Typing technology could help police track down online paedophiles

PAEDOPHILES using the internet to target youngsters could be tracked down – by the way they use a keyboard.

Researchers are investigating ways to use technology that can determine a typist’s age, sex and culture within 10 keystrokes by monitoring their speed and rhythm. Professor Roy Maxion, associate professor at Newcastle University, has been carrying out the research in the US.

Former Northumbria Police detective chief inspector Phil Butler believes the technology could be useful in tracking down online fraudsters and paedophiles.

The murder of Darlington teenager Ashleigh Hall last year by a predator she met on Facebook has raised fresh calls for extra security to protect young people on the internet.

Butler, who heads Newcastle University’s CyberCrime and Computer Security department, said: “Roy’s research has the potential to be a fantastic tool to aid intelligence gathering for crime fighting agencies, in particular serious and organised crime and for those tracking down paedophiles.

“His work has enabled him to identify people by the way they type.

“We’re looking at the application of the research, particularly in relation to internet grooming.

“If children are talking to each other on Windows Live or MSN Messenger, we are looking at ways of providing the chatroom moderators with the technology to be able to see whether an adult is on there by the way they type.”

Mr Butler said the technology could also be used to prevent convicted sex offenders committing further crimes.

“As part of a sexual offences prevention order, courts currently have the power to ban a sex offender from using a computer,” he said. “With this technology the courts could force the offender to provide an example of their typing as a way of ensuring they don’t use a computer. This could then be analysed to see whether the sex offender has been using internet chatrooms.”

Mr Butler said the university was planning to submit a proposal to the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to fund further research.

He said the technology could also be used to prevent fraud at devices such as cash machines.