US Attorney, General Eric T. Schneiderman, announced that over 2000 online accounts belonging to registered sex offenders in New York had been removed as part of Operation: Game Over. The pioneer movement aims to protect children from online predators and uses the powers of the state’s Electronic Securing and Targeting of Online Predators Act (e-STOP).
The Act requires convicted offenders to share all online identities with the state and Operation: Game Over is the first instance in which the Act has been used to prevent potential predators from accessing online gaming.
Gaia Online, NCsoft, FunCon, Sony and THQ are the most recent companies to join the movement. Together they were responsible for these most recent account deletions. Earlier in the year over 3,500 accounts were deleted in a combined effort by Apple, Blizzard, Disney Interactive, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, and Warner Bros. Interactive.
Schneiderman said in a press release “The Internet is the crime scene of the 21st century, and we must ensure that online video game platforms do not become a digital playground for dangerous predators. That means doing everything possible to block sex offenders from using gaming systems as a vehicle to prey on underage victims.”
He praised the companies involved adding, “”I applaud the online gaming companies that have purged registered sex offenders from their networks in time for the holiday season. Together, we are making the online community a safer place for the children of New York.”
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