Do You Google Those You Meet Online?

Nearly two-thirds of daters use Facebook, Google and LinkedIn to scope out potential matches.

Online dating may no longer be taboo, but there's still the nagging question of safety associated with meeting someone over the internet.

Sure, some dating websites may begin screening their users, but in the land of "I'm-a-20-something-who-can't-pay-for-a-membership-or-for-your-fancy-background-checks" there's another alternative: total internet recon.

Yes, Google searching and Facebook stalking is good for more than just tracking the news on your former flames. In fact, the folks at JDate conducted a poll of their members to find out just how they gather information before meeting their online-interest in person.

Of the nearly 500 users surveyed, a whopping 59 percent of them use a combination of Facebook, Google and LinkedIn for investigative purposes. This makes a lot of sense—scan some photos, look for red flags in your search results and make sure your date has been honest about their work history. (note: if you find NOTHING - be suspicious. Better yet, don't meet people online.)

Some still stick to one platform—27 percent use Facebook only, 13 percent use Google only—but some searching is done nonetheless.

Now, the concept of "online stalking" is nothing new, but I must convey some words of caution for all of you research-crazy daters out there. Yes, knowledge is power, but don't spoil all of the mystery. Try and limit your pre-date investigation to a few basic questions. Ask yourself: Will I feel safe? Is this person an axe murderer? Is he going to dress like Marty McFly? Once you've squared all of that away, leave some room for on-the-date discovery. (and only meet in public the first few times)


(This would only work if the 'date' was using their REAL name and REAL location/ job - EOPC)

original article here

Bill Targets Cyber-Impersonation

by Alejandro Martínez-Cabrera

Two months ago, a San Jose Mercury News reporter received a profanity-laced e-mail critical of one of her stories. More than a year before, a similar e-mail was sent to a long mailing list of hundreds of Silicon Valley industry, labor, political and community leaders.

The sender of the e-mails appeared to be Carl Guardino, the chief executive of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, which represents the high-tech industry. The problem: He didn't actually send it.

"This absolutely misrepresented me in a very harmful way," he said. "It was completely out of character and it depicted me in a very bad light."

Guardino was the victim of online impersonation, and he soon found out he wasn't alone - friends, colleagues and relatives had stories of usurped identities and tarnished reputations. Unfortunately for them, the state law on impersonation was written in 1872 and is not equipped to deal with the digital age.

But a bill making its way through the Legislature is looking to change that. Inspired by Guardino's story, state Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, introduced a bill in June that would make it a misdemeanor to maliciously impersonate someone.

If Simitian's bill passes, online impersonations with the purpose "of harming, intimidating, threatening or defrauding" would be punishable with a maximum fine of $1,000 and one year in jail.

But while supporters believe the law urgently needs to be updated to punish and deter malicious impersonators, privacy advocates worry that such legislation might easily cross the line and threaten people's First Amendment rights.
Political commentary

Simitian said his bill is not going after those who create fake Barack Obama Facebook profiles for political commentary, or the likes of Fake Steve Jobs, Newsweek writer Daniel Lyons who poses as Apple's chief executive in his satirical blog.

Instead, the bill is meant to deal with miscreants whose impersonations range from the naughty to the outright sinister.

In recent years, impersonators have tweeted under the names of Maya Angelou, Kanye West and St. Louis Cardinals' manager Tony La Russa, to name a few. Revenge-seekers and pranksters have embarrassed their victims in front of potential employers and created smears that are difficult to remove from the Web. Students have posed as teachers to harass other kids.

In one case in December, a Wyoming woman was raped in her home by a man responding to a Craigslist ad looking for "a real aggressive man with no concern for women" to fulfill a rape fantasy. However, she didn't post the ad - it had been her disgruntled ex-boyfriend, a Marine stationed in California who was posing as her. Similar stories abound, online abuse experts said.

'No recourse'
The Internet "makes it so easy for stalkers and harassers to ruin somebody's life with a few keystrokes, and there's little to no recourse for victims to try and undo the damage," said Jayne Hitchcock, president of the volunteer organization Work to Halt Online Abuse, who was a victim of cyberstalking.

No one seems to know how widespread the problem is, but Hitchcock said she has noted more complaints about MySpace, Twitter, Facebook and e-mail impersonations.

"I probably see it more often than I'd like to through our organization," she said.

But when it comes to addressing the problem, not everybody is convinced Simitian's approach is the best. Corynne McSherry, a staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said the scope of Simitian's bill was defined too loosely and could have a negative effect on freedom of speech. For one, she said, the definition of harm needs to be narrowed.

"Harm is a pretty broad term. That could just mean that you undermined a politician's reputation. I'm concerned that the nature of 'harm' is too vaguely defined," she said.

McSherry also expressed concern that the bill would not protect some forms of parody and satire on the Internet that involve impersonation.

For instance, she pointed to the Yes Men, activists that the foundation is representing in a lawsuit filed against them by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In October, the group held a fake news conference posing as chamber representatives who promised the organization would no longer lobby against climate-change legislation.

"It was a very effective form of satire that was really useful in provoking some form of debate," McSherry said. "I don't think it's Sen. Simitian's intent to shut down this form of freedom of speech but I believe it's what this bill can do."

Simitian's bill names "credible" impersonators that act without consent, but, McSherry said, "Just requiring that an impersonation is credible is not going far enough to protect the type of political speech I'm talking about."

And even though she supports the spirit of Simitian's bill, Hitchcock questions whether it's enforceable, considering the need to educate law enforcers on online abuse issues and the jurisdictional problems relating to cybercrimes.

"Unless the victim and the harasser are both in California, it's going to need a lot of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the states. And if (the impersonator) is in another country, good luck. But it's a start," she said.

Hard to enforce
Danielle Keats Citron, a law professor at the University of Maryland who has written extensively about the role of the law and online abuse, believes the proposed law will have challenges based on the enforcement difficulties and the broadness of its interpretation.

