MySpace and Skype have just announced a new instant message service called MySpaceIM. This new instant messenger client will allow MySpace users to talk directly with other users. If these internet predators can successfully groom your children using just a keyboard, think of what they will be able to accomplish with direct voice communication. MySpaceIM with Skype will enable millions of users to place free internet Skype calls to other MySpace or Skype users.
The joining of MySpace and Skype will allow Internet predators to talk to your children for free. The service will use the same privacy settings that the MySpace account uses, meaning the user has a choice to talk to the person or not.
They have that choice with regular MySpace chat too. If you read the news, you would know that the privacy choice does not work very well because kids constantly are groomed through the MySpace service.
Hopefully we won’t see a news story posted here involving MySpaceIM but I have a really bad feeling about this one....

Warning after internet predator jailed
Children who use social networking websites are being warned to be on their guard, after a 26-year-old man from Musselburgh used the popular Bebo site to groom two underage girls for sex.
Bebo allows its users to create personal profiles, share photos, chat to existing and make new friends. Most of its 38 million users across the World do so legitimally, but Andrew Beatson from Musselburgh decided to groom a 14 -year-old girl for sex, sending her messages over a four month period, before enticing her here to his house in Musselburgh where they had intercourse.
That's not the worst of the story.
Police then tracked Beatson down and charged him, but whilst on bail, he again used Bebo to initiate sex with another 14 year old.
Persistent....

Internet chat led to sex with boys
A man has pleaded guilty to having sex with two teenage boys he met on an internet chat service.
James Richard Francis struck up friendships with the two victims -- aged 13 and 15 -- on MSN Messenger and then organised to meet them separately in a Bayswater car park, according to documents tendered to Melbourne Magistrates' Court.
Francis had oral sex with one boy in his car, while he took the other boy to his unit where they had oral sex, the court was told.
Francis was caught after the boy's father and uncle discovered the relationship and organised to meet him.
In documents tendered to the court, Francis told police he was held against his will and assaulted for about two hours before being taken to Croydon police station.
The boy's father and uncle caught him and assaulted him - I'm thinking he is lucky to still be alive...