back to article Internet firms welcome CEOP chief's exit

Jim Gamble's resignation as Britain's most senior child protection policeman has today been welcomed by a broad coalition of internet firms, who said they had been alienated by his aggressive approach. Major ISPs and websites joined to criticise the former Northern Ireland intelligence chief's strategy at the head of the Child …

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  1. Red Bren
    Megaphone

    Speaking as a parent*

    I accept it is MY responsibility to protect my child from the dangers of the world and educate her to deal with them, rather than expecting the state to turn the world into some sanitised tellytubby land.

    * I've always wanted to do that.

    1. Semaj
      Thumb Up

      a

      Please post this to the Daily Mail instead. You're preaching to the converted here ;)

      After that, please run for government.

  2. Desk Jockey
    Flame

    Good riddance

    Enough said. The man was an empire builder. What he wants and what would actually deliver child safety are not necessarily the same things!

    Why did they drag Sarah Payne into this? Is she some kind of rent a quote, using the horrific things that happened to her daughter as cover for promoting the causes of certain interests? She should be defending CEOP, not Gamble!

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Woo!

    A man who wasted a vast amount of time, effort and money on things like a CEOP button has gone.

    Do you think we can get a replacement who actually has a clue? It would be nice to see the resources spent on actual child protection instead of pointless posturing.

  4. The Cube
    Stop

    the coalition risks appearing "pro-paedophile".

    Really,

    Malcom King, you have sunk that low that fast have you? Did the gutter levels of the Daily Mail flash past as you plunged down the "anyone who doesn't do exactly what I want when I want and tell me that I am perfect and everything that goes wrong is somebody else's fault" chute? Tell me, how does the arse of the Daily Star look from down there?

    FFS, when can we change the law so that pointless tossers who cry "paedophile" or "terrorist" every time they want to protect their government salary / enlarge their empire / move us closer to their perfect totalitatian state may be shot on sight?

    I have had enough of this dog turd being spouted. Mysteriously the "Intelligence" services have rediscovered the IRA now that their budgets are under threat, perhaps because the politicians can't have them telling us about the Islamic threat that the waste in Afghanistan is supposed to be dealing with.

    Perhaps we should simply go back to feudal era remedies for this sort of behaviour and install some stocks on the green opposite parliament to lock these sorts of dangerous threats to democracy in for a few days until they are seen by the public for what they are. This would give the added benefit of providing somewhere for Brian Haw to take a leak...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Flame

      Disgusting, Despicable, Deplorable Extremism

      I've just listened to the linked extract from Today, and I'm amazed at what I've just heard.

      So let me quote Adolf Hitler: "The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people."

      Some of the stuff Malcolm King came out with really is extreme. Sounds like he wants CEOP to be effectively independent, and quite unaccountable. And if people disagree, he'll paint them as potentially appearing "pro-paedophile".

      I'm disgusted at what I've just heard. Disgusting, despicable, deplorable "child protection" extremism.

      There is clearly an overwhelming need for CEOP to be brought under proper scrutiny, and held fully accountable. It absolutely must not be allowed to retain anywhere near its current level of independence. After what I've now heard, I'm convinced that the government is right to bring CEOP within the NCA.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Anyone think of a nickname for the forthcoming NCA.

    I'm Knacker from the yard.

    I foresee an acronym change before it goes live.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    I knew that I'd seen him before...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaUkt59vY1Q

    That is all...

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    He wasn't completely wrong you know.

    Internet companies felt alienated by his agressive stance? Thats because most of the time they only want to make token gestures to child safety.

    I repeatedly tried to inform Facebook about series of related fake profiles targeting young teenage girls (my daughter amongst them). Six months later the profile is still there.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Big Brother

      Seems to me that...

      ...your responsibility is to make sure she knows how to recognise such fakes and then passes that information on to her friends.

      It isn't your responsibility to try to change human nature.

      FTAOD yes I have children myself, including a teenage daughter, and I work on the basis that childhood is a time for learning how to survive once one is an adult among other things.

