Computer-generated child helps catch online predators

[IceForce]

Source: (including video and pictures) http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/05/21316335-virtual-girl-dubbed-sweetie-snares-thousands-of-would-be-sex-predators

So basically, a Dutch children's charity created an online profile for 'Sweetie', a computer-generated 10-year-old Filipino girl.
'Sweetie' was inundated with requests from men all around the world, who were willing to pay to see her take off her clothes in front of a webcam.
... Even though she's not actually a real person (of course, the men didn't know that).

So what do you think? Good idea? Were these men fools for getting duped by something so fake?

Personally, I can't help but think the fakeness would've become apparent sooner or later. But maybe it was deliberately done over a poor quality webcam, to make it less obvious.

 

[JoJo]

I think it's a great idea, my only concern is did the charity come out too early with the news, before any arrests? This could give a chance for the offenders to destroy any evidence, especially as the evidence collected by charity might not be able to be used in court as it was obtained by a third party rather than the authorities. I hope I'm wrong on that, any law experts out there to clarify this?

Edit: From the article:

The details of the 999 men and one woman that they managed to identify have now been passed on Interpol. However, police will only be able to prosecute suspects if they gather their own evidence.

Rats, I imagine a lot of hard drives will be thrown out tonight, if they haven't already been :-/

 

[Realitycrash]

Unsure if I am alright with baiting people into committing crimes. While the prospect of pedophiles in jail delights me, I am still not very comfortable with the method (and it's illegal in my home country).

 

[Jamieson 90]

While I applaud the charity since they have a good cause, this seems more of a hindrance than a help; unless this was conducted by the police they've basically just warned all those offenders and given them an opportunity to destroy any evidence the police could have used to catch them, not to mention the fact I'm very uncomfortable about vigilante justice, and then there are the legal and ethical issues concerning entrapment which is illegal in some countries, so basically this could have all been for naught.

 

[Scarim Coral]

It's fine by me althought I am getting a feeling someone out there is now working on a counter measure to check if the little girl on the other side is legit or a bot.