But even if the bill in its current form becomes law, Citron said, the statute might have an overall positive effect. At its most basic level, the measure might help change attitudes about what's permissible, she said.

"The legislation is trying to take the lead on this emerging technology that people are abusing, and teaching them how to treat each other," she said. "It's an important point we shouldn't forget."

She added: "But we also have to get the law right."

original article here

Jailed for Facebook Threats

A Fort Myers man is accused of cyberstalking two former co-workers using Facebook – and threatening their lives. Lee County deputies say the suspect created several fake Facebook accounts to make the threats. One of the victims said she feared for her life.

Jacobe Swanson was arrested and charged with threatening to kill or injure two women. The written threats were made on a popular social networking site Facebook.

"He had been threatening me for a long time," said one of the victims.

She said Swanson began stalking her two years ago.

"We were coworkers and nothing more. He showed interest in me and I rejected him and he decided he would start harassing me because I wouldn't give him the time of day," the victim said.

Swanson allegedly left threatening notes on her car.

Then he allegedly began stalking her and another former female coworker online.

"There were pretty horrific threats made against them like they were going to die. They were afraid to go to work and now he's going to face the consequences for that," said Sergeant Stephanie Eller of the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

According to the arrest report, Swanson threatened to chop off the head of one of the victims with a machete, then kill everyone in her house.

Swanson allegedly threatened the other woman saying "She was going to die either at home or at her job" and that she would die soon.

Detectives subpoenaed Facebook for the I.P. address associated with the threatening messages.

That address came back to the Fort Myers home where Swanson lives with his mom.

No one answered the door at Swanson's home.

Swanson is still in jail, where his victims hope he will stay for a long time.

"I hope he gets time for it and I hope he gets some psychiatric help because I believe he needs it," the victim said.

Swanson has been charged with aggravated stalking, intimidation (write, send threat to kill or injure) and contempt of court (violation injunction).


original article here

Over 400 Online Bullying Incidents in Wales in 2011

(U.K.) Almost 400 incidents of cyber harassment and bullying were investigated by police in Wales last year, we can reveal.

Victims of abusive, threatening or harassing messages sent via social networks included teenagers as young as 14.

The problem has increasingly hit the headlines in recent months with celebrity victims Katherine Jenkins and former Miss Wales Imogen Thomas complaining publicly about being subjected to vitriolic online attacks.

Away from such high profile cases, in the South Wales Police force area alone 331 harassment-related incidents classed as “e-crime” were investigated, but resulted in just three arrests.

A Freedom of Information request identified 46 cyber crimes in the Dyfed-Powys Police area, resulting in 12 arrests. Offences included 10 hate crimes, one kidnapping and one threat to kill. Eight victims were under the age of 20. In North Wales, where 18 crimes on social networks were recorded, police investigated one offender for harassment while using a false identity.

Two cases were referred to the High Tech Crime Unit in Gwent, involving harassment messages, and e-mails sent to trustees of an organisation alleging homophobic harassment and bullying. However no further action was taken.

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (Ceop) Centre is currently running a programme called Thinkuknow to educate children and young people about the dangers of “trolling” they face online.

A spokesman said: “Trolling is a description given to someone’s online actions that are deliberately inflammatory or abusive. It ranges from posting a nasty comment on a social networking profile, or a football forum to extreme and persistent abuse.

“It could include harassment, bullying or anything that causes distress to another. The effects can be devastating. Too few people realise that in acting this way online you can quickly break the law. People may think they can remain anonymous when they are online, that they can say and do things they wouldn’t dream of doing in real life without consequences.”

A spokesman for eCrime Wales said: “The e-Crime Partnership, which includes the four Welsh police forces, works to raise awareness of e-crimes of all kinds. The fact that these incidents are now being reported by the public reflects the fact that people in Wales are becoming more aware of the issue generally and of the importance of passing details of such attacks to the police.”

Jonathan Bishop, a South Wales-based internet expert who recently ran a Trolling Academy tutorial, said that as the numbers of arrests were low, fixed penalties and Asbos should be used against cyberbullies for less severe offences. It would be more appropriate then if local authorities, particularly where vulnerable persons are affected, used their powers under New Labour’s anti-social behaviour legislation to issue fixed-penalties to those who harass others, he said. “Local authorities also have the powers to apply for Asbos against persons, which could tell the cyberbullies that they can go to jail for up to two years if they continue their abuse.”

Criminal cases involving the malicious use of false identities on social networks are becoming increasingly common.

In August James Edward Dunn, 28, from Middlesbrough, was jailed for seven years for raping a 15-year-old girl he had lured into meeting by lying about his age on Facebook.

At the time the investigating officer, Detective Constable Jolene Morrison, had urged teenagers who use Facebook to “only speak to people that they know” and to be aware that the person they think they are talking to may not actually be that person.

In September Sean Duffy, 25, from Reading, was jailed for 18 weeks for taunting the families of four dead teenagers on online tribute sites.

And in November, police in Mid Wales vowed to crack down on “trolls” after a 14-year-old sex abuse victim was subjected to an online smear campaign after her attackers were brought to justice.

Mr Bishop, a town councillor for Treforest, said the use of false identities – by “Snerts” who post messages to harm others, and “E-Vengers” who are driven to harm others they feel have wronged them – is a serious problem.

original article found here

In Review: One of our Victims SPEAKS OUT!

`Bigamist' awaits return to Virginia

(from 2005) by APRIL BETHEA (www.charlotteobserver.com)

A Mecklenburg County judge on Thursday refused to lower the $25,000 bond for a Virginia man indicted on a felony bigamy charge and arrested in Charlotte after his case was featured on the "Dr. Phil" program.

That means Charles Edward Hicks, 61, who has waived extradition, likely will remain in a Mecklenburg County jail while Virginia authorities prepare a governor's warrant that would send him back to that state, said Elizabeth Trosch, an assistant public defender who represented Hicks in court on Thursday.

"We're done with him in North Carolina," Trosch said.

