Bill could increase offender info.

By Stephanie Levy, Senior Staff Writer
Sept. 7, 2007

A bill introduced to the Missouri General Assembly, if passed, would require convicted sex offenders to register their e-mail addresses, as well as other online identities, with state law enforcement agencies.

Rep. Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, proposed the bill, which is in draft form. If passed, the bill would make it easier for law enforcement officials to monitor sex offenders' activities on social network sites such as MySpace.com and Facebook.com.

Mike Lederle, a forensic investigator for the Mid-Missouri Internet Crimes Task Force, said current state law only requires convicted sex offenders to register their home and work addresses with police and to update this information once every six months. Lederle said he is in favor of the new bill, because it could help law enforcement recognize the online presence of sex offenders.

"I think it's a great idea, however, I think one of the challenges is going to be how we keep that information updated," Lederle said. "With how easy it is to get an online presence, such as through Hotmail, MSN or Yahoo!, it doesn't really require a whole lot of validation with your name and address, and it's really easy to get multiple identities."

Lederle did not see the proposed legislation as an invasion of the privacy of registered sex offenders.

"The law is made very clear on registered sex offenders," Lederle said. "If they've been convicted of a sexual offense, they don't really have an expectation of privacy when it comes to that conviction. It's public information."

MU deals with issues of Internet crimes, including sexual offenses, through the Division of Information Technology and the Office of Judicial Services.

Mizzou IT, the student wing of the Division of Information Technology, monitors student use of the MU computer network and can detect violations of UM Acceptable Use Policy regarding Internet use.

"Anything that a student does on the Mizzou network is not private," Residential Life Director Frankie Minor said. "But what (Mizzou IT) has the ability to do and what they routinely do are very different. We've got 30,000 students, faculty and staff. They're not checking everyone's e-mail."

Although the policy explicitly prohibits attempting to gain unauthorized access to the computer system or files of another and to use any university computer resources to infringe the intellectual property rights of others, issues of internet sex crimes are not listed.

But Minor said Mizzou IT and the MU Police Department were called to investigate sexual offenses on campus last year after child pornography was allegedly found on the hard drive of a student living in Cramer residence hall.

Minor said students brought the offense to the attention of MU police.

In order to protect themselves from possible internet crimes, from sexual violations to stalking, Lederle said it is important to make personal information private on the Internet.

"There's all sorts of good stuff you can do," Lederle said. "If you've got (MySpace or Facebook), and you've got your photos posted, don't open it to the public. Don't put too much personal information out there because there are people who will steal your identity, and if you put it out there it makes things much easier for them. Just be careful on how much information you put out there."

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