About Discussions Encouraging People to Provide Real Pictures or other Personal Info

I usually don't encourage (and generally delete) discussions requesting people to "reveal" their "real" selves in any way. Please don't do this on this site. It's often a prelude to Grooming (trying to get close to someone so you can arrange to meet). Now, I know most of you don't mean to appear this way, but this site is too large and these forums too busy for us to investigate everyone.

These sorts of discussions are just not safe on a site with folks as young as 12 on it. Basically, this is what I call the "Reverse Milk Carton". Have you seen me? And there is a picture with their last known location, city and state, and some other basic statistics (height, weight, parent info)... Much of this sort of identifying info is also shared or posted by a lot of folks share on here.

So... if they can successfully find lost kids from plastering their face on milk cartons.... what makes you think some PERVERT couldn't use your face and some of the info you have plastered on your profile page to find YOU? And folks, PLEASE don't give out your phone numbers and even be careful with your email address (esp if it is the one connected to your ISP)...for under $20 (US) a person can use them to find where you live right down to the address.

Folks--PLEASE PLEASE be careful. If you are going to advertise your beautiful faces, please do NOT share your stats online. Your face, your city and state and one little slip... a mention of which school you attend or a unique place visited in your town is enough to encourage some sick people to look for you.

The following is from a few articles about this that I found:

The Kidsearch Network believes that Immediate Response by an experienced search team is necessary. because, 1) there is typically over a two hour delay in making the initial missing child report (60%), and 2) the vast majority (74%) of the abducted children who are murdered are dead within three hours of the abduction. (Source: Attorney General of the State of Washington, who did a study of cases reported to law enforcement in 1997)

There are estimated to be about 100 cases per year in the US where a child is abducted and murdered. The victims of these cases are "average" children, leading normal lives, and living with normal families, typical low-risk victims. The vast majority of them are girls (76%), with the average age being slightly over 11 years of age. In 80% of cases, the initial contact between the victim and killer is within 1/4 mile of the victim's residence.

Over half (57%) of these child abduction murders are committed by a killer who is a stranger to the victim. Family involvement in this type of case is infrequent (9%). However, the relationship between the victim and the killer varies with the gender and age of the victim. The youngest females, 1-5 years old, tend to be killed by friends or acquaintances (64%), while the oldest females, 16-17 years old, tend to be killed by strangers (also 64%). The relationship between the killer and victim is different for the male victims. The youngest male victims (1-5 years old) are most likely to be killed by strangers (also 64%), as are the teenage males (13-15 years old, 60% and 16-17 years old, 58%).

The average age of killers of abducted children is around 27 years old. They are predominantly unmarried (85%) and half of them (51%) either live alone (17%) or with their parents (34%). Half of them are unemployed, and those that are employed work in unskilled or semi-skilled labor occupations. Therefore, the killers can generally be characterized as "social marginals."

http://www.kidsearchnetwork.org/research-statistics.html

Children Aged 11 to 14 Face Growing Risk of Internet Abductions - Almost 800 Cases Reported in North America in 1998

http://www.symantec.com/region/can/eng/press/2000/n000202.html