Hicks was indicted earlier this month in a Chesapeake, Va. courtroom on a felony charge of bigamy. He was arrested in Charlotte on Dec. 12 after a Shelby woman who had seen Hicks featured on the "Dr. Phil" show that morning recognized him as the boyfriend of her sister and called police.

Hicks reportedly has been married seven times and divorced five.


I am the victim of a real live con man, bigamist, and in my opinion as well as many others, that my ex bigamist husband Ed Hicks is a textbook psychopath (sociopath/antisocial). Guess what? I met Ed Hicks on the Internet. It is my belief that the Internet has given these emotional vampires a whole new supply. Online dating sites allow these predators to be anyone they want to be and they present themselves as charming and charismatic, but they are MASTER manipulators that exhibit psychopathic and narcissistic traits.

Like so many Internet Predators - Ed Hicks....

• lied to me about every facet of his life;
• chopped away at my self esteem;
• disrespected my boundaries;
• took away my ability to trust another man;
• forced me to refinance my home to make up for the money he took from me;
• manipulated me;
• controlled me;
• used, betrayed, deceived, and emotionally abused me.

Unless people who use these dating sites start doing full background checks on the people they meet there and start a relationship with, they may find themselves in a situation similar to mine... or worse. I was not too smart because I did not do a background check; however, since I knew he was a U.S. Federal Government employee with a Department of Defense "Secret" security clearance, I thought that signaled verifiable integrity. I was wrong.

I cannot fault the Internet for my nightmare, nor can I really fault the online personals sites, albeit - I believe these personal sites that you pay money to join have the responsibility to make the members of their online dating communities aware of these types of predators and con artists. I believe they have the responsibility to put this information in a prominent place on their sites, not buried somewhere within the recesses of their pages so their members rarely find it. I believe they should link to databases and websites that contain honest information about these predators.

I urge each of you to BEWARE. You are taking a BIG risk in putting an ad online; you are taking a big risk in meeting someone on the Internet. You must protect yourself and learn the signs, the red flags of the online predator. Read all you can about cyberpaths, internet predators, online predators... all terms mean the same and they attack ADULTS as well as children! Read all you can about psychopaths (sociopaths). Your own best defense is educating yourself.

I am so very lucky; I am not financially ruined -- I am scarred, yet I feel so blessed. It could have been worse for me; it really could have. Some of Ed Hicks' wives are still emotionally ruined whether through depression, PTSD or addiction; some are financially ruined and will be for a long time. One thing we all have in common after the tornado of havoc this MAN creates, we are all victims of emotional & psychological abuse from this vampire; some are also victims of his physical abuse.

I must add in defense of meeting people on the Internet, had it not been for the support of the caring survivors of other psychopaths that I met through the MSN Psychopaths forum (no longer in use), Barbara at Sanctuary for the Abused, Holly Desimone of Holly's Fight for Justice, Donna at Lovefraud.com, Shelly at You Are A Target and the group behind Exposing Online Predators and Cyberpaths, I would not be where I am today.

Yes, I met all of these wonderful, kind, compassionate people on the Internet! They have given me the courage, the strength, and the fortitude to become "a force to be reckoned with". Tennessee Williams character Blanche DuBois, said it beautifully in "A Streetcar Named Desire", "I have depended on the kindness of strangers". Yes, I met these "strangers" on the Internet; strangers who proved themselves and have become lifelong friends.

Put it in perspective, educate yourself, and beware of online predators, con men & women and other pathologicals who are lurking out there in cyberspace.

(Thank you for your courage & perspective!! Sandra now runs the site FIGHT BIGAMY to provide outreach and support to victims of bigamists. - EOPC)

Match.com Can't Screen for Sex Offenders

By Benjamin Radford



One of the world's top dating websites, Match.com, announced that it would begin checking its members against a national sex offender registry. The announcement was made about a week after a class-action lawsuit was filed against the company by two women who claim men they met through the service sexually harassed them.



Whether an attempt to ward off future lawsuits or merely a publicity stunt, the measure is nearly worthless and in fact may do more harm than good by fostering a false sense of security. There are several obvious flaws with the plan.



The first is that users on social networking and matchmaking websites typically do not have their identities verified. Thus anyone (including convicted sex offenders ) can post whatever name they wish to use on the site and easily avoid triggering a match on registries.



Even if Match.com members' names were somehow verified, names are very common. A match with a name on a sex offender registry would also require a matching address to be sure it's the same person. Anyone can rent a post office box (or use a friend's mailing address) to easily avoid triggering an alert.



Second, even if the information provided to Match.com was completely accurate, it may not match what's on the nation's sex offender registries, which are notoriously unreliable. A 2010 study of Vermont's sex offender registry found that half of the entries sampled contained significant mistakes and wrong information, including two people who should not have been listed. Audits in other states, including Georgia and Texas, found that the registry information for offenders was often wrong, incomplete and outdated.



Third, statistics show that relatively few assaults are committed by convicted sex offenders. That is, a given person (adult or child) is far more likely to be sexually assaulted by someone who is not listed on any sex offender registry than a convicted sex offender. The vast majority of physical and sexual assaults are committed by friends, family and other loved ones, not a recently met stranger hiding a sex offense conviction. This is one of the fundamental flaws of Megan's Laws and other offender notification measures: They distract attention and resources away from the greater threat.



Even Match.com's president, Mandy Ginsberg, acknowledged that the new measures "remain highly flawed." The rules of safe dating have not changed in decades: Meet in a public place, tell a friend where you're going and don't give out personal information too early.



Benjamin Radford is deputy editor of Skeptical Inquirer science magazine and author of six books.

original article here

Another reason to NEVER USE ONLINE DATING!

Con Man Uses Online Dating to Net $140K

A New York lothario posing as a multimillionaire Navy commander and confidante of George Bush scammed close to $140,000 from women he met on online dating sites, according to Westchester authorities.

After cultivating relationships with women met on sites like Match.com, Jesus Nasser asked for loans, explaining that he was suddenly in dire financial straits for a host of reasons, reports the Journal News.

