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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Parents Sue MySpace After Teen’s Suicide

14-year-old was sexually assaulted by man she met online

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(Newser) – The parents of a 14-year-old who killed herself after being sexually assaulted by a man she met online have sued MySpace, charging the social networker “fostered” their daughter’s “despicable relationship" and pushing for more controls. "With MySpace's right to make a profit comes a responsibility to protect its customers," the parents' lawyer told the Dallas Morning News.

“MySpace knows that it is a haven for sexual predators, yet doesn't put in any security measures to protect young girls,” said Jason Itkin, whose firm is also involved in six other suits against the popular site. Roughly 29,000 sex offenders have been found on MySpace, but courts have thus far failed to insist on stronger age verification.

Chairman and CEO of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch, right, and Chris DeWolfe, left, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, MySpace answers questions during a talk at Web 2.0 conference in San Francisco, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007.The Web 2.0 Summit, a conference for startups and other companies focused on...
Chairman and CEO of News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch, right, and Chris DeWolfe, left, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, MySpace answers questions during a talk at Web 2.0 conference in San Francisco,...   (Associated Press)
News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, who owns the social networking Web site MySpace, speaks at the company's Global Energy Initiative in this May 9, 2007, file photo. The parents of Megan Meier, a Missouri teen who committed suicide, hope the people who made a fraudulent profile on MySpace will be...
News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, who owns the social networking Web site MySpace, speaks at the company's Global Energy Initiative in this May 9, 2007, file photo. The parents of Megan Meier, a Missouri...   (Associated Press)
___UPF_START_OF_TABLE___Document NameUS NEWS CPT-MYSPACE DADocument DateMar/3/2006PhotographerDavid Leeson IIFormat2000 x 1333 Color JPEGCategoryAKeywordskrtentertainment entertainment, krtnational na
___UPF_START_OF_TABLE___Document NameUS NEWS CPT-MYSPACE DADocument DateMar/3/2006PhotographerDavid Leeson IIFormat2000 x 1333 Color JPEGCategoryAKeywordskrtentertainment entertainment, krtnational na   (KRT Photos)
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