      I for one will be glad to see the back of Gamble, I hope he will be replaced by someone who refrains from emotive shroud-waving and actually concentrates on real risks rather than imaginary ones, and sensible solutions rather than useless but very visible ones.

      Flame all you like if that upsets you.

      1. Chris 3
        Coat

        Sorry...

        But I don't think that the original Anonymous Coward was suggesting that he had "a responsibility to change human nature". He/she was saying that companies like Facebook have a responsibility to act when egregious examples of child-bating behaviour are bought to their attention. And sometimes they fail in that duty.

        I too, will be glad to see the back of the odious, empire-buildling Gamble, but let's not assume that ISPs and social networks don't need a prod with a pointy stick on occasion to persuade them to actually get off their lazy arses.

        I'll get me coat, since I appear to be out of step with he majority here.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      FAIL

      Facebook Account.

      "Six months later the profile is still there."

      So the Panic button's not worked either then?

    3. Jane Fae

      Might be worth talking

      very happy to follow this up...if you want to drop me a line off-board.

      just click on my link on any of my stories.

      jane

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Totally agree

      In a capitalist world where even government interests are business driven, big business does merely make token gestures; a delicate balance between implementation cost and profit.

      ISPs should be mandated to provide information and bear the cost of doing so, pass it on to the consumers if need be. Policing the internet has a price and everyone should contribute.

      1. Ben Tasker

        errr no........

        Why should consumers bear the cost? Consider;

        Although the alleged Pedo uses the net, he doesn't not abuse just because a kid doesn't have the net. He may simply have the net to 'share' images of offline abuse.

        So if you don't have the internet, you want me to pay more for mine to protect your kids?

        Even if you consider CEOP necessary, it should be the tax payer who pays for it. You yourself said "Policing the internet has a price and everyone should contribute", but you seem to mean people who use the net should pay.

        RE: the article - Gamble was nothing but a self-promoting bully, CEOP's current level of power has been abused and so it's quite right that it should be subjected to more scrutiny. Gamble seemed to consistently forget that most abuse involves someone in a position of trust - teacher, aunt, uncle whatever. Hopefully whoever replaces him will have the sense to focus on the real issues

  8. mafoo

    really tho....

    He quit because he was about to get fired.

    Everything else is just QQ omg emo drama, like most of his wards.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Perhaps now the Old Bill can devote reources to solving ACTUAL crime...

    ...instead of pandering to the hysterical Sun/Daily Bigot rants about online safety when one child (out of about 10 million) falls victim to a pervert. There is no problem with child porn hosted out of the UK because there simply isn't any - it's all offshore. This muppet made absolutely no attempt to foster relationships with law enforcement agencies in other countries, zero effort at lobbying in the correct circles for increased cooperation across borders and no sensible suggestions for combatting child exploitation in non-technical areas (trafficking girls from Eastern Europe for use in the sex trade here, for instance)

    Meanwhile, I have just been advised by a Police Officer dealing with the theft of several of my servers from a data centre (where, I might add, the thief has been caught on camera removing servers from my rack, installing them in his own, removing at least one from site and even left two of them up and running after perfunctory attempts at removing identifying information - the very definition of 'bang to rights') that the laughably-named 'High-Tech Crime Unit' at one of the largest police forces in the country will take SIX MONTHS to ascertain that the servers do indeed belong to us (a simple check of the server ID tag - conveniently also affixed to the inside of the case (obviously unbeknownst to the thief)).

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Esprit de corps leads to esprit de corpse

      There is something seriously wrong with the 'High Tech Crime Unit' if as you say they intend to take 6 months to confirm you are the server owner. Could it be in that it is the 'High Tech Crime Unit'? Just like the past problems with the 'Vice Squad' which ended up protecting the pr0n makers? Just like...

      Better for policing and better for the public if Plod is not allowed to get too comfortable at the same desk for too long.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Grenade

    bye bye

    close the door on your way out ....

    Now if we can only get rid of ACPO.

    And unimagineable as it is, to comprehend what Sara Payne has endured, she has already made herself a pest ... she's perfect copy material, and *no-one* can even question a word St. Sara says, let alone criticize. More power to the coalition - I hope they keep their nerve, and shout down the "think of the children" brigade.

