Honeytrap - malevolent forces at work?

SueDonim

I feel a bit queasy, having read your post about Vaz, Urms. 🤢

I have no sympathy with Wragg. He’s done a despicable thing in selling his colleagues down the river. Isn’t it breaking data protection laws to hand out other ppl’s info, anyway? I never even pass on my AC contact details without checking with them first.

And explicit photos? A teacher friend says they teach their primary age pupils that you never send anything to anyone that you wouldn’t happy showing to your mum or your school mates.

Ironically Wragg trained as a primary school teacher prior to entering parliament.

Why would anyone be blackmailed for having sex? It’s not illegal to have sex provided you’re over the age of 16.

I could think of many reasons why you would be blackmailed, you are gay and your family dont know, you don't want a photo of yourself on social media, etc.

or more to the point, the person with whom you are consorting is over 16 years.
even then, there are restrictions, issues of trust, professional relationship etc.

It’s about shared photos apparently. I think anyone using some of these websites for sexual encounters deserves all they get. There are other, safer, ways to meet people.

What? So now we are saying people have to meet people in the way we approve of or they deserve to be blackmailed.

Germanshepherdsmum

It’s about shared photos apparently. I think anyone using some of these websites for sexual encounters deserves all they get. There are other, safer, ways to meet people.

I agree. We hear from the press that there are three MPs who sent explicit photos so far - but there could easily be more than that. I haven’t heard that anybody met anybody though, so in that sense the parallel with past MP misdemeanours is tenuous, this is a different, online ballgame (no pun intended). Presumably it’s the explicit nature of the photographs and what was discussed online that is the blackmail threat.

Galaxy

I could think of many reasons why you would be blackmailed, you are gay and your family dont know, you don't want a photo of yourself on social media, etc.

But generally if you work for government you undergo clearance which requires you to disclose personal information in which someone could blackmail you with. He is supposed to tell the relevant people rather than share sensitive information ( I mean other peoples details) These systems are in place to stop this happening.

I am not homophobic, but I believe that gay men are far more likely to be subject to blackmail and are thus a greater security risk, even now.

They ask you about sexual practice though during the vetting. His employers would know. Unless they don’t vet them as properly as they would a civil servant. It’s is confusing why he wouldn’t have fessed up as soon as he knew/was being coerced

Galaxy

What? So now we are saying people have to meet people in the way we approve of or they deserve to be blackmailed.

No. but when they are involved in occupations where they are worth blackmailing, they ought to be aware that someone, or some organisation, is likely to consider any non-mainstream sexual preferences and/or a random choice of partner as a chance to put you in a position where they can apply pressure.

He wouldn’t have been asked about his sexuality before he became an MP. I have no idea what, if any, questions would have been asked before he was given a ministerial appointment. Obviously it’s unlawful to discriminate against anyone on the grounds of their sexuality.

Why would anyone send a pic of their todger to someone they don’t know? Apparently it’s common on Grindr. I would expect an MP to have more sense, but the. To send other peoples details to avoid blackmail - it's a murky story.

They do ask you when you have security clearance, especially DV clearance. Do MPs not have clearance like the rest of people with access to government files? If they don’t that’s quite shocking really

Nolan Principles

Integrity

1:2: Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

1.4 Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

Any holder of public office, male or female, straight or gay knows that inappropriate sexual conduct can leave them open to this kind of exploitation.

who are MPs' employers ?
they are not civil servants.
doubt they are subject to that vetting, except maybe informally, by parties' selection committees.

Being on a dating app is not inappropriate sexual conduct.
I just think it is a very slippery slope. Being on dating apps is the way people meet, it can not in anyway be described as outside of the mainstream. I am not usually to be found defending mens sexual behaviour but I am much more concerned about whoever blackmailed these MPs.

It wasn’t just a dating app though - he sent explicit photo of his anatomy to someone he didn’t know - I would consider this crossing a red line.

Why would anyone send a pic of their todger to someone they don’t know?

.... or even to someone they do!

And why do men think it's a thing of beauty??

I know he did. But that's not what's being said on this thread. There is talk of 'mainstream practice' and those being on dating apps deserving all they get.
What if he had met someone in a pub and had a one night stand. Then they blackmailed him by saying they would share details. Mps are entitled to have sex, (preferably without photos) but there is something about this that makes me worry.

Quote Galaxy Fri 05-Apr-24 17:52:53
Being on a dating app is not inappropriate sexual conduct.
I just think it is a very slippery slope. Being on dating apps is the way people meet, it can not in anyway be described as outside of the mainstream. I am not usually to be found defending mens sexual behaviour but I am much more concerned about whoever blackmailed these MPs.

With you Galaxy.

Grindr, if that is what Wragg used, is a lot more sinister than the average dating app. It has been dubbed the World's Biggest, Scariest Gay Bar. It had infringed regulations on data privacy and been subject to heavy fines for it. It doesn’t verify the age of adolescents using it. Anyone in public life using it to exchange pornography is taking a huge risk.

I think some posters don’t realise how unsafe the Grindr app is.
They now have access to everything on his phone. Plus they have access to the other numbers details.
I don’t care what he does in his private life but his shear stupidity is unforgivable 😡

I know of 2 young boys ( 14 yrs old) who set up a Grindr account to trap another young lad.

Surely it’s not just about being on a dating app though is it? It’s sharing others details and sending explicit photos.