MySpace users mis-labeled sex offender

It was bound to happen simply because technology is imperfect: the first mislabeled “sex offender” blocked by MySpace. This story in ABC News illustrates how hard it is to verify adults’ identities, much less minors, and how the best of intentions can have unintended negative consequences. Jessica Davis in Colorado was mistakenly identified as registered sex offender Jessica Davis in Utah by MySpace’s Sentinel Tech sex-offender detection technology. So MySpace sent her the Colorado resident “an email that began, ‘It has come to MySpace’s attention that you are a registered sex offender in one or more jurisdictions.’ The note ended with an email address saying Davis had 14 days to appeal.” She did. Sentinel Tech apologized.