visualkei Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 Has anyone watched NBC's Dateline show where they set up traps for internet predators? In case you haven't ,here's a brief: There's an organized group of adults posing as teenage girls online (ages ranging from 13-14). They chat to older men who arrange meetings with the 'girls' at their homes. When the predator arrives, he sees a young girl wave him into the house. When he comes into the kitchen, he's confronted by the host of the show who interrogates him and reads from their chat logs. When the man leaves the house, cops are waiting to arrest him. I watched this show for the first time last night, and man, seeing those men realize they're caught on national television for child molestation charges was excruciating. Now I don't feel sorry for them, more like embarassed for them. It was so embarassing watching some of them cry or beg on tv. But, they were really out to get these girls. I mean, just listening to some of the graphic chat logs and seeing the stuff they brought to the girl's home.... One of them even mentioned he was afraid of NBC's Dateline catching him, but he still risked it anyway. If you've watched it, tell me what you think. Do you think these guys deserve to be caught on national television? Or did they get what they deserved? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegeta rocker Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 Damn right they deserve to be caught on national television! Child predators are sick people and Dateline is making the world a safer place in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japan Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 [COLOR=DarkRed]Yeah I guess this a good show to set an example for dumb girls whom are too naive to watch for the danger signs. I've met several online people, and they are cool. I am not dumb to start talking to a complete stranger and decide to meet them the next weekand....or alone.[/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzureWolf Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 [COLOR=maroon]Oh snap! They caught me! Did you see that? I was the one crying out for BoA. What? She's 20? Yess, thank God Asians look so young! If you like Asians, you can be a legal pedophile! Wooo[/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavin Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 [quote name='visualkei']If you've watched it, tell me what you think. Do you think these guys deserve to be caught on national television? Or did they get what they deserved?[/quote] [SIZE=1]If by deserved you mean humiliated on national and international television for their crimes then no, I don't think they got what they deserved. Regardless of a person's crime, justice has not yet become another form of media entertainment, and this idea of "name and shame" justice doesn't sit well in my books. I'm not saying the guys didn't deserve to be caught, internet predators are among the lowest pond scum of the world, but justice would have been better served if the guy opened the door to come face to face with a big cop and a pair of handcuffs and not some presenter and a camera. I mean while these guys are sick, the case might not hold up well in court because they were actually not being inappropriate with a minor, as none of the people involved were under the age of consent. So it's possible, through legal loopholes and a decent lawyer, some of these guys could walk free more wary and paranoid than before, and easily more dangerous. Call me a cynic, but I prefer police work to be left to the professionals.[/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Semjaza Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 I think it's interesting and it's definitely good to call more attention to stuff like this... but at the same time, the show itself is overly sensationalized, in my opinion. Also, at the rate they're going, they show this "special" so often that it might as well just be another show altogether. I don't even know why they bother keeping it part of Dateline at this point. How many have they done already? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ani Mae Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 I agree that they deserved to be caught on national television. Maybe after being noticed by millions of people they'll change their ways. Or maybe it won't. What does this have to do with anime anyway? :catgirl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Am Manga Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 Well, These guys are sick. Using the internet to seduce ignorant innocent people, it's wrong, and is a threat that not enough people are aware of. I belive that they should be given a just punishment, and that it was good to have got them on national television, which reveals th gravity of this situation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ri0t Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 [color=maroon]This kind of stuff really gets me off. Pathetic excuses for investigative reporting are better than porn.[/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted September 24, 2006 Share Posted September 24, 2006 [QUOTE=vegeta rocker]Damn right they deserve to be caught on national television! Child predators are sick people and Dateline is making the world a safer place in my opinion.[/QUOTE] [SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]I agree, anyone who would try to do something like what these people are doing, deserves to be caught and shown on national television. I swear, this world gets worse every time I watch the news.