Net stalking needs tougher action says chatroom user

Internet crime is not taken seriously enough, says a Blenheim net addict who received death threats from a fellow chatroom user.

Angie Hunter contacted the internet site provider NZDating and the police after being threatened by a "real sick puppy" in an internet chatroom.

"He said, 'I know where you live. I will get your children'."

Ms Hunter did not feel that her complaint was taken seriously.

"I feel quite angry about this. These threats are just as bad as if someone got on the phone. They know who he is and where he lives, but they won't act."

In an email to Ms Hunter, the NZDating's WebWizard was dismissive of the complaint.

"Whilst the final decision is yours as only you know what feels safe, personally I do not believe SolitaryMan [the accused user] is any more than an adult acting like a child in a chatroom. The group attack mentality that currently develops in the chat room will escalate stupid behaviour and I believe this is what happened," it said.

Ms Hunter said this was a typical response to allegations of internet stalking.

She said she found the police equally unresponsive, with two male officers not believing a threat had been made.

Sergeant Pete Halligan of Blenheim defended the police response and said the complaint had been treated seriously.

NZDating also says it responded appropriately to the complaint. A spokesman said it was company policy to remove users' accounts from the site if they repeatedly abused other users or made physical threats.

He said that in Ms Hunter's case checks were made when her complaint was received, but the accused user had already removed his account from the site.

Further checks were being made to decide whether to ban the user from opening another account, but they were shelved when the police were called in.

"Given that this may now be a legal matter," the spokesman said, "we are awaiting further instruction from the complainant or police rather than handling things with our normal procedure."

- NZPA