Here’s my problem. Earlier, I was using a type of program they prefer we don’t talk about here when I came across some truly disturbing image filenames and descriptions involving child porn. Yes, I’ve known it’s out there, but looking at these filenames made me decide I wanted to get involved with stopping it.
Well, I go to Google and check out anti-child porn sites and I none of the ones I checked can use me. They either want too much time, money, or computer expertise.
The reality is I don’t need a lot of sleep but I work 8 hours a day and commute another 3(I leave the house at 7:15 and get home about 6:15), so anything I do is limited to Friday and Saturdays after the wife and kids go to bed. as for money, I don’t have any. We’re a single income family and it doesn’t stretch too far in Southern California. I’m about average when it comes to computers, which is far from what they need or want.
I’m willing to use what free time I have to help, but that doesn’t seem to be enough. So, you guys got any suggestions or should I just give up the idea I can help with my limited resources?
You mention that the anti-child porn sites you found want too much … money … I would hope that you could find a site that didn’t have a minimum donation requirement. That sounds so odd to me, because you can always write a check to donate to any cause you believe in. Check them out first, of course, but if you find a reputable one and can make semi-regular small donations, that may be all you really can do; the site would really appreciate it and your donations may help to make a differerence.
Sorry I wasn’t clear on that. None of the sites I went to ask for any specific amount. It’s just that I don’t have any to give. After the absolute neccessities, I’m lucky if I can toss twenty a month into savings for future emergencies. I’m more then willing to donate what little time and computer knowlege I have, but as for money, a six year old car and two daughters need what little extra comes my way
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- This probably differs depending on one’s locale, but quite simply, in the US: don’t do anything, it’s not your job. The filenames you found might be fake. Or not. Or they could be traps set to catch people who try to download them, even if just to see if they’re fake. And they can be on the other side of the world anyway, and police there may never arrest the person who put them up, but the police in your state might come after you for downloading them. And after all, the police arrest these people, not any anti-child-porn sites asking for donations. Child porn isn’t difficult to find on the net, it’s just very expensive/time-consuming to pursue–even if it’s transmitted from inside the same country, where presumably the same laws apply.
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- If something gets automatically mailed to you, then by all means report it to your ISP. In the US at least, they definitely have an interest in seeing that this stuff never ends up on their own system. Don’t go looking for anything though, because eventually somebody’s going to come asking why you’re looking.
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Good advice, so far.
If you’re going to do anything directly combating child porn, don’t do it on your own. Join one of the major organizations, (or get involved with a local civic group if you live in a large city).
The thing not to do is take action yourself. I had the chance to interact regularly with the “Abuse” department of a well-known ISP, and the customers who are involved with this are sometimes very nasty, indeed. You could find your computer hacked, or any number of other unpleasant “revenge” activities.
If you happen to have a technical bent, you might consider something like a local information campaign to alert people on the proper use of Internet browser security, and the programs to monitor safe browsing. The subject’s really quite complicated, and becoming knowledgeable about it might be relatively easy and cheap, as well as being helpful to your neighbors. Start with reading several of the anti-porn sites to get an idea of the scope of the problem. Just don’t give them any personal information.
Why not contact your local law enforcement and ask them the same questions:
http://www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/sheriff/Office_Loc/stations/VictorvillePD/VictorvillePD.asp
I understand that some very old people are volunteers for law enforcement to help catch con artists who prey on the elderly.
Catching criminals is a job best left to proffesionals. There are other, better, places to volunteer your services if you want to be socially useful.
I want to thank ya’ll for the suggestions so far but I’ve come to the conclusion that with my resources, there is little I personally can do to help combat this. It just sucks to see stuff like this going on and not be able to do a bloody thing about it. I should have learned by now-the best of intentions don’t mean anything without the means to implement them.
DEAK, those files are either traps or viruses. No child pornographer would show his wares like a flare unless he wants to get caught.
You should just mention the files’ name and the place/site/programm where you found them to one of the anti child porn sites you visited (most ask for reports of stuff you unintentionnally found) or to the proper authorities.
Anti child porn sites all state very clearly that one shouldn’t embark on his own personnal crusade against child porn. If they state they need people with computer expertise or whatnot, it means they need just that, and that despite your good intentions, you can’t be of any help for them. Similarily I once voluntereed for some cause I held dearly, but they needed essentially specialists in logistics. They had no use for my help, as well intended as it might have been. So, I found something else to do in an unrelated domain where my talents could be useful.
So, just report what you found and search for another worthy cause. I’m sure there are plenty of organizations you would agree with and which would need your help. It’s not like Earth is currently a garden of roses.