Sex offenders sue over personal info posted online
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SEATTLE -- A group of convicted sex offenders is suing three websites for posting their photos and personal information and then allegedly charging them to take the information down.
In their federal lawsuit, the sex offenders claim that is extortion.
"I was shocked and at the same time I was almost devastated," said one of the sex offenders, who has asked to be referred to as John Doe.
Doe is a level 1 sex offender. A year ago he searched the web to see where his real name popped up and found a privately owned website called Offendex that listed his address, home phone number, cell phone number and photo.
"I'm constantly wondering, 'Gosh, is someone going to look up my name and see me up there," he said.
When he asked the company to take the information down, he claims they said they would erase everything if he paid them $500.
"It is extortion. That's exactly what it is," he said.
This week, Doe and nine others from five different states filed suit against Offendex and two other websites in federal court. The sites claim everything they post is public information and they're just trying to protect the public from sex offenders like John Doe.
Doe was convicted of molesting a 13-year-old boy 17-years ago. He said he spent a year behind bars and has paid his debt to society.
He claims the websites are not only violating his right to privacy, but actually making money off his likeness by selling advertisements.
Doe knows he won't get much sympathy in his fight, but he said he just wants the sites to leave him alone.
"We don't have a lot of people who are going to support us," he said.
State and local governments post the photos of all level II and level II sex offenders.
In their federal lawsuit, the sex offenders claim that is extortion.
"I was shocked and at the same time I was almost devastated," said one of the sex offenders, who has asked to be referred to as John Doe.
Doe is a level 1 sex offender. A year ago he searched the web to see where his real name popped up and found a privately owned website called Offendex that listed his address, home phone number, cell phone number and photo.
"I'm constantly wondering, 'Gosh, is someone going to look up my name and see me up there," he said.
When he asked the company to take the information down, he claims they said they would erase everything if he paid them $500.
"It is extortion. That's exactly what it is," he said.
This week, Doe and nine others from five different states filed suit against Offendex and two other websites in federal court. The sites claim everything they post is public information and they're just trying to protect the public from sex offenders like John Doe.
Doe was convicted of molesting a 13-year-old boy 17-years ago. He said he spent a year behind bars and has paid his debt to society.
He claims the websites are not only violating his right to privacy, but actually making money off his likeness by selling advertisements.
Doe knows he won't get much sympathy in his fight, but he said he just wants the sites to leave him alone.
"We don't have a lot of people who are going to support us," he said.
State and local governments post the photos of all level II and level II sex offenders.
Well if your sex offenders! your Information is supposed to be public anyway so people know where you areâ¦
Yes, yes and YES!
Ya their picture age where they live and their preferences should be posted and spread from one end of the country to the other if something happens to them oh well doubt anyone including the law would care
Yes. It is public information anyway.
Sex Offenders is such a broad use of the term-especially if a parent doesn't like who there young adult child has chosen. Has to blame someone else to make matters worse. It puts a whole bunch of people that aren't the worst case offenders along in the group.
Yep
For those who might misread my last comment i want to clarify it is pure sarcasm. If it were up to me majority of people on the sex offender list wouldnt have the oppertunity to whine about their rights.
Hell yes!!!
Yeah...G. God forbid some pissed off parent wants to hurt a poor child molestor. Wouldnt want to put them at risk or anything. Really???
I know that some people charged as sex offenders do not deserve that title and that there are some that deserve to be locked up for the rest of their lives. However, this is an invasion of those that should not be given that title's rights. Some one who pees on the side of a public building should not be forced to register, and have his/her name and information posted like this. However, someone who hurts someone else (rapists, pedophiles, etc) should have their picture, general area and crime(s) posted so that people know that they could be living by them. Phone numbers are not and should not be public information that puts them at risk for some pissed parent to hurt them or even people out to do harm a way to find them and hurt or even kill them.
Yes, especially if it was against children. People need to know where they are for the safety of their own children.
