MySpace Hands Over Names of 90,000 Sex Offenders

HARTFORD, Conn. — MySpace today handed over the names of 90,000 registered sex offenders who had registered at the popular social networking site and been removed over the last two years.

The move came at the behest of Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who was acting on a deal made last year between MySpace and 49 states to help identify sex offenders online.

Besides following up on the deal, Blumenthal was enforcing a law called the KIDS Act, and it requires that sex offenders send their real email and instant-message information to the National Sex Offender Registry.

But despite the seemingly unassailable nature of these actions, civil rights advocates and researchers see some problems. A recent Harvard University study indicated that supposed threats to minors online was overblown.

"Minors are not equally at risk online," the report said. "Those who are most at risk often engage in risky behavior and have difficulties in other parts of their lives."

Free Speech Coalition Chairman Jeffrey Douglas has also voiced concerns about these kinds of laws because of the fluid nature of the phrase "sex offender."

"I understand how no sane person could be sympathetic with a certain kind of sex offender, but there are a wide range of sex offenders," he told XBIZ.

For example, Douglas described a case in California where an 18-year-old man drove by his old high school and clicked his teeth to flirt at some passing students. Because a "minor" is anyone under 18, flirting with those students was enough to land that man, who had just turned 18, on a sex offender list.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

CORRECTION: Pornhub to Remain Live in Ohio, Despite AV Law

Pornhub parent company Aylo will not block access to its websites in Ohio, despite new state age verification rules that came into effect Sept. 30.

Pineapple Support, Pornhub to Host 'ADHD-Friendly' Support Group

Pineapple Support and Pornhub are hosting a free online support group for performers with ADHD.

Judge Dismisses Some Claims in 'Children of Pornhub' Trafficking Suit

A United States district judge on Friday dismissed some but not all claims against Aylo in a long-running case involving CSAM allegations featured in the influential 2020 New York Times article “The Children of Pornhub.”

Pornhub Shuts Down Access in Ohio Over Age Verification

Aylo began geoblocking Pornhub across the state of Ohio on Tuesday, as the state’s age verification law goes into effect.

FSC Sets Key Dates, Qualifiers for December Board of Directors Election

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) today announced key dates and qualifiers for its upcoming Board of Directors election.

RedGIFs Launches New 'Studio' Creator Platform

RedGIFs has launched its new Studio creator platform.

Arcom to Expand AV Enforcement to Smaller Adult Sites

The president of French media regulator Arcom revealed on Thursday that the agency plans to escalate its enforcement of age verification rules to include smaller adult sites, starting in late 2025 or early 2026.

AEBN Publishes Report on MILF, Cougar Trends

AEBN has published a report on MILF and Cougar categories from its straight theaters.

Pornhub to Shut Down Access in Arizona Over Age Verification

Aylo will geoblock Pornhub across Arizona starting Sept. 26, when the state’s age verification law, HB 2112, goes into effect.

Flirtback Embraces Crypto With Zcash Payments

Creator platform Flirtback has launched its Zcash (ZEC) crypto payment solution.

Show More