Habbo caught up in child sex scandal / Habbo Mute

[jasey]

It's not about whether they're exposed to sex on other sites, they're specifically targeting Habbo because they are allowing it to happen with 13 year olds on the site, when it should not be.

they can't stop it from happening. they simply can't. this isn't borne out of a secret sulake agenda to get eleven year olds snapping their privates on camera and get in those terrible, immoral kissing booths (that shake!). it's just a product of society. look at the preteen abortion rates to get a clue as to how many young kids are doing this with or without habbo. it's everywhere and unless habbo voluntarily shuts down or just gives users pretyped messages to use instead of letting them actually type their own words it will continue forever and ever on any site that caters to teens. the furniture and the habbo way has nothing to do with it. as i have stated, the habbo romance and sex thing has been there since kids started getting the freedom to explore their sexuality on a site like this en masse.

Uhh, we have pedos on HxF? Name and shame, we need them banned.

i'll let you do the history on that one, i have enough drama as it is.

[GommeInc]

2 pedo's - think of how many more are out there.

I'm not trying to defend Habbo. I think if anything Habbo should be used as an example to create better strict rules on sites all over the internet e.g. for the club penguin site (never heard of it).

My point is instead of saying this site is bad what should we do, they should be looking at creating ways of avoiding this in the future for multiple websites.

If Habbo does close, the problem won't be gone, all the people causing the problem will just move to another site - so just focusing on Habbo alone in my opinion isn't what is needed here

It sort of is being used as an example. The Commission woman has said Habbo and other social sites need to strictly follow the guidelines and that there is a wider source of the problem: parenting, teaching, Government etc.

The problem with Habbo is that, as a business model, it simply cannot work. Children are vulnerable and Habbo is too easy to access, but in order for Habbo to work there has to be easy access because it is important in its model - it's how MMORPGs work. It's probably why it is being attacked more than other sites because it just doesn't seem to be working and Habbo clearly do not have the funds to protect their users which they are required to do so under law - the outsourcing of moderators rather than in-house moderators seem like a huge hint. The MMORPG factor of Habbo, the personas/avatars is why it is under scrutiny, because you cannot identify how old someone is until you ask and it all seems rather private. Facebook obvious has its problems, but it has so many safeguards in place that it's difficult for a child to be a victim - safeguards Habbo can never have because it contradicts its very design.

Certainly is true since without an act there is no legal ramification you can't be arrested for thinking something

Indeed. It's only a worry when physical (or intangible) evidence arises, like photos on a HDD or notes in a diary which suggest a illegal presence, though that wouldn't get you arrested - if anything you would just get looked for any mental issues.

[Storking]

they can't stop it from happening. they simply can't. this isn't borne out of a secret sulake agenda to get eleven year olds snapping their privates on camera and get in those terrible, immoral kissing booths (that shake!). it's just a product of society. look at the preteen abortion rates to get a clue as to how many young kids are doing this with or without habbo. it's everywhere and unless habbo voluntarily shuts down or just gives users pretyped messages to use instead of letting them actually type their own words it will continue forever and ever on any site that caters to teens. the furniture and the habbo way has nothing to do with it. as i have stated, the habbo romance and sex thing has been there since kids started getting the freedom to explore their sexuality on a site like this en masse.


i'll let you do the history on that one, i have enough drama as it is.

Sorry but I think you're rather deluded. It's their website and they damn well can stop the cyber sex and they will over the coming weeks.

What don't you understand that a website aimed at children as young as 13 should not be allowing sexually explicit actions? :rolleyes:

[peteyt]

You might think it's "ok" to be exposed to sexually explicit content on Habbo but the fact is children should not be exposed to this crap, they're 13 years old and they should not be allowed to have cyber sex on Habbo!

Parents let their children go on Habbo with the assumption that it's safe because Habbo has won safety awards and signed up to safety programmes, but the reality was pointed out by channel 4.

The scary thing in my opinion is that this has been going on the years. I'm a former Habbo user many years ago and it had cyber sex and other stuff then.

The question is how come it took all these people so long to realise that - which shows Habbo isn't the only one with the problem.

