb enough to use his real name, and I determined he was indeed a pedophile.

I contacted the FBI, and they confirmed that he had been investigated before for pedophilia, and they thanked me for the tip.

He remained on that website for several weeks harassing young girls. I warned many of the girls about him, but there were always new girls arriving everyday, so he remained a threat the whole time.

I need to know to whom should I complain about this website? Is there something akin to the FCC that handles website complaints? Can they get their website license revoked? They run a lot of ads, so it is definitely a for-profit website. Are there any web blogs etc. that deal with dangerous websites like this?

Thanks.

[Cookie]

The FBI. And, you already did that. I think I would stay away from that site just so you don't get involved in it.

There are organzations out there which watch over sites mostly chat rooms. I have a friend who is an agent and I can ask for names of the groups, some are connected to federal agencies and some are composed of moms. I know one was called, Childnet.

They usually will catch the guy and then, close it down. Try Childnet but I am sure the FBI will act on it, but just incase they don't it wouldn't hurt to contact them.

[Verdeboy]

I didn't give you the whole story.

The FBI passed it off to an online predator unit from the city in Colorado where this guy lives. I worked alongside a detective for several weeks, but this detective was painfully slow at trying to trap him. After a few weeks of complaints from young girls, the moderators decided to FINALLY ban the ped before the detective had trapped him.

I just want to complain about this website and bring the scandal to light, since they bungled everything so badly and the ped is still out there.

Edit:
I did check out Childnet international. That is definitely a good starting point. Thanks, Cookie.

You did mention that they can shut down a website. I'd be interested to know how they are able to do that.

[Cookie]

That is incredible. Have you tried to find the owner of the site? What did Child net say? You ever watch Dateline on to Catch a Predator? They are out there and in droves. If the FBI didn't close them down I guess they aren't going to. Who knows he might show back up and that gives a second chance to him being caught.

By the way, I should had said this first, that was really commendable on what you did.

[Verdeboy]

The administrators on the site don't like to get involved with the day-to-day operation. They only log in to check messages once a month or so. That is why I have only been dealing with the mods. I feel guilty, because I trusted the detective, and he let me down. I could have chased him off the site myself, but then he would still be at-large. Turned out he is still at-large anyway.

Since there are no active peds on the site now, I doubt that Childnet would get involved. But I will use the threat of a Childnet investigation to try to remove the offending mods and tighten up the website.

[Cass]

That was a good thing you did.

[Cookie]

I talked with Jack, who I used to work with, he is an agent and he said, it is probably still being watched, so maybe, just keep an eye out but, lay back a bit to let them do their job easier. I am sure they do appreciate although, everything you did. Not too many people would had done what you did. That was a nice thing you did, you might had really saved someone from harm.

[Verdeboy]

The ped is long gone from that site. So if they are going to catch him, it will have to be on another website. You can tell your FBI friend that after this experience, I will never trust a detective again. This detective bungled the job so much, I couldn't begin to describe how I feel. I could've scared the ped off myself weeks ago, and dozens of girls would have been spared the $exual harassment they endured while the detective was trying to trap him. In addition, the detective will no longer return my calls now. He probably knows I'm po'd at him.

Did I tell you that I've been banned from that website? After the ped disappeared, I warned all the girls who he had targeted, and then I started a discussion thread about how to protect themselves in the future and not to rely solely on the mods to help them. That got me banned. So, the ped is roaming free, and I became the bad guy. Whoever said that life was fair. LOL

[Cookie]

Life is hardly ever fair. Not the way we would want the results anyway. I think the reason you might had been banned was because simply, they can't tell the bad guy from the good guy. So, they just didn't take the chance, at least in that respect, you should take comfort in the fact, they did something at least. Take comfort, too, you tried. Just like their are bad plumbers, their are bad dectectives, in all professions their are people who can't do their job, or won't do their job, it happens. I will tell Jack, but I don't think it will matter to him, he knows what I just said, and knows nothing about your case with those people. I still commend you for trying.

[Cass]

Maybe it is run by peds...why would they ban you....

[Verdeboy]

It's not run by peds--just idiots.

The reason they didn't ban the ped was because they have rules for banning people, and they don't deviate from the rules one iota. They need three complaints about someone from three different people, and they have to be done in a certain fashion, or the complaint doesn't count.

Most of the girls who were molested either didn't know the "proper" way to complain or they were afraid to. Many times when under-aged girls are harassed or abused, they think that it's their fault. Some thought their parents would ban them from this website, etc..

Since I sent out a general message warning the kids about this ped, a few of them complained about the message, because they didn't know me, and presto! I was instantly banned.

I knew the mods would never send out such a message, because they were intent on covering this up. So. I felt I had to do it, even though I paid the ultimate price.