He has been charged with larceny, fraud and tax felonies, and faces up to 15 years if convicted.

Con Man Uses Online Dating to Net $140K

A New York lothario posing as a multimillionaire Navy commander and confidante of George Bush scammed close to $140,000 from women he met on online dating sites, according to Westchester authorities.

After cultivating relationships with women met on sites like Match.com, Jesus Nasser asked for loans, explaining that he was suddenly in dire financial straits for a host of reasons, reports the Journal News.

He has been charged with larceny, fraud and tax felonies, and faces up to 15 years if convicted.

Charged with Assault AND Facebook Stalking!

A woman who accused her ex-boyfriend of assaulting her, also told the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday that he was also stalking her on Facebook.

The accused pleaded not guilty to assault and also denied the cyber-stalking allegations.

The allegations are that the two, who were once in a relationship, had an argument after the complainant disconnected the accused man's cellular service, which was in her name. She alleged that during a confrontation, the accused hit her.

She also told the court that the accused was sending her constant text messages and emails and had also created several fictitious Facebook accounts, which he used to send her 'friend requests'.

The accused, however, said the complainant was upset because he decided to end the relationship, and had even warned him that he would pay for "messing with a vindictive bitch." He said he did not create the Facebook accounts and suggested that the complainant was the type who would let her friends do it just to get him in trouble.

Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey had harsh words for both parties. She warned the complainant against using her emotions and plotting revenge and also told the accused to leave her alone, both in reality and virtually.

original article here

Charged with Assault AND Facebook Stalking!

A woman who accused her ex-boyfriend of assaulting her, also told the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday that he was also stalking her on Facebook.

The accused pleaded not guilty to assault and also denied the cyber-stalking allegations.

The allegations are that the two, who were once in a relationship, had an argument after the complainant disconnected the accused man's cellular service, which was in her name. She alleged that during a confrontation, the accused hit her.

She also told the court that the accused was sending her constant text messages and emails and had also created several fictitious Facebook accounts, which he used to send her 'friend requests'.

The accused, however, said the complainant was upset because he decided to end the relationship, and had even warned him that he would pay for "messing with a vindictive bitch." He said he did not create the Facebook accounts and suggested that the complainant was the type who would let her friends do it just to get him in trouble.

Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey had harsh words for both parties. She warned the complainant against using her emotions and plotting revenge and also told the accused to leave her alone, both in reality and virtually.

original article here

FaceCrook

A drug baron on the run from US justice is facing up to 105 years in jail after being traced in Britain through Facebook.

Emmanuel Ganpot, 36, was convicted in 2003 of hiring two “mules” to carry cocaine and 3,500 ecstasy tablets worth £22,000.

Cops in Largo, Florida, arrested him in his car, which held a huge stash of narcotics and $22,000 in used bills.

A cohort in the vehicle got 25 years and Ganpot faced a minimum 15-year term.

But before he could be sentenced, he skipped his million-dollar bail and fled to the UK, where his French mum lived.

He changed his name by deed poll to 'Neo Masuro', obtained a British passport, and set up home in Oxted, Surrey. (sounds like Ed Hicks, Yidwithlid and Dan Jacoby)

There, the “charming Yank” with a drawling accent became “Manny” the barman in the high street’s George Inn.

He also coached a football team, drummed in a band and worked with disabled kids.

But his downfall came when he set up Facebook and Myspace pages in his new name — knocking six years off his age and posting pictures of himself on a Spanish beach. (sounds like Cyberpath, Felon - Ed Hicks!)

Prosecutors back in Florida had given state prosecutor Bill Burgess a three-year mission to track him down.

And the ex-US Army special forces soldier trawled the internet sites of Ganpot’s friends, noticing them referring to a secretive pal called Neo.

Eventually he came across a photo of Neo blowing a kiss and realised his true identity.

Database searches traced Ganpot to Oxted, where British cops arrested him and put him on a plane to the States.

Florida judge Deanna Farnell announced on Wednesday that she would sentence him on May 13 for the original offences plus law evasion — giving a maximum term of 105 years.

Back at the George, barmaid Susie Pocock, 25, said: “The whole thing is crazy. He always used to come in here with a big group of friends.

“Everyone liked him. It just doesn’t add up, it’s incredible.”

Pal Daniel McCarthy, 26, said: “It hasn’t sunk in. Nobody had a clue Neo wasn’t Neo.”

Burgess said: “Finding Ganpot was like finding a needle in a haystack. Then I realised he was still in touch with his pals.”

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

FaceCrook

A drug baron on the run from US justice is facing up to 105 years in jail after being traced in Britain through Facebook.

Emmanuel Ganpot, 36, was convicted in 2003 of hiring two “mules” to carry cocaine and 3,500 ecstasy tablets worth £22,000.

Cops in Largo, Florida, arrested him in his car, which held a huge stash of narcotics and $22,000 in used bills.

A cohort in the vehicle got 25 years and Ganpot faced a minimum 15-year term.

But before he could be sentenced, he skipped his million-dollar bail and fled to the UK, where his French mum lived.

He changed his name by deed poll to 'Neo Masuro', obtained a British passport, and set up home in Oxted, Surrey. (sounds like Ed Hicks, Yidwithlid and Dan Jacoby)

There, the “charming Yank” with a drawling accent became “Manny” the barman in the high street’s George Inn.

He also coached a football team, drummed in a band and worked with disabled kids.

But his downfall came when he set up Facebook and Myspace pages in his new name — knocking six years off his age and posting pictures of himself on a Spanish beach. (sounds like Cyberpath, Felon - Ed Hicks!)

Prosecutors back in Florida had given state prosecutor Bill Burgess a three-year mission to track him down.

And the ex-US Army special forces soldier trawled the internet sites of Ganpot’s friends, noticing them referring to a secretive pal called Neo.

Eventually he came across a photo of Neo blowing a kiss and realised his true identity.

Database searches traced Ganpot to Oxted, where British cops arrested him and put him on a plane to the States.

