MYSPACE GIVES UP PERP DATA (Social network Web site offers sex offender information to law enforcement officials in effort to curb predators from preying on victims)

MySpace.com will provide data on registered sex offenders it has identified and removed from the popular social networking Web site to several states.  MySpace has deleted 7,000 pervy profiles.  MySpace has agreed to turn over the information after pressure from several state attorneys general, including New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.  Laura Ahearn, of the child advocacy group Parents for Megan's law, in Stony Brook, also hopes the action encourages other social networking Web site to use similar technologies and work together with law enforcement agencies to start providing safeguards for their underage users.  Sexual predators are always a step ahead of our laws, she said.  her group estimates that 20 percent of minors using the Internet receive a sexual solicitation, and one in four get unwanted explicit pictures.  Less than 10 percent of the underage victims report incidents.  Nationally, U.S. Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and John McCain (R-Arizona) are leading an effort to require sex offenders to register their e-mail addresses with parole and probation officers.

(New York)