ITN - Corrie's net-stalking controversy 4 July 2001 The actor who plays an Internet stalker in a forthcoming Coronation Street storyline has called the lack of regulation on the World Wide Web "totally ludicrous". Sam Kane is to play a stalker who abducts the Street's teenage mum Sarah Louise Platt, who he meets in an Internet chatroom. Kane was outspoken about the lack of regulation of the Internet compared to other media. "In most forms of entertainment and media there are censors put in place for the protection of young people and children". "To me it seems totally ludicrous that there is no form of regulation on something as vast and easily accessible as the Internet." Echoing the kind of worries that many parents have he continued, "I am the father of two beautiful children and it terrifies me to think that in a few years my daughter or son could be exposed to who knows what kind of unsuitable people and subject matter on the Internet." Sam Kane was almost in tears when he watched his performance in Corrie as the internet pervert Gary. He plies her with wine and locks her in a bedroom. "I nearly cried when I saw how horrible my character is," he said. "I thought about the possibilities of what might happen to my own kids in the future." The popular soap opera has tried to make the storyline as realistic as possible, working with computer safety experts and the Government's Internet child protection task force to highlight the potential dangers of chat rooms. Kane hoped that the storyline may help underline the issue of Internet censorship or regulation, and bring home the message to parents that they need to regulate their child's Net habits. The stalkee, Sarah Louise, is played by 17-year-old Tina O'Brien. She has been involved in some dramatic storylines including thebirth of a baby to her character, who was 13 at the time. She revealed that she had had her own bad experiences in Internet chatrooms. "This guy kept chatting to us and he was obviously getting very interested and he promised to send us a bunch of flowers," she said. "But then he started getting quite obscene and he was quickly cut off." The soap has not shied away from 'heavy' issues, and has recently caused a stir with characters dying from cancer and falling victim to a rapist. To improve debate further Coronation Street's official website has joined with industry experts to establish a working group addressing the safety of children and teenagers in online chat rooms. |
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| The Sun - Corrie cyber stalker shock 5 July 2001 THIS is the chilling moment when a cyber stalker prepares to abduct Coronation Street's gymslip mum Sarah Louise Platt. Former Brookside star Sam Kane, 32, plays pervert Gary Adams who lures 15-year-old Sarah to his home after they become pals over the internet. |
Sarah, played by Tina O'Brien, 17, had believed she arranged a date with a teenage lad. But she was fooled by sinister Adams pretending to be a youngster. The special one-hour episode will be screened on July 15. Sam said: "It has been done to highlight the dangers of people in internet chat rooms who pretend they are someone else. "Parents must realise it is their responsibility to censor what their children are doing on the net." |