Florida judge Deanna Farnell announced on Wednesday that she would sentence him on May 13 for the original offences plus law evasion — giving a maximum term of 105 years.

Back at the George, barmaid Susie Pocock, 25, said: “The whole thing is crazy. He always used to come in here with a big group of friends.

“Everyone liked him. It just doesn’t add up, it’s incredible.”

Pal Daniel McCarthy, 26, said: “It hasn’t sunk in. Nobody had a clue Neo wasn’t Neo.”

Burgess said: “Finding Ganpot was like finding a needle in a haystack. Then I realised he was still in touch with his pals.”

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

The "Other Woman" in the 'Second Life' Divorce Case

The 'other woman' in Second Life divorce...
who's now engaged to the web cheat she's never met

The new fiancee of Second Life love rat David Pollard, whose marriage crumbled when his wife caught him 'having online sex with her', was unmasked today - and denied the pair had had a cyber-affair.

Linda Brinkley, 55, known on the multi-player online game as Modesty McDonnell, revealed that since her online fling with David Pollard the couple had become engaged in real life.

But Miss Brinkley today denied that her internet love affair with Mr Pollard had led to the break-up of the 40-year-old's marriage to ex-wife Amy Taylor.

When their computer-generated selves clapped eyes on each other, she said, it was 'love at first sight'. But she claimed they were only friends until David split with his wife.

Miss Brinkley fell for David after her online character Modesty McDonnell began working as a hostess in the nightclub he runs on the web-based reality game.

Their bond in the game is now so strong that they have become engaged in real life - despite never having met outside the computer-generated world.

In the Second Life world players adopt a new identity and can move around, work and socialise in a computer-generated environment.

Miss Brinkley, of Arkansas, USA, said: 'When we first met it was at a fancy dress night on the game and he noticed me across the room and said he felt something special.

Happily married in Second Life: Modesty McDonnell (Linda Brinkley) and Dave Barmy (David Pollard), who are also engaged in real life.

'I felt it too so it really was like love at first sight. It was kind of strange at first because I never thought anything like this would happen to me.

'But we gradually built up our relationship and got closer until he proposed to me online for real. I was surprised but part of me knew it was coming and of course I said yes.

'He's told me that his relationship with his wife was over way before I came along and he's been very honest with me so I take his word for that.

'We've never met in real life but we've got each other's pictures. I'm really nervous about meeting him but at the same time I'm looking forward to it more than you could know.

'It's amazing that we've found each other across so many miles and we love each other very much. It's my dream to finally to meet up with him and it's all because of the game.'

David was dumped by first wife Amy after she allegedly caught his character Dave Barmy cheating with Modesty McDonnell, who she claimed was a prostitute.

But Modesty insists her avatar is a 'hostess' in Dave's online nightclub 'Holodeck'.

In the game their characters married after a whirlwind romance at a small ceremony attended by just seven guests.

Just weeks later David, of Newquay, Cornwall, proposed to Linda for a second time and the pair now plan to marry for real.

Amy Pollard, left, and her online character Laura Skye. Amy has filed for divorce after she caught her husband Dave having a 'virtual' affair online with a computer-generated female character

Linda, who has four children from two previous marriages, only started playing Second Life a month before meeting Dave so she could stay in touch with her sister.

She added: 'I would say I'm in love with Dave. I've been married in real life before but they weren't really good relationships and I haven't had much luck with men until now.

'I chat to him on the phone over the internet for at least two hours every night. We are always together. The only thing stopping us meeting is the distance and the money but we have exactly the same goals in life.'

Linda, a former special needs carer, is currently unemployed but intends to take an online degree in Religious Studies and hopes to work as a missionary.

She has three children aged 35, 33 and 30 from her first marriage and another son aged 15 from her second marriage.

David also insists he and Linda were only 'hanging out' together in Second Life and never indulged in cyber-sex before his real marriage to Amy was over.

'We weren't even having cyber sex or anything like that we were just chatting and hanging out together," he said.

'It was nothing really major but then Amy found out about it and went mad I don't think I was really doing anything wrong.'

Yesterday it was revealed that David and Amy had met while playing the game before marrying in real life.

But while the internet brought them together, it eventually tore them apart.

One day, Miss Taylor, 28, found Mr Pollard at the computer - watching his avatar having sex with a prostitute in Second Life.

She said: 'I went mad - I was so hurt. I just couldn't believe what he'd done.

'I looked at the computer screen and could see his character having sex with a female character. It's cheating as far as I'm concerned.

'But he didn't see it as a problem, and couldn't see why I was so upset.

'He said I was just making a big fuss and tried to make out it was my fault for not giving him enough attention.'

Using the virtual world's own special currency, she hired an online private detective to investigate his adultery.

However, back in their real lives, the Pollards managed to patch things up.

But then in April this year Mrs Taylor caught her husband's avatar in another compromising position.

She claims he was having ' cybersex' with a female player in the U.S. - chatting intimately in the virtual world.

Although Mr Pollard and the woman had never even met outside the game, Miss Taylor said that she was devastated by what she considered to be his very real betrayal.

She said: 'I caught him cuddling a woman on a sofa in the game. It looked really affectionate.

'He turned off the computer monitor and I turned it back on and demanded to look at his chat history.

'But he turned off the computer so the history was all deleted - and I ended up going off in floods of tears.

'He confessed he'd been talking to this woman player in America for one or two weeks, and said our marriage was over and he didn't love me any more, and we should never have got married.'

The next day, Miss Taylor went to a solicitor to file for divorce from her 40-year-old husband of three years on the grounds of ' unreasonable behaviour'.

Luckily, she now has a new man in her life - whom she met while playing the internet fantasy role-playing game World Of Warcraft.

From her home in Newquay, Cornwall, she said yesterday: 'It has been a very difficult time for me. I am now just trying to move on with my life.

People find love in lots of different ways. Ours was a very serious marriage.

'It may have started online but it existed entirely in the real world and it hurts just as much now it is over.'

She added: 'His was the ultimate betrayal and I felt absolutely terrible.

