New Security Tool to Create a Safer Internet for Children Available from Identity Management Company safeTspace

BALTIMORE, June 4 /PRNewswire/ -- A Maryland-based identity management company, safeTspace, founded by three experts in credentialing and identity management who previously worked with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, today unveiled an online security tool offering an unprecedented level of security for users of social-networking sites such as MySpace.

The company's proprietary technology keeps unwanted adults out of social- networking sites by verifying each user's identity with fingerprint technology backed by in-person registration. In addition to identity and age verification, the safeTspace process obtains parental consent for users under 18 years old. The technology protects the child - and not the computer - allowing them to log on and be protected at any computer.

The safeTspace technology is initially aimed at companies that host social-networking sites used by children. Currently, those registering on such sites are on the honor system to supply their ages, creating a potentially dangerous environment for children who could be approached by unwanted adults. According to statistics gathered by safeTspace, a staggering number of children are solicited by sexual predators on the Internet, with 1 in 7 kids ages 10-17 receiving unwanted sexual solicitations online, while 75 percent of youth who received an online sexual solicitation did not tell a parent.

"We are committed to protecting the children who use these sites, providing parents with the confidence that their children are protected from society's worst," said Chris Hagenbuch, one of three founders of the Baltimore-based company. "While other solutions rely on the honor system or check a user's registration against public records, only safeTspace verifies a user's identity in-person and continues to check the user through biometrics. Until now, there's been no effective way of knowing if someone on the Internet is really who they say they are."

In the U.S., social-networking sites are under pressure to offer an elevated security system, as attorneys general nationwide are pushing for laws to punish sites that do not comply. For example, a proposal under consideration in Connecticut would impose fines of up to $5,000 per violation for sites that fail to verify ages and obtain parental permission of users under 18. If approved, the law would take effect in October.

"We offer the solution that social-networking and online communities are currently looking for - a proven technology that provides users with an elevated verification system," Hagenbuch said. "With the safeTspace system in place, social-networking sites would be in compliance with the law while parents can be sure their children are communicating with other children, and not unwanted adults masquerading as children."

Hagenbuch and the firm's other co-founders - all parents of young children - worked as government contractors in identity management and credentialing prior to forming safeTspace.

While safeTspace was created initially for younger users of social networking sites and online communities, the technology can be used by anyone who wants to protect their identity through fingerprint technology. For more information visit http://www.safetspace.com/