  11. Graham Marsden
    WTF?

    Since when does...

    ... thinking that someone can do a better job that self-styled "protector of the children" and empire builder Jim Gamble mean that you are "pro-paedophile"???

    He has probably done *more* to bring child protection into disrepute than anyone by pandering to the Tabloid Press and alienating the industry with his arrogant "do it my way or I'll get the media to attack your reputations" bully boy tactics and the sooner he's gone the better.

  12. Will 28

    Could we get a clarification of a "Pro-Paedophile" government?

    I'd really like to know how he would elaborate on that concept. Is he suggesting we're going to start having lap-dancing lessons taught in schools?

    "Today children we're going to learn about the benefits of sexual promiscuity with older men".

    Can we have a panic button installed for over-politicised pricks making bull$&!t statements.

  13. Juan Inamillion
    WTF?

    Really.

    Did any hear the Today broadcast this morning? Malcolm King sounded hysterical. I'm sure I could detect white flecks of spittle emanating from the radio....

    Sara Payne - no-one should have to go through what she did, but I'm sorry, she's the wrong person to be asked an opinion on this matter.

    I think Uncle Jim was looking for a gong....

  14. Not Fred31
    Stop

    you're with us or you're a paedophile...

    ...the slogan that gives these people absolute power and everyone knows that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

    1. Someone Else Silver badge
      FAIL

      Wasn't that line used...

      ..by a certain U.S. ex-President who fell into deserving disrepute?

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Grenade

    HMG missed a trick ....

    They should have said in advance that anyone who disagrees with the changes has clearly got a pro-pedo agenda

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Does it make sense to you

    to expect 62 million people to be straitjacketed all the time because some of them are very bad people indeed? That is, effectively, what some people indeed would like. And they'll lobby and campaign for that using abstract boogey (straw) men or even personal tragedies to fend off any criticism.

    As far as freedom-for-safety goes, I think they are a wee bit misguided.

  17. blackworx
    Unhappy

    The first step to being cured...

    ...is admitting you have a problem. The "person" with the "problem" in this instance is the entire human race.

    The fact that both paedophiles and people like Malcolm King exist serves as a timely reminder that in fact we've not outgrown the animal kingom nearly as much as we'd like to think we have.

    This is one thread where the comments making Nazi comparisons really are not that far off the mark. After hearing his slaverings on Today I would be offering very short odds that, at some point, in private, King has suggested there to be a genetic cause/cure to paedophilia.

  18. ShellShockeD

    wtf

    Sara Payne, the child safety campaigner .

    How can this woman tell anyone about child safety .

  19. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Flame

    Sounds like a rabid dog did not want to be muzzled.

    But that's just my opinion.

    So which tabloid do people think he'll land a job with and what will he be known as?

    "The voice of reason."

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Sara Payne

    I couldn't not care less what Sara Payne ever says. My views upon her are not good. I will not say any more as most likely be sued.

  21. Rab Sssss
    Flame

    just listened to...

    That clip, what a fucking weasel...

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    Gamble reminds me of the New York State Attorney General (Candidate for Governor now)

    Folks, we have the same Public Dis-servant problems here in the USA as you do.

    Andrew Cuomo is the NY State Attorney General (running for Governor now) and from what I read in the Reg article and comments, Jim Gamble and Andrew Cuomo have a lot in common.

    Both have made a career out of literally blackmailing Internet Service providers in the name of saving children from porn and paedophiles.

    The result here in New York is that Cuomo made all the ISP's located in New York State take down access to newsgroup services (entirely, not just suspect NG's) and wanted them to sign a literal "confession" that these ISP's had been facilitating KP purveyors by providing customers access to news groups (that the ISP weren't even in control of, only provided access to).

    If the ISP refused to comply with the ridiculous accusations, the NYS AG's office threatened to drag the ISP's corporation through a forensic examination of all of their servers and customer data to prove the ISP's were pornographers, not to mention the corporation's good name, and ruin their business through libel and slander in the newspapers.

