Earlier today we told you about how 49 states are going into a comprehensive partnership with MySpace to stop sexual predators and protect children on social networks. Those of us good at geography remember that there are 50 states, so who is the odd one out that isn't part of this "joint statement?" In case you haven't guessed it yet, it's the Lone Star State, Texas.

Greg Abbott, the Texas Attorney General, explains the reasons for not participating like this: the implementations that are suggested by the statement are more like window dressing rather than a reliable way of keeping children safe online. And yes, although it is a good idea in essence, it is not as if this is going to change anything in regards to protecting social network users, and therefore inadequate. As such, if Texas joined, it would convey a false sense of security to parents and children - which, according to Abbott, can't be solved until an age verification system is in place.

Although Abbott's stand against the herd is admirable, the idea of an age verification system is not very appealing. For example, surrendering credit card information or social security numbers to prove one's age just to use a social network is probably not going to sit too well with a lot of users. Even if a great system is developed, like some sort of age verification service that is compatible with a number of sites, people will look for alternatives that don't impose these barriers upon users.

Ultimately, with social networks moving towards openness and data portability, this is going to be a fine balancing act between enforced security measures and trusting users to manage their own security.

[via News.com]

The beloved, and sometimes hated, browser cookie has been entered into evidence in a Texas court. A Texas man actually used the cookies on his computer as a trail of time stamped data of his web activities to try and prove his innocence and where he was at the time prosecutors say he was somewhere else. Mr. Texas had a court restraining order in place from his ex-wife, and Mrs. Ex-Texas claimed to have seen him stalking her. Mr. Texas had a great excuse, he was checking out the Home Depot website that morning, and could not have possibly been stalking. Mr. Texas made a disk showing his online actions stamped by cookies embedded on his computer. The trail of data didn't prove effective however. The jury agreed with the prosecution that the cookie data could have been altered, and poor Mr. Texas has to face 365 of confinement, and a $2000 fine. Why his legal representatives didn't try and use the actual computer logs from the websites in question and his internet service provider data is unclear. He might have had a chance to be a free man.