A Facebook page with advice on seducing underage girls, including what songs to play and how much alcohol to offer, has been shut down after Mounties approached its young adult authors.
Police say girls as young as 13 were targeted in the how-to guide, which was posted by two Castlegar, B.C. residents in their early 20s. The article also had instructions on how to react if caught by her parents.
City councillor Deb MacIntosh called it "one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen."
"It literally took my breath away it was so awful," MacIntosh told ctvbc.ca. "People are teaching young men to be predators. It's horrendous."
Police say the authors are not facing charges, however, because of a carefully-worded disclaimer posted on the page.
"It's illegal to tell someone to commit a criminal offence, especially if that person follows through on it – but in this instance they warn the reader to be careful, and to make sure it's legal before they engage in any activity," Cpl. Dan Pollock told ctvbc.ca.
They're not in the clear yet, though. Pollock said if anyone should use their advice to commit an offence, despite the disclaimer, the authors could be held criminally responsible.
The young men, whose names have not been released, agreed to remove the page after it drew police attention, but MacIntosh said it has already been downloaded by area youths.
The councilor said it's ultimately the responsibility of parents to inform their children about potential social dangers and to monitor their online activity.
"You don't have to be one of those militant parents who check on everything, but know who they're talking to," she said.
And legal or illegal, Pollock said posting offensive material online can come back to haunt you.
"Once you put a message on the internet it's out there forever," he said. "If you want a respectable job in your community having this in the past, [it] could resurrect at any time."
