The internet makes it very easy to basically purchase anything that can be directly sent to where ever you are in just a couple of days, but what if someone gets a hold of your personal information. Personally I am very careful about which sites I use to order things such as cloths, and books. I am cautious of this because there is always a possibility that a person can steal your credit card number, or even other information, such as your social security number, home address, cell phone number, and other personal information. My younger brother that goes to college at Salve Regina, RI was a victim of credit card fraud and he had a lot of money stolen form him. Luckily the bank was able to find out who was stealing his credit card information and the man was arrested and charged, with credit card fraud and we eventually found out that he was able to steal the number by using a computer program. The man stole almost 1,000 dollars of his hard earned money. This didn’t just happened once to him but it happened a total of three times and it was a nuisance and very annoying, not mentioning that it hurt his emotional feelings, because someone is stealing form him. There was a whole process of legal documents, and bank procedures that my brother needed to go through in order to receive his money back, and it took a long time. It is just not right for someone to steal anything that isn’t there’s, but the internet today makes it very easy for criminals to steal, and abuse others for there own expense. What I am trying to get to is the topic of how the internet is a fast and easy way for criminals to commit crimes, and the TV show “To Catch a Predator” catches a lot of the criminals that commit crimes over the internet. I am a regular watcher of the show “To Catch a Predator” that is aired on dateline MSNBC. Chris Hanson, the reporter for the show works with on line groups such as Watchdog and Perverted-Justice (http://www.perverted-justice.com/) in the attempt to catch potential Internet sex predators by using sting operations. Local law enforcements and other officials are also involved with the operation of the various stings around the country, states such as Virginia, California, Ohio, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, and Kentucky. The operation leads to many arrests of most of the individuals that are caught in the sting. The one episode that has stuck in my head is when an older man came with intentions to engage in sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl brought his own son with him. Not only did he put the 14 year old girl, which was a decoy in danger but put his own on in danger.
Most of the predators that are caught are men. Some of them are fathers or children and happily married, and some say they are having problems with their relationships at home. Some of these adults are even teachers of kids the same age they intended to visit at the houses. All of this couldn’t be done without computer technology, the Internet, and other software that helps catch criminals. So for “To Catch a Predator” has been able to interview more then 200 potential sex predators with the help of Perverted-Justice. Perverted- Justice creates profiles of underage children by using social networking websites. After finding a chat room they will act as bait, usually being a 12, 13, or 14- year-old child, and set up adults to see if they are interested in having a conversation with them. While chatting, if the conversation becomes sexual, which most of he time the adult starts, the decoy plays along. By doing this Perverted-Justice are able to get to know more about the older individual on the other end and put together evidence that will help them with their case against the criminal. Some of these adults even send pornography and child pornography material to the decoy. As the chats get more involved the decoy will eventually find out if the adult would be interested to come to there home to visit them and engage in sexual activities and at times bring pornographic magazines, and condoms, not knowing that the house is where the show is stationed. There are police ready to arrest the criminal, and hidden cameras to catch their every move.
Technology today can be both helpful and dangerous, and in this case “To Catch a Predator” shows just how dangerous computer technology, or the Internet can be. When kids need someone to talk to some will go on to online chat rooms that allows them to send instant messages to friends or even a stranger that they don’t even know. Chat rooms give children the chance to chat online to discuss their likes, dislikes, how their day was, and other deep emotional feelings. They feel that chatting with friends can be a way of helping them with their problems if they are feeling down. But sometimes chat rooms can be an easy access for adults or older people to become in contact with younger children, which would categorize them as predators.
Cyber Crimes, which are also known as computer crimes are crimes where the technology of a computer is used. Some of the other types of crimes that are made by using a computer are hacking, phishing, computer viruses, cyber stalking, and identity theft. With the Internet being such an easy and fast way to receive and send information, crimes are now easily committed anonymously. These crimes have required lawmakers and hierarchy to look at the specific crimes that are being made in relation to the Internet in order to protect and prevent these crimes from harming the large population that is at risk.
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