I can think of many things i'd like to do to anyone who abuses kids in any way, but then i'd have to edit my own post for language, so i'll leave it to the imagination. Suffice it to say, none of it would be remotely pleasant.
You can prolly be assured that those arrested werent limiting their "searches" to IRC. Pedophilia is prevalent IRC and IRL. Sadly, many of those nasty ppl gravitate towards jobs that put them in contact with kids. And they are never "cured". They cannot be rehabilitated. Lots of them start off with kids in their own family, or friends families.... and with kids who are way too young to have any clue. some kids are brainwashed into not telling anyone and go on to become someone else's victim. I dont live in a large metropolitan area by any means, but i have dealt with lots of patients where babies as young as a few months old were sexually assaulted by family members. Our small town has had school teachers who set up cameras and assaulted kids in the schools where they taught. IRC is just another way to find their victims
In the US, many law enforcement agencies have ppl whose job is to go online in an effort to find such sickos. From what i've read, they dont have any probs finding them, which to me says there are tons more floating about preying on the innocent. Parents can talk and teach their kids, but many studies have shown that in spite of that, lots of kids fall for the lines that these degenerates spew. Often, they are afraid to tell their parents. Needless to say, a young teen angry at their parents for something doesnt think too clearly in looking for ways to assert their independence or look for attention they are lacking at home.
I think all we can do is report what we find to the legal officials and hope for heavens sake they take some action. In all probability, the reporter may not ever know what action they took (other than a parent of the child involved). Any young ppl who have come into a channel i'm in looking for help, i have told them to not be afraid to tell their parents and taken them to the channels where ppl like CyberANgels are. I go with them for moral support. They are trained to deal with this sort of nastiness without making things worse or doing anything that would get the bottom feeders off on some technicality. I wasnt too surprised to hear about someone trying to "set up" an innocent person, and that idiot should be shot.
If i had reasonable concerns that someone is up to that appalling behavior, i'd report it and let the authorities figure it out. I dont know that i would necessarily ban them from a network immediately, because then how would the authorities know where they went. On the one hand, i for sure wouldnt want them around, but on the other hand, i want them caught.
On another note, altho i realize it would be difficult for busy parents, i really dont think young kids should be online unsupervised, and most assuredly not chatting online for 4-5 hours a day. Parents can do the best job humanly possible, but these are still young ppl with brains perhaps not up to speed yet. Studies have shown that parents are 100% positive that their kids wouldnt go near a stranger. In tests set up, the majority of them fall for the lines they are given.
As adults using IRC, i think one thing we can do is try to become a figure of trust to the young who come to our channels and warn them of the pitfalls in some non-lecturing way. It may help, it may not, but at least some kids might feel like they had someone to go to for guidance if they get in over their heads or are scared.