[Niall!]

Certainly is true since without an act there is no legal ramification you can't be arrested for thinking something

Not yet anyway, MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA

[Bob1]

they can't stop it from happening. they simply can't.

They can limit it and they used to do so quite effectively.
http://habbobob.tumblr.com/

Well! That was a fun hour... the two women they had on as experts actually spoke some sense rather than sensationalising everything. I hope Habbo doesn't close for the users but the company did kind of ask for it. They can't control what happens on other sites or messaging service but they have allowed and in some ways actively encouraged their service to be used as a middle man for teens meeting teens and thus attracted some people with bad intentions. Another report tomorrow on cyber bullying will no doubt name Habbo again, the media smell blood and I can see more investors pulling out quickly.
This article is interesting - http://techcrunch.com/2012/06/13/pat...8TechCrunch%29

[jasey]

You might think it's "ok" to be exposed to sexually explicit content on Habbo but the fact is children should not be exposed to this crap, they're 13 years old and they should not be allowed to have cyber sex on Habbo!

Parents let their children go on Habbo with the assumption that it's safe because Habbo has won safety awards and signed up to safety programmes, but the reality was pointed out by channel 4.

you are making me laugh. thirteen year olds aren't allowed to be exposed to sex or explore it and simulate it virtually in words? the biggest habbo site by user activity is the spanish hotel. guess what the legal age of consent is in the lovely nation of spain? thirteen. you can get down and dirty trying out every single position you've seen played out in film and music video alike as soon as you turn thirteen with full legal support. you sound less like someone worldly and more like my grandmother.

as for the safety thing, well, uh ... habbo is pretty safe as far as children's communities online go. very safe, actually, compared to most other popular sites with kids in total. there is absolutely nothing unsafe about two preteens having cyber with each other. the only unsafe thing here is the element of the pedophile and habbo has never condoned that. a pedophile is free to infiltrate any website out there — no one asks for your driving license when you register for a community. if habbo knows about a pedophile then they deal with it. the sad fact is habbo is such a tiny element (the first stop) on the 'grooming train' for pedophiles that habbo doesn't really see what goes on. habbo doesn't allow you to upload your cleavage shot to go beside your avatar nor does it offer webcam chat on their site. they discourage it. kids will do what they want. kids are interested. kids are curious. it is not habbo's fault. i've used this word a lot but it can't be said enough: sensationalism. sensationalism. sensationalism. ssssennnnnnsationnnallllismmmm.

[Xedia]

1) They need to hire a new CEO, Paul is useless.
2) They need to update the filter, and be more harsh.
3) They need to hire actual moderators who actually reply with actual answers.
4) They need to unmute the hotel.
5) They need to get rid of all dating, bed, and sex rooms. Especially the [DATE] category.
5) They need to stop releasing vibrating furniture, kissing booths, and the like.

[jasey]

Sorry but I think you're rather deluded. It's their website and they damn well can stop the cyber sex and they will over the coming weeks.

What don't you understand that a website aimed at children as young as 13 should not be allowing sexually explicit actions? :rolleyes:

because you can legally have sex and get as dirty as you'd like in real life with real ramifications in westernised nations. you need to read up on this, seriously, if you think that thirteen year olds are taboo from the world of sex. you're kidding me, right? this is some troll?

@Bob1, staff and moderation efforts pulled from the passionate community of users on habbo was a great thing. you are whining on your tumblr about bringing it back. do you think that's something channel four will agree to or what? do you think it's in association with this attack they are having to have the same pool of users who go to these 'sexy nitecloobs' take calls for help and help run the community? i thought it was a great thing but it had to be rid of for exactly this reason. habbo is too big of a company to give too much power to users who cannot be vetted. i appreciate your nostalgia but i am a bit lost with your tumblr. furthermore, i kind of laughed when you mentioned becs in closing your post. very loud.

[Bob1]

This might be a bit out there but I'm pretty sure there's a UK government vote about monitoring of conversations online and regulation of the internet, this kind of report from channel 4 could have far wider implications if that kind of law gains public favour