'I know it sounds bizarre but he had admitted to an earlier incident and he knew how I felt about it.'

Miss Taylor said: 'I still go online and play Second Life but not as much. There's still a chance I could bump into him on there.

'I have met somebody new and we are living together. I am very happy. I know it all sounds pretty strange - but it works for me.'

Her ex-husband, who would only speak to the Mail through his character on Second Life, said yesterday: 'I don't think I was really doing anything wrong.'

And he claimed that the problem was not Second Life, but his real life relationship with Miss Taylor.

'Amy never did anything around the house,' said Mr Pollard. 'She just played World of Warcraft all the time.

'If I wanted to spend time with her I had to ask - but it was always too much trouble for her to come off the game to spend time with me.'

For REAL LIFE pictures of these people & the original article - CLICK HERE

IF YOU'RE THIS INVOLVED? TURN OFF THE COMPUTER, PEOPLE! - Fighter

The "Other Woman" in the 'Second Life' Divorce Case

The 'other woman' in Second Life divorce...
who's now engaged to the web cheat she's never met

The new fiancee of Second Life love rat David Pollard, whose marriage crumbled when his wife caught him 'having online sex with her', was unmasked today - and denied the pair had had a cyber-affair.

Linda Brinkley, 55, known on the multi-player online game as Modesty McDonnell, revealed that since her online fling with David Pollard the couple had become engaged in real life.

But Miss Brinkley today denied that her internet love affair with Mr Pollard had led to the break-up of the 40-year-old's marriage to ex-wife Amy Taylor.

When their computer-generated selves clapped eyes on each other, she said, it was 'love at first sight'. But she claimed they were only friends until David split with his wife.

Miss Brinkley fell for David after her online character Modesty McDonnell began working as a hostess in the nightclub he runs on the web-based reality game.

Their bond in the game is now so strong that they have become engaged in real life - despite never having met outside the computer-generated world.

In the Second Life world players adopt a new identity and can move around, work and socialise in a computer-generated environment.

Miss Brinkley, of Arkansas, USA, said: 'When we first met it was at a fancy dress night on the game and he noticed me across the room and said he felt something special.

Happily married in Second Life: Modesty McDonnell (Linda Brinkley) and Dave Barmy (David Pollard), who are also engaged in real life.

'I felt it too so it really was like love at first sight. It was kind of strange at first because I never thought anything like this would happen to me.

'But we gradually built up our relationship and got closer until he proposed to me online for real. I was surprised but part of me knew it was coming and of course I said yes.

'He's told me that his relationship with his wife was over way before I came along and he's been very honest with me so I take his word for that.

'We've never met in real life but we've got each other's pictures. I'm really nervous about meeting him but at the same time I'm looking forward to it more than you could know.

'It's amazing that we've found each other across so many miles and we love each other very much. It's my dream to finally to meet up with him and it's all because of the game.'

David was dumped by first wife Amy after she allegedly caught his character Dave Barmy cheating with Modesty McDonnell, who she claimed was a prostitute.

But Modesty insists her avatar is a 'hostess' in Dave's online nightclub 'Holodeck'.

In the game their characters married after a whirlwind romance at a small ceremony attended by just seven guests.

Just weeks later David, of Newquay, Cornwall, proposed to Linda for a second time and the pair now plan to marry for real.

Amy Pollard, left, and her online character Laura Skye. Amy has filed for divorce after she caught her husband Dave having a 'virtual' affair online with a computer-generated female character

Linda, who has four children from two previous marriages, only started playing Second Life a month before meeting Dave so she could stay in touch with her sister.

She added: 'I would say I'm in love with Dave. I've been married in real life before but they weren't really good relationships and I haven't had much luck with men until now.

'I chat to him on the phone over the internet for at least two hours every night. We are always together. The only thing stopping us meeting is the distance and the money but we have exactly the same goals in life.'

Linda, a former special needs carer, is currently unemployed but intends to take an online degree in Religious Studies and hopes to work as a missionary.

She has three children aged 35, 33 and 30 from her first marriage and another son aged 15 from her second marriage.

David also insists he and Linda were only 'hanging out' together in Second Life and never indulged in cyber-sex before his real marriage to Amy was over.

'We weren't even having cyber sex or anything like that we were just chatting and hanging out together," he said.

'It was nothing really major but then Amy found out about it and went mad I don't think I was really doing anything wrong.'

Yesterday it was revealed that David and Amy had met while playing the game before marrying in real life.

But while the internet brought them together, it eventually tore them apart.

One day, Miss Taylor, 28, found Mr Pollard at the computer - watching his avatar having sex with a prostitute in Second Life.

She said: 'I went mad - I was so hurt. I just couldn't believe what he'd done.

'I looked at the computer screen and could see his character having sex with a female character. It's cheating as far as I'm concerned.

'But he didn't see it as a problem, and couldn't see why I was so upset.

'He said I was just making a big fuss and tried to make out it was my fault for not giving him enough attention.'

Using the virtual world's own special currency, she hired an online private detective to investigate his adultery.

However, back in their real lives, the Pollards managed to patch things up.

But then in April this year Mrs Taylor caught her husband's avatar in another compromising position.

She claims he was having ' cybersex' with a female player in the U.S. - chatting intimately in the virtual world.

Although Mr Pollard and the woman had never even met outside the game, Miss Taylor said that she was devastated by what she considered to be his very real betrayal.

She said: 'I caught him cuddling a woman on a sofa in the game. It looked really affectionate.

'He turned off the computer monitor and I turned it back on and demanded to look at his chat history.

'But he turned off the computer so the history was all deleted - and I ended up going off in floods of tears.

'He confessed he'd been talking to this woman player in America for one or two weeks, and said our marriage was over and he didn't love me any more, and we should never have got married.'

The next day, Miss Taylor went to a solicitor to file for divorce from her 40-year-old husband of three years on the grounds of ' unreasonable behaviour'.