    ALL of this was political grandstanding to raise public (read voter) awareness of just how 'Righteous and Mighty" Cuomo was and how he is a "Champion of Child Protection on the Internet". Does that sound familiar? I thought so.

    Yeah, Right....... I think he doth protest too much as the saying goes. If there is one thing I've learned, people like these don't have an altruistic bone in their bodies. Their motto is "Get ahead at any cost", including climbing over the dead, rotting carcases of anyone who gets in their way.

    If history is any judge, this type of person also seems to have a lot in common with certain kiddie fiddling religious types. Typically they are above reproach, in a position of trust, spouting all manner of "Holier than thou" platitudes, until someone rattles their cage and the proverbial skeletons (or choirboys) fall out of their respective closets.

    Enquiring minds need to know......

    I can hardly wait until something falls out of either Gambles or Cuomos closet. Lookout Andy, Paladino's gonna shake your world (and your closet).

    Honestly, I'll take Elliott Spitzer the Whoremonger over Sanctimonious Cuomo any day. Too bad he's on CNN instead of running for Governor.

    BTW is that the same Sarah Bee I saw on CNN as our moderatrix on El Reg?

  23. Armus Squelprom
    Thumb Up

    Good Riddance

    The man was a blustering shroud-waving bully, more interested in building his empire than anything else.

  24. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    Man Jumps Before Pushed Shocker

    Revolting, odious man. Pro-paedophile? Even in these hyperbolic times, that's over-egging the pudding just a tad. I'm struggling to think of who'll employ him now though, which is an upside.

    As for Sara Payne, I agree with most of the previous posters - I have genuine empathy for her suffering, but she is not best placed to contribute to any meaningful discussion about how to manage sex-offenders and child protection issues; these things need to be debated and discussed in as calm, rational and reasoned a manner and her horrendous experience means she is unable to do so.

    That said, ShellShocker, if you meant your comment as it reads, you're either a troll or someone completely lacking in any sense of empathy.

  25. Ascylto
    Big Brother

    CEOPS Head for the CEOP

    Well, someone had to!

    Like a lot of coppers, Gamble believes you can brow-beat people and threaten them publicly. Facebook were right.

    I'll be glad to see the back of this self-serving ex-copper. I hope the coalition weakens the grip of the Sara Payne Child Protection Industry and get to grips with REAL fighting of child molesters, not just headline-grabbing Daily Fail stuff.

    The first poster, Red Bren, is right ... the sooner parents/guardians take control of child protection matters the better instead of leaving it to fools like Gamble and Payne (as much as I commiserate with her dreadful experiences).

  26. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    monsters come in many forms

    I'm old enough to clearly remember the moors murders. I remember feeling sorry for the families on two levels. For their loss and what happened to their children, but also for their suffering at the hands of the media - suffering that never showed any sign of abating as year-on-year, they were dragged into the limelight again when some newspaper or politician wanted a bit of publicity. Rather like repeatedly poking a stick at a caged animal, the effect on one of the mothers was for her to become progressively more bitter and extreme - she was never afforded the space for any healing.

    I have watched the same thing repeated with Sara Payne - another person who is being continually prodded and manipulated by those with their own financial agendas, and too, is showing signs of becoming bitter. I've no doubt she believes she is helping children, but I seriously doubt she is doing any good at all.

    Sadly having to post anonymously as I really don't want to risk falling into the 'You're with us or a pedo' crap.

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    CEOP was a good idea

    Considering the hash it's predecessor and Sharon Girling made of Operation Ore....you paid by credit card so must be a paedo, admit it or we'll make your name public.

    Jim was a good policeman, but that doesnt necessarily make him a good child protection person...plod + public+authority's need work as a team, not plod as a dictatorship.

    More paedo's get kiddy jobs using their mates and contacts than do by normal job aplications, sooner tey realise this the better. And yes, roll out sarah payne to try and win the emotional support....but doesnt that make you wonder is she the only one who's kid has been killed? what about the other hundreds we are led to believe we're protecting on behalf of?, where's huntley's victim's families? oh, sorry, they aren't after publicity to raise money are they?

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