[/COLOR][/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eleanor Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 [color=dimgray]Everyone who's saying they deserve to be caught on national television should just get over themselves. It's people like you who make cases like Terri Schiavo get plastered all over the media, resulting in idiotic back-and-forths and wasted time in Congress. If you're that freakin' concerned about it, do something about it yourself. Jesus.[/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I Am Manga Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 I kinda agree, besides, talk is cheap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retribution Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 [QUOTE=Lunox][color=dimgray]Everyone who's saying they deserve to be caught on national television should just get over themselves. It's people like you who make cases like Terri Schiavo get plastered all over the media, resulting in idiotic back-and-forths and wasted time in Congress. If you're that freakin' concerned about it, do something about it yourself. Jesus.[/color][/QUOTE] [size=1]Oh, c'mon. It's all in good fun! The utter shock and bewilderment on their faces when they don't find a young girl to rape, only national humiliation [i]and then[/i] arrest. Hilarious. And Gavin, I highly doubt that these guys would be acquitted with all the incriminating evidence stacked against them. Chat logs (and I'm assuming tracing their screen name to their computer), them coming to "meet up" with these girls, etc. I vaguely remember seeing female cops pose as prostitutes, and when guys asked to have sex with them, she said "Alright, meet me behind that building." Behind that building, they were arrested. I'm not sure if they were found guilty, but I'm assuming they were, even though they didn't technically do anything wrong. *shrug*[/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegeta rocker Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 As for getting over myself i really don't see the big deal. Its not like im opting for public execution; besides i think the show really does raise awareness about the entire issue. Most online predators gain their advantage through trust; small talk then getting moving up from there. Maybe if they see some reality it will help them think twice. As for Terry Schiavo being plastered all over the media, Congress needs to get over themselves. I think this article says what i think. [URL=http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/61134/prolife_really.html]here[/URL] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavin Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 [quote name='Retribution][size=1']And Gavin, I highly doubt that these guys would be acquitted with all the incriminating evidence stacked against them. Chat logs (and I'm assuming tracing their screen name to their computer), them coming to "meet up" with these girls, etc.[/size][/quote] [SIZE=1]I'm not doubting the evidence Alex, what I'm saying is that because this was not a solely police conducted operation, there is a chance a skilled enough lawyer could argue that his client the pervert would be unable to get a fair trial because of non-judicial interference, leading to a potential mistrial. I'm not rooting for the perp, just saying it'd be better this was not a media driven thing.[/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retribution Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 [quote name='Gavin][SIZE=1']I'm not doubting the evidence Alex, what I'm saying is that because this was not a solely police conducted operation, there is a chance a skilled enough lawyer could argue that his client the pervert would be unable to get a fair trial because of non-judicial interference, leading to a potential mistrial. I'm not rooting for the perp, just saying it'd be better this was not a media driven thing.[/SIZE][/quote] [size=1]Ah, I gotcha. However, I don't think that the presence of a camera and interviewer at the bust would jeopardize a trial. The evidence wasn't aquired under pressure from the camera -- all that would be prior to the bust. Any confession they make wouldn't be able to be used, sure, but that doesn't mean there'll be a mistrial. Besides, it makes great TV.[/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaryanna_Mom Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 I haven?t watched the show, but I can certainly see why people would actually watch it. People who prey on young teenagers or any young child are sick and I can imagine that it must be very satisfying to see some of them being arrested for it. Every predator taken off the streets is one less that I have to worry about. I don?t know if it?s necessary to embarrass them on national TV, but I have no objection to them being caught. I find it hard to feel sorry for them when they know what they are doing is against the law. If they weren?t trying to molest children in the first place they wouldn?t even be caught. It?s interesting that many will cry about entrapment, never mind the fact that many of them are planning on entrapping the child in question and doing as they please with them. Very hypocritical if you ask me. On the predators part that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Up4anime Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 I never watched it but my sister was telling me about it.From what ive heard I do think they desrve it.If they were bold enough to do the crime then they should have prepared for the consequences if it's open for the world to see or not they deserve it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morpheus Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 We need more of this. It would be an amazingly powerful deterent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaryanna Posted September 30, 2006 Share Posted September 30, 2006 [COLOR=DarkOrchid][quote name='Aaryanna_Mom']If they weren?t trying to molest children in the first place they wouldn?t even be caught. It?s interesting that many will cry about entrapment, never mind the fact that many of them are planning on entrapping the child in question and doing as they please with them. Very hypocritical if you ask me. On the predators part that is.