All the Dutch papers and their websites were quick to cover a warning from the Mijn Kind Online foundation (which promotes safe internet use) on Monday that paedophiles had discovered a new way of compromising Dutch children.

By sending an email with an attachment containing a ‘Trojan horse’ – a type of virus – paedophiles can take control of a child’s computer, and even take photographs of them via their webcam.
The organisation says on its website that the warning comes from police and justice ministry officials but says ‘little is known’ about the Dutch incidents. The Telegraaf simply states that ‘one case’ in the Netherlands is known to police. NOS says girls aged 11 to 15 have been blackmailed.
It takes maverick website Geen Stijl (no style) to point out that there have been viruses which can take over webcams since 1998. And, it says, funny that the police have not thought to warn virus and internet security experts about this not so new phenomenon.