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Parents Warned Of Online Parties Featuring Drugs, Alcohol

POSTED: 10:16 pm PDT April 23, 2009
UPDATED: 1:06 am PDT April 24, 2009

The trend of online parties catering to young teenagers is growing around San Diego County, 10News reported.

The parties occur almost every night of the week, authorities said, and often include adult-related content.

Online party promoters are renting banquet halls and recreation centers and then promoting their party instantly through social media Web sites such as MySpace, Twitter and YouTube.

The word spread fast, and authorities call it a danger to teens.

The images can often be very risqué for these parties that are advertised through social media Web sites. Video from the party is later uploaded on the same sites.

However, many times the partygoers are very young teenagers.

Ex-partygoer Jaciel told 10News, "Anything and everything can go … girls are 13, 14, 15 (years old), and that's just way too young for my comfort level."

Jaciel, 18, said he used to go to these online parties but felt something just was not right.

"You have legal adults mixing with minors," said Jaciel.

Authorities said men as old as 21 years old and girls as young as 14 years of age often attend the parties.

Drug and alcohol use is common at these parties, authorities said.

Party promoters are operating without permits and those in charge of security look the other way, authorities said.

"They'll go to the parking lot. They'll drink there. They'll drink before they get there," said Jaciel. "If somebody saw what went on at these parties, and somebody went and actually saw what went on, you would never want your child to leave the house."

On Friday, members of the San Diego and Chula Vista police departments will address this issue at the North Park Community Park.

The departments said they want to deliver a stern warning to parents and the promoters of these parties.

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