You cant commit something like that then try and hide from society.
Once you commit an act of monstrosity, you lose your rights. It should be tatooed on your forehead, tacked up on your door and posted in your lawn, that you are a monster.
Yes.
I thought when you do something bad like that your record is open to the public anyway. What is the difference? A matter of public record?
It all comes down to if you don't want the public to know, don't become a sex offender (or any other form of criminal). The public has a RIGHT to know who the sex offenders are, so that we may make informed decisions about our own safety.
There's a grey line here!
You go Hayley! No apology needed girl.
There should be grades of sec offenders... I was 18-20 and she/he was 17 2nd degree and any other dead.
My apologies for my former more offensive way of saying this... it was spoken out of sheer anger and spite, which is never good, regardless of the intentional meaning.
When you choose to do monstrous things, you choose to be a monster of society... and therefore your society DESERVES to know everything about you so they can be aware of where you are in conjunction with their precious loved ones. END. OF. STORY.
Yes.
Yes!
YES!!!! Hang them out to dry
Excuse me, but you guys lost your rights the moment you committed the crime. The victims will have to pay for what you did to them for the rest of their lives. And you have the audacity to demand protection? You should have been, at the very least, locked up for the rest of your lives.
I do see if a 17 was dating a 16 year old then turned 18 the parents freak out and dub them a sex offender! What they need to do is say if the sex offensive was of the nature of two young kids who want to do it. Or if it was really molestation! I don't think some young kid male or female should be put in that category if it was a relationship!
yes they should address and all so they can live in fear everyday like the child or person they raped have too. I know some sex crimes dont deserve this but the ones involving rape and children definately!
It should stay public, along with the crime they committed. Not all sex offenders are child molesters and the public deserves to know who is at risk whether it be your children or yourself.
yes they should
Im not a criminal of anything and yet my personal information is easy for people to find. Most of the information is public record and with a little research you can find just about everything you would want to know on anyone. I appreciate having the knowledge of who is a danger to my family. So having any details that help me to keep them safe should be easily found and accessible. If you dont want your information on a site like that, or being grouped with child molestors and such then dont be a sex offender.
What about the privacy they invaded??
Who cares how the feel they violated a person! They are lucky they have it tattood on there forehead saying " I'm a dirty sex offender?
Umm if you don't want to be known as a sex offender don't be a sex offender ... On another side I know people that should NOT have that title and their names our there is one thing.. Even their picture but their address and phone number could put them in real danger. They should publish the area they live in in general not their personal info
They exploited a childs entire life! They should be just as exploited! Or hung!
Public information is public information. We have a RIGHT to know where these creeps are! They committed a crime, they must pay for it for the rest of their lives. They do not get special privileges just because they spent a little time in jail. They are SEX OFFENDERS! All sex offenders are listed in registries for all to see. To think they have a right to privacy after committing such horrendous acts against our children is laughable. The judge was too kind in HIS particular sentencing, in my opinion. This lawsuit will just open the doors for all sex offenders to demand they not be on a registry.
I 100% AGREE that a sex offenders name, photo and also area the live should be made public!!! I do not think their phone numbers should be made public, that doesnt even make sense to me. Why would you need their number unless it was to harass them? And that is not right. All sex offenders are registered for different reasons, some are disgusting reasons, some are simply poor judgment reasons. I knew a 21 year old guy that had to get registered as a sex offender because at a party he had sex with a girl while he was intoxicated and then her parents later pressed charges because she was only 15. He didnt know her age and assumed she was of age because she was at a late night party. So, long story short someone doesnt deserve everyones judgment especially if you have no idea what their situation is. But I think we all have the right to be aware of who we and our children are around!!!
yes
I hope they fail
Public info that's available via Public Records to everybody, is OK. Charging them to take it down....Not so OK.
Haha! They are obviously messed up in the brain based on their charges but to think they are stupid enough to try to sue for that...