Luckily, she now has a new man in her life - whom she met while playing the internet fantasy role-playing game World Of Warcraft.

From her home in Newquay, Cornwall, she said yesterday: 'It has been a very difficult time for me. I am now just trying to move on with my life.

People find love in lots of different ways. Ours was a very serious marriage.

'It may have started online but it existed entirely in the real world and it hurts just as much now it is over.'

She added: 'His was the ultimate betrayal and I felt absolutely terrible.

'I know it sounds bizarre but he had admitted to an earlier incident and he knew how I felt about it.'

Miss Taylor said: 'I still go online and play Second Life but not as much. There's still a chance I could bump into him on there.

'I have met somebody new and we are living together. I am very happy. I know it all sounds pretty strange - but it works for me.'

Her ex-husband, who would only speak to the Mail through his character on Second Life, said yesterday: 'I don't think I was really doing anything wrong.'

And he claimed that the problem was not Second Life, but his real life relationship with Miss Taylor.

'Amy never did anything around the house,' said Mr Pollard. 'She just played World of Warcraft all the time.

'If I wanted to spend time with her I had to ask - but it was always too much trouble for her to come off the game to spend time with me.'

For REAL LIFE pictures of these people & the original article - CLICK HERE

IF YOU'RE THIS INVOLVED? TURN OFF THE COMPUTER, PEOPLE! - Fighter

Lori Drew's Defense? "Everyone Does It!"

Someone please throw the book at Lori Drew. The woman's a murdering sociopath. She stalks and harrasses a teenager online using a fake identity. So badly in fact, the poor kid commits suicide. Then what does she do?:

MEGAN MEIER

• She tells Megan Meier's (the victim's) parents to "give it a rest."
  
• Then she files a police report and get your attorney to try to rewrite history so you can backpedal.
  
• Then she files a police report on the Meier family for being so angry over the DEATH OF THEIR DAUGHTER they ruined your fuzball table. (everyone knows fuzball tables are worth more than a LIFE!)
  
• Then she wants everyone to feel sorry for her because now SHE'S being harrassed; once the story comes out.
  
• Then she tries blame her employee, another teenager, Ashley Grills.
• now... the article below once the Feds FINALLY do what Jack Banas and the lame politicos in O'Fallon, MO failed to do --
  

Mrs. Drew didn't your mother tell you that just because everyone else does it doesn't mean it's O.K. for you to do, too?

Mrs. Drew do you have any sense of RESPONSIBILITY?

Mrs. Drew - you're guilty in our book. Quit your whining. Go to prison. No passing GO, no collecting dime one for your 'pain & suffering.'

Myspace suicide woman 'did what loads of people do online'
By Emma Hughes
Pretended to be someone else and hassled a teen so much she killed herself

MISSOURI MOTHER Lori Drew’s lawyer is now arguing that if she is guilty, then so are millions of other internet users every day.

The case concerns the harassment of a young girl over the net which spiralled out of control when the torment got too much for thirteen-year old Megan Meier, who was subsequently found hung in her bedroom. Drew is charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing a computer without authorization.

Court papers filed yesterday show that while what Drew did can be seen as wrong, there is no actual legal sanction against it. Drew’s assumed identity of a 16-year-old-boy ‘Josh Evans’ and a count of conspiracy is all she can be pinned for.

Defense attorney H. Dean Steward wrote: “The government, in its zeal to charge Lori Drew with something, anything, has tried to criminalise everyday, ordinary conduct: the wayward or misuse of a social network site”.

This causes a problem, as Drew is but a drop in an ocean of people who commit this ‘crime’ every day.

A former computer crime prosecutor, Mark Rasch confirms this point by noting that “the problem with this case is it makes a criminal out of virtually everybody online.”

Orin S. Kerr, a former federal computer crime prosecutor points out that “the possibilities for abuse are endless because Web site terms of service are arbitrary”, and so the debate continues.

ORIGINAL

THE MEGAN MEIER FOUNDATION

CLICK HERE TO DISCUSS THE MEGAN MEIER CASE

RELATED POSTS:

WEB HOAX LED GIRL TO KILL HERSELF

MYSPACE HOAX VICTIMS' FAMILY SEEKS JUSTICE

PUBLIC OUTCRY ON THE MEGAN MEIER CASE

A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHY EOPC RUNS THIS SITE

EOPC ATTACKED ON TV OVER MEGAN MEIER CASE

JUSTICE FOR MEGAN MEIER

SUPPORT FOR OUR STAND ON THE MEGAN MEIER CASE

MEDIA PEES ON MEGAN AND TELLS BLOGGERS ITS RAIN

THE MEGAN MEIER CASE

NO APOLOGY, EVEN IN DEATH, FROM MEGAN'S 'MURDERER'

LORI DREW: PREDATOR OR INTERNET MARTYR?

LORI DREW: HAPPY; MEGAN MEIER: DEAD

MYSPACE SUICIDE CASE: NOT OVER

MYSPACE SUICIDE CASE - SOME TRUTH AT LAST

LORI DREW - FINALLY INDICTED

Lori Drew's Defense? "Everyone Does It!"

Someone please throw the book at Lori Drew. The woman's a murdering sociopath. She stalks and harrasses a teenager online using a fake identity. So badly in fact, the poor kid commits suicide. Then what does she do?:

MEGAN MEIER

• She tells Megan Meier's (the victim's) parents to "give it a rest."
  
• Then she files a police report and get your attorney to try to rewrite history so you can backpedal.
  
• Then she files a police report on the Meier family for being so angry over the DEATH OF THEIR DAUGHTER they ruined your fuzball table. (everyone knows fuzball tables are worth more than a LIFE!)
  
• Then she wants everyone to feel sorry for her because now SHE'S being harrassed; once the story comes out.
  
• Then she tries blame her employee, another teenager, Ashley Grills.
• now... the article below once the Feds FINALLY do what Jack Banas and the lame politicos in O'Fallon, MO failed to do --
  

Mrs. Drew didn't your mother tell you that just because everyone else does it doesn't mean it's O.K. for you to do, too?

