Kids’ photos being stolen for online role-playing fantasies: cops

The news station reports these fake adoptions occur with the use of photos found on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook. It is commonplace for parents to post photographs of their kids and that gives these strangers, in most cases, easy access to the pictures.

Beside the creepy role play, a detective told the station that these interactions, which are sometimes called ‘adoptions,’ can turn sexual and even violent.

“There’s so many things out there that, to a lot of us normal people, just turn our stomachs,” Mike Harris, the detective from Jefferson County, told the station. “But there is a world of fantasy out there that people utilize.”

KID'S PHOTOS BEING STOLEN FOR ON-LINE ROLE PLAYING FANTASIES: COPS

Pedophile Alert!

These disgusting and depraved deviants are now using images of real children in their sick fantasies. And, due to their psychoses, the next step would be finding, stalking and possibly kidnapping these poor kids.

a reply to: MKMoniker

I remember my brother getting mad at our mother for posting photos of my nieces(his daughters) on her Facebook page. The photos were innocent enough, but after reading stories like this, I understand his anger. The world is a sick sick place, and it's our job to save our children as much as we can.

TLDR Version: Don't post photos of your children online.

This sort of things been going on for years, its more common in the adult dating sites where they buy blocks of peoples details and obviously they need nice looking people to entice customers to sign up and hand over their money but like anything once your photo is on the web thats it especially if its someone in another country using it as it may be fair use under their laws

a reply to: PsychoEmperor

Sad, but true! Parents should stop posting their kids' photos on social media. (Even the British Royals have stopped posting so many photos of little George, after a man was stalking him by taking numerous photos of the little boy in a London park.)

I'm not even sure if setting up a Private Network would be helpful, after reading about NSA's latest hijinks:

www.reuters.com...
KASPERSKY WARNS OF NSA SPYING-MALWARE IN COMPUTER FIRMWARE
(There was an ATS discussion on this minutes ago, but now I can't find it.)

But if you DO want to explore setting up a Private Network, here are the instructions:

www.wikihow.com...
HOW TO SET UP A PRIVATE NETWORK

When posting images...be it your children or a scenic view; always remember to read the T&C of the site you are posting to. Some sites claim rights to your photo; even if they had no hand in producing it. This site (ATS) is no exception.

YOU POST IT, THEY OWN IT.

It sucks, but it is an ugly truth.

Disgusting, and I'm not blaming you for this OP as you're following the rules and posting the headline as it is originally - but at first I thought the cops were doing this (probably are for sting ops sadly). But it's not what the article's about, I know what they mean but wonder if they worded it that way to incite outrage if no one reads further, which a lot don't.

Just stupid. Why does anyone care? Role playing = fake. Use sponge bob, Obama who cares. Dunbazzes post a public pic it is public use. Sexual or violent? For who's imagination? No child or sponge bob hurt. People just need to back off and stop crying about everything under the sun before we have no rights left. Not that i have ever been apart or seen these sites. But as far as i can see, no harm done. I ask who is being harmed and how? People seen a picture of me with cloths on that was open to the public on the net then changed into something else not real. So they copied and pasted a head? Who the hell cares it is not real. So now people that have not broken any laws are guilty for fantasies, not any harm or criminal activity. I wish people would stop making new laws. Crying about what their neighbor does and mind their own business as long as no harm is done, no crime has happened. People morph pictures of other people, cartoons, religious leaders, celebrities, and political leaders all the time this is nothing new.

a reply to: MKMoniker

I've been saying it for years that nothing you post online is private. What pains me along with this is young women posting half naked or fully naked pictures of themselves, effectively making their own privacy null but yet not realizing 99% of people have access to it.

a reply to: AgentSmith

Thanks for your post, and I know what you are saying. I frequently reword headlines in other article I link to for ATS.

It's like the lamestream media is deathly afraid of having a sense of "morality," or daring to hint at the Evil taking place. Pointing out Evil practices (like pedophilia) used to be what journalists were supposed to do!

I guess the Agendas are pushing "sexual fantasies" now, after an S&M club was allowed to operate at Harvard, and all the press and box office for "30 Shades of Grey".

Put me down for "Reality with a Stiff Does of Morality"!

More fear-mongering to get the stupid people to accept more net restrictions. Expect more of this nonsense and even wilder made up claims, so that they can ram their new internet up your backsides.

a reply to: threeeyesopen

Thanks for your post, and I agree.

There are young people out there who can be denied enrollment in the better colleges and universities, based on what the school recruiters find on-line:

www.nytimes.com...
(2013) THEY LOVED YOUR G.P.A. - UNTIL THEY SAW YOUR "TWEETS"

www.teachhub.com...
10 THINGS YOUR STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THEIR "DIGITAL FOOTPRINTS"

www.huffingtonpost.com...
COLLEGES HELP STUDENTS SCRUB THEIR ON-LINE FOOTPRINTS

Social media is an amazing platform for sharing so much information, especially photos and videos with loved ones over a vast distance. Its really sad the we have to worry about these photos etc. to be used for anything other than their original intention. the depravity of some people never ceases to shock me. Their determination to do something inherently evil so carelessly is disturbing.

a reply to: celtmason26

Very nice post. Thank you.

And I do so agree! And all this focus now on "fantasies" that intersect with reality - and unwilling others - can be very dangerous.

There will probably be laws someday soon, making it illegal to live-out "fantasies" with children or unknowing/unwilling other "live" people. (If people want their porn and S&M with like-minded other adults, no problem. But leave the kids alone!)

a reply to: MKMoniker

Reminds me of the "primitive" tribespeople who believe photographs "steal the soul."

Always suspected they were right.

This is disgusting!