UK Propose Registering Screen Names with Police

Oxygen99 writes "In a series of kneejerk suggestions following this online rape plot, the UK Home Secretary, Dr John Reid has suggested that offenders on the Sex Offenders Register should register their online identities with the police. According to a home office spokesman this means that offenders, 'online identities would be treated in exactly the same way as their real name'. So, just how misguided is this and who's going to be the first to tell him?"

John Reid = Plonker

[SkunkPussy]

John Reid is a bloody idiot, and he is subordinate to the tabloids. He pumps out hair-brained schemes like this, that are frankly embarassing.

We need to find a way to stop politicians (and tabloids) interfering with this country, because in general the UK functions very well without their accursed meddling!

Re:actually...

[nickname225]

I am an attorney and I work in the law enforcement area. The value of a law like this is not actually to track the offenders. It's real value is to use as an additional charge once a violator has been caught. It keep the real habitual offenders in jail longer and makes plea bargaining result in longer terms. I'm not saying it's a good plan - just that the fact that offenders won't register is not really a flaw in the plan.

Debunked

[Anonymous Coward]

Thoroughly debunked (even shows why it's bad) at http://nsona.blogspot.com/ [blogspot.com] (No Sex Offenders Need Apply).

Re:Hmm, ok.

[wodon]

So who is going to be the first person to explain how free email web sites such as yahoo, hotmail, etc and new screen names can be gotten anonymously (for the most part) and can change daily, hourly or however fast you want to fill out the forms?

That is a good point, and the first thing I thought when I heard this on the radio this morning too.
What it doesn't say is that they plan to make it compulsory for sex offenders to register any email addresses they use in the same way they must register street addresses and aliases. That way they can be charged with using a new email address even if they aren't caught doing sex offendery things.

The idea is ok, just terribly thought through. how can they police it? Especially as at present they don't have the regular address and alias details for a large portion of the sex offenders register. How about they start by working out where they all live!

I am all for protecting the public, but let's not go spending millions of public pounds because the Daily Mail has another hissy fit.

Re:Trusting...

[vertinox]

But it turns out that it only applies to people on the Sex Offenders Register, which isn't quite as bad. There's some precedent for "you break the law once, you sacrifice some of your rights".

Are you aware that in US that you can be labeled by the sex offender by urinating in public (aka peeing in back alley) or an 18 year having sex with a 17 year old. Note the term sex offender does not expire and that 18 year old will be consider a sex offender at age 40 even if he married his 17 year old sweet heart and had a healthy marriage of 20 odd some years.

So yeah... Rapists should have this tag on them, but the term sex offender is so vague and so inclusive that I'd bet the majority of citizens in the state actually have committed some crime which could label them as so. Mostly the urinating in public or in the woods or side of the road for guys.

Re:good idea

[Dog-Cow]

As little as 200 years ago, sex between young teenagers was perfectly normal. Sex between 18+ year old men and girls as young as 13 and 14 was perfectly acceptable. The age of 16/18 that is used for statutory rape is completely arbitrary, contradicts normal human developmental behavior, and could change at any time. Non-consensual sex should be the only legal definition of rape. Statutory rape is a contradiction in terms and a legal fiction used to punish people for being human.

How it could work

[BugDoomBug]

Okay, after reading most of the posts I think almost everyone is missing the obvious.

If you are a registered sex offender here is a logical flow that would work

1. Welcome to MySexOffender, please log-in
2. Thank you for logging in child molester, you are currently registered on the following sites and services with the following names (Slashdot, MySpace, Yahoo, MSN, etc etc etc with some multiple entries and different userids at all of them)
3. You have selected to add a new entry, please enter the URL or information on the site or service and your user name
4. (enters www.somesite.com and RegisteredPredator1234 userid)
5. Thank you for updating your information. You are now cleared to use this service. Remember, any time you register for a new online site or service you must immediately register with MySexOffender and failure to do so is a violation of (blah blah legalese)

Now, yes they can just get a userid and not register it, but if they don't and later that userid is correctly associated with the individual then they can be arrested and charged under the law this falls under. Same type of thing for parole violations, failing to update addresses, etc. Scott free until caught, but once caught no excuse will get you out of it.