Mrs. Drew do you have any sense of RESPONSIBILITY?

Mrs. Drew - you're guilty in our book. Quit your whining. Go to prison. No passing GO, no collecting dime one for your 'pain & suffering.'

Myspace suicide woman 'did what loads of people do online'
By Emma Hughes
Pretended to be someone else and hassled a teen so much she killed herself

MISSOURI MOTHER Lori Drew’s lawyer is now arguing that if she is guilty, then so are millions of other internet users every day.

The case concerns the harassment of a young girl over the net which spiralled out of control when the torment got too much for thirteen-year old Megan Meier, who was subsequently found hung in her bedroom. Drew is charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing a computer without authorization.

Court papers filed yesterday show that while what Drew did can be seen as wrong, there is no actual legal sanction against it. Drew’s assumed identity of a 16-year-old-boy ‘Josh Evans’ and a count of conspiracy is all she can be pinned for.

Defense attorney H. Dean Steward wrote: “The government, in its zeal to charge Lori Drew with something, anything, has tried to criminalise everyday, ordinary conduct: the wayward or misuse of a social network site”.

This causes a problem, as Drew is but a drop in an ocean of people who commit this ‘crime’ every day.

A former computer crime prosecutor, Mark Rasch confirms this point by noting that “the problem with this case is it makes a criminal out of virtually everybody online.”

Orin S. Kerr, a former federal computer crime prosecutor points out that “the possibilities for abuse are endless because Web site terms of service are arbitrary”, and so the debate continues.

ORIGINAL

THE MEGAN MEIER FOUNDATION

CLICK HERE TO DISCUSS THE MEGAN MEIER CASE

RELATED POSTS:

WEB HOAX LED GIRL TO KILL HERSELF

MYSPACE HOAX VICTIMS' FAMILY SEEKS JUSTICE

PUBLIC OUTCRY ON THE MEGAN MEIER CASE

A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHY EOPC RUNS THIS SITE

EOPC ATTACKED ON TV OVER MEGAN MEIER CASE

JUSTICE FOR MEGAN MEIER

SUPPORT FOR OUR STAND ON THE MEGAN MEIER CASE

MEDIA PEES ON MEGAN AND TELLS BLOGGERS ITS RAIN

THE MEGAN MEIER CASE

NO APOLOGY, EVEN IN DEATH, FROM MEGAN'S 'MURDERER'

LORI DREW: PREDATOR OR INTERNET MARTYR?

LORI DREW: HAPPY; MEGAN MEIER: DEAD

MYSPACE SUICIDE CASE: NOT OVER

MYSPACE SUICIDE CASE - SOME TRUTH AT LAST

LORI DREW - FINALLY INDICTED

IN REVIEW: Lori Drew and Special Mention to Lissa Daly

Closing out 2007 wouldn't be complete without giving mention to Lori Drew.

Though EOPC concentrates on adult-on-adult online predation; Lori Drew wins our PATHOLOGICAL OF THE YEAR (a new category just for her!) Yes, Lori - you are one of the sickest cyberpaths of all the ones we've seen. And we thought we'd seen it all!

Lori apparently, won't be charged. The law in Missouri has dug in its heels and refuses to say another word about this case.

Good going Lori!!

• You pushed a minor to suicide with your online predation on MySpace.
• You evev involved your teenage daughter & an employee of yours. What a role model!
  
• Like all cyberpaths now you're upset that you have been exposed and your life is supposedly ruined. Boo hoo.
• You told this dead girl's grieving parents to "give it a rest."
• You got the law to give you a free pass.
• And the media has even let you get away with changing your story AND helped you call people like us a "cybermob" and "internet vigilantes."

All Things you can be very very proud of Mrs. Drew.
EOPC hasn't and won't forget!... We never forget!

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE FEEDS AND LINKS ON THIS STORY

And our last honorable mention goes to Lissa Daly.
Lissa, a cyberpath whose tangled tales and multiple identities messed up more lives than lights on a Christmas Tree, attempted an apology.

A lame one - CLICK HERE.

EOPC does give Lissa credit. For at least trying to stay in touch with and dialogue with her victims - allowing them to vent and discuss. But she loses ground with us when she seems to only see HER pain and not ask about or investigate the pain of others caused by her.

For a little more insight into this type of pathological predator - CLICK HERE.

Have a safe New Year!

IN REVIEW: Lori Drew and Special Mention to Lissa Daly

Closing out 2007 wouldn't be complete without giving mention to Lori Drew.

Though EOPC concentrates on adult-on-adult online predation; Lori Drew wins our PATHOLOGICAL OF THE YEAR (a new category just for her!) Yes, Lori - you are one of the sickest cyberpaths of all the ones we've seen. And we thought we'd seen it all!

Lori apparently, won't be charged. The law in Missouri has dug in its heels and refuses to say another word about this case.

Good going Lori!!

• You pushed a minor to suicide with your online predation on MySpace.
• You evev involved your teenage daughter & an employee of yours. What a role model!
  
• Like all cyberpaths now you're upset that you have been exposed and your life is supposedly ruined. Boo hoo.
• You told this dead girl's grieving parents to "give it a rest."
• You got the law to give you a free pass.
• And the media has even let you get away with changing your story AND helped you call people like us a "cybermob" and "internet vigilantes."

All Things you can be very very proud of Mrs. Drew.
EOPC hasn't and won't forget!... We never forget!

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE FEEDS AND LINKS ON THIS STORY

And our last honorable mention goes to Lissa Daly.
Lissa, a cyberpath whose tangled tales and multiple identities messed up more lives than lights on a Christmas Tree, attempted an apology.

A lame one - CLICK HERE.

EOPC does give Lissa credit. For at least trying to stay in touch with and dialogue with her victims - allowing them to vent and discuss. But she loses ground with us when she seems to only see HER pain and not ask about or investigate the pain of others caused by her.

For a little more insight into this type of pathological predator - CLICK HERE.

Have a safe New Year!