[/quote]I agree, seems to me that they got what they deserved. If they didn?t want to be humiliated then they shouldn?t have been preying on children and teenagers in the first place. They knew what they were doing was wrong. I?m just glad that it was a TV program and cops that they met instead of some unsuspecting kid. People who do that are losers. [/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunfallE Posted October 1, 2006 Share Posted October 1, 2006 [COLOR=RoyalBlue][quote name='visualkei]I watched this show for the first time last night, and man, seeing those men realize they're caught on national television for child molestation charges was excruciating. Now I don't feel sorry for them, more like embarassed for them. It was so embarassing watching some of them cry or beg on tv. But, they were really out to get these girls. I mean, just listening to some of the graphic chat logs and seeing the stuff they brought to the girl's home.... One of them even mentioned he was afraid of NBC's Dateline catching him, but he still risked it anyway.[/QUOTE]I can?t say that I feel embarrassed for them, after all just think about how horrible it would have been for the minors once they realized that they were in the hands of a predator. There?s no telling what they had in mind for them. I would think that for those who are attacked, it?s a far worse experience than simply being humiliated on national TV. It?s poetic justice if you ask me.[QUOTE=visualkei']If you've watched it, tell me what you think. Do you think these guys deserve to be caught on national television? Or did they get what they deserved?[/quote]I haven?t watched it but it?s easy to tell you what I think. If they weren?t so stupid to be preying on minors in the first place they wouldn?t get caught and they wouldn?t be humiliated on national TV. I would imagine that most of the evidence against them is in how they solicited a minor online and even with the television broadcast they would still get in trouble. Usually once they actually go to meet the kid it?s enough that they get busted whether or not it?s aired on TV. It?s rather ironic if you think about it. In the end it?s a self inflicted problem brought on by the predator?s foolish behavior in attempting to take advantage of a minor. I don?t feel sorry for them at all. [/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eleanor Posted October 1, 2006 Share Posted October 1, 2006 [color=dimgray]I can't help but think that the minors these guys would be preying on are just as stupid, if not stupider. Let's make a show where we pretend to be pedophiles and then nationally humiliate the dumb tweens who agree to meet them! Do you see what I'm trying to say?[/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retribution Posted October 1, 2006 Share Posted October 1, 2006 [QUOTE=Lunox][color=dimgray]I can't help but think that the minors these guys would be preying on are just as stupid, if not stupider. Let's make a show where we pretend to be pedophiles and then nationally humiliate the dumb tweens who agree to meet them! Do you see what I'm trying to say?[/color][/QUOTE] [size=1]...No. One is naivety and stupidity, and one is calculated maliciousness. One is sad, and the other disgusting. Not the same case at all.[/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domon Posted October 1, 2006 Share Posted October 1, 2006 [SIZE=1]Okay, basically I have nothing [B]but[/B] basic channels. So I have NBC, PBS, CBS, FOX, and ABC. I've seen this running thing that NBC has done many many many times over. Its kind of getting annoying. I mean yes they are alerting the masses to what's going on but does it always have to be on the basic channels? Frankly I'm just sick of that timeslot getting hogged up by oh look how many offenders we caught. Now I'm not getting angry with the police or the groups that stop these sickos. I'm just sick of the news always airing. Find something else to report on.[/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eleanor Posted October 1, 2006 Share Posted October 1, 2006 [QUOTE=Retribution][size=1]...No. One is naivety and stupidity, and one is calculated maliciousness. One is sad, and the other disgusting. Not the same case at all.[/size][/QUOTE] [color=dimgray] I'm saying just because you do something bad doesn't mean you deserve national humiliation. All of this is fueled by the media- it's a way to get more viewers by touching on a 'taboo' subject. Why aren't there shows on major networks about nationally humiliating corrupt Congressmen? Because it's a boring topic. America is obsessed with sex, even if it's pedophilism. It's why Law & Order: SVU gets better ratings than it's sisters. And seriously, catching someone doing something illegal and then shoving it in their face on national television isn't deserved. A lot of pedophiles need help, not to be degraded. Obviously I don't really mean we should make a show where we pretend to be online predators. [/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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