Teens Arrested After Posting Incriminating Video To MySpace

from the that-person-on-your-top-eight-is-a-cop dept

Once again, MySpace proves to be a friend of law and order. Two teenagers have been arrested after posting a video of themselves firebombing an abandoned airplane hanger to the site. It seems that while many fear the site could be a haven for criminals and predators, it’s proving to be a place where scofflaws publicly expose their misdeeds. In fact, this could be the fulfillment of Jay Walker’s vision for an online neighborhood watch. It’s not clear if anyone thinks their pages are actually private. Surely they realize how easy it is to sign up and look at other people’s profiles. Then again, if you’re looking for yet another data point to explain why MySpace has lapped the field in the social networking space, it may have something to do with the perception that it is a private clubhouse that outsiders wouldn’t get, or don’t know about. Again, we can’t help but wonder what happens when the MySpace generation runs for office.


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Comments on “Teens Arrested After Posting Incriminating Video To MySpace”

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40 Comments
dani says:

Surely the terrorists have a “social networking” site! They like to brag about as much as teenage boys don’t they?

Cops monitoring sites like MySpace for criminal behavior in teens is a good idea, and even though some will be smart enough to keep their mouths shut, there will always be those who have to brag…it’s SO cool to be bad.

ehrichweiss says:

Re: Cops and MySpace

Funny you should mention cops monitoring myspace. Here in Lexington, Kentucky we had a bunch of officers get brought up on disciplinary action for posting stuff on their myspace page that “reflected badly on the police force”. One of the officers made fun of mentally retarded people, another said he “protects the snobby people of Lexington” and another, who had arrested country singer John Michael Montgomery for DUI charges had posted a photoshopped image of the singer hanging out with the officer at a bar. Needless to say Internal Affairs didn’t take too kindly to that.

Bob says:

Social Network

MySpace is a social network. Whether it’s cool or lame, for old or young, for better or for worse, it’s still a network designed for people to communicate. In my (offline) personal circle of friends I still have to watch what I say; I should not mention anything I would not want a lot of others knowing, whether it be playing hooky from work (lest my boss find out) or if I’m sleeping around, etc. It’s common sense. MySpace as haven for miscreants? It’s no more a haven than the Internet as a whole. The fact that pyromaniacal kids posted a vid there versus on a personal site that gets crawled by Google or on You Tube is a moot point. If authorities want to scour the Web for all kinds of videos depicting law violations, they should broaden the scope of thier search and check ALL sources of online video.

But where does the policing start and stop? Let’s say there’s a video of some folks partying in someone’s living room. Let’s say the attendees span ages from 19 to 25 but age is not readily apparent. And let’s say that all are drinking. Will they be investigated? What if someone on camera jokes with a 20-yr-old and says, “Hey, you’re under 21!” Will there then be an investigation? What if someone in the background can be seen smoking out of a pipe that looks to be a pot pipe? Will the non-violent offender be investigated? Hmm. I see lots of profile pics on MySpace showing people with pot pipes, even with captions like “stoned again” or the like. Should they be arrested?

anonymous coward says:

MySpace – Where teen girls trade sexual favors for drugs, alcohol, or gifts from adult men! Cool slogan!

I had a blast until I got bored with teaching young girls to give head. Then I found that the MILFs on MySpace are even more desperate than the teens! They take in the ass and thank you for the attention!

With that said, I completely understand that getting laid from MySpace is like winning a gold medal in the special olympics.

Daniel says:

Look in the mirror

Why are we pointing the fingers as if it’s there fault. Why not take a look at the current state of things… the parents of RIGHT NOW raising the “MySpace” generation”!!

“Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society.”

Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790)

ClizBiz (user link) says:

WSpace

Perhaps MySpace will come to be a form of social Darwinism and naturally weed out true idiots from ever climbing past the first rung. Here in Corporate America, every new job applicant’s name is put into MySpace and already, we’ve learned a bit more about this generation than we ever wanted to know.

I only wish MySpace could’ve been around back when Dubya was snorting his brains away and marinating his already-blackened soul in beer and whiskey. Photos like that could’ve really saved us a lot of wasted time, money and lives.

Tyson says:

What is the MySpace Generation?

So what is the age range for the “MySpace” generation? Just curious to see if I fall into that generation or not… I sure hope not…

Anyways, I personally didn’t have a myspace account until recently because I thought it was stupid…. Well, I have one now (at the request of some friends) and guess what…. I was right, it is horribly stupid. When I signed up someone told me “Welcome to my new addication”. If posting as much personal information as you can onto a website where everybody can see it can be called an addiction. A quick Google search could completely ruin some people’s chances in a job interview. I have found that people on there (no matter what the age on their profile may say) have the maturity of 6 year olds and the worst taste of web design that I think I have ever seen. Whoever is creating those horrid mySpace layouts need to be shot!

Christina Marie (user link) says:

Stop your bitching

From what I understand, Myspace was developed for a social outlet, more so for bands? In any case, it has worked, all kinds of celebrities are online there. From there it has turned into a world social outlet, for lost friends, for new friends, evidently even for an online black book for some (comment above). You can set your page to private. You can choose who can view it or even ask to be added to your friends list. As any tool, if used properly it is very effective and can be a good experience. You can not blame a tool, you have to blame the person using it. Otherwise you might as well ban socialism and set a curfew. No one allowed to hang out and express themselves because it just leads to violence! Oh lord. It’s time people start looking inside themselves with open eyes. And stop looking at what people tell them to look at.

Spitz says:

It Isn't Good Thing

I can’t believe the dirt that you people are saying. For one myspace is a sick and evil thing that I will never be a part of and as a Christian I am glad that God has given me the wisdom to actually know how stupid it really is. Oh sure you may think it is fun, but why risk yourself? Seriously it is wrong. So don’t mess with that kind of stuff. It makes me really sad that so many teens are so oblivious, and I am also a teen and yet I can see that it is terrible. So I hope everyone who reads this will really think about it and hopefully you’ll stop. Because it isn’t worth getting killed over, or any of that other sick stuff.

8=====D says:

Re: It Isn't Good Thing

Thats cool, god always divinely intervenes when I post blogs and everyone knows Jesus hates technology…but you have to admit, he could have used google earth when he was running from those Jews haha
but really, who cares about who uses myspace and the nature of it all?? You shouldnt blame it because society is so morally bankrupt and aimless to know how to use it. Let the animals feed off themselves is what I say..

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