Should solicitation for babies to adopt be allowed at Yahoo Answers?

Question

Direct solicitations here at Yahoo Answers, as opposed to general questions about adoption, make me very uncomfortable. Not only is it unsafe from a number of standpoints, it is illegal in some states for hopeful adoptive parents to directly solicit through any media as well, so some may be breaking the law.

I also personally find it unethical.

So, should Yahoo specifically disallow and delete them? If so, what is the process for approaching the admins to add a new rule?

Answer 1

I've been where some of these couples are - wanting desperately to try anything to start a family.  The problem here is that I believe the people making these posts truly have their hearts in the right place, and sometimes it does work.  We met our son's bio family through neighbors who knew that we wanted to adopt but didn't think we could afford it.  

But I do agree with you that the posts are a violation of Yahoo.  I worry about all of the internet scams out there and don't want to see these couples taken advantage of.  Dr Phil recently had a show about adoption scams and the internet.  I just can't imagine after all of the heartache we had with infertility, finding what we thought would be a good thing through the internet for adoption, and then finding out that it was all a scam.  I don't want to see any of these couples go thru that.  

Thanks for the attention to this!  :)

Answer 2

My homestudy has been completed for over three months and we really have no leads to permanent children. I was emailing some dude who said he had "lots of kids living with him and wanted to know if anyone wanted to adopt any of them" but he seemed very wishy-washy about whose kids they actually were and he also claimed to be on the other side of the planet.  but no, this isn't the place to look for kids. Try somewhere like adoptuskids.com. plenty of kids there.

Answer 3

I don't think that Yahoo should allow this sort of thing.  It seems too much like human trafficking.  Anyone who is sincerely interested in becoming an adoptive parent should be willing to go through the proper procedures.

Answer 4

There are different ways that those types of posts violate the Yahoo Answers guidelines.

The rules that they break are:

2. Exploit, solicit, or harm minors.  (how many times do you read a question from a teenage girl in a crisis pregnancy asking for advice and getting the reply of "I will adopt your baby, contact me at..." or the question is aimed at finding these same girls who are minors.)

4. Solicit others for any purpose.  (Obvious on this one)

9. Post content for advertising or commercial purposes.

When a question or answer violates the community guidelines, it is advised to click the report abuse button.

Answer 5

It belittles the sanctity of adoption, and as a birth mom, it makes me sick that some "adults" are on here asking for babies. This is what an agency is for. And yes, it is illegal. It's called black market baby trafficking.

Answer 6

The problem is:

1.  Young women who are pregnant (or young mothers) who are sincerely looking for adoptive parents on the internet net are vulnerable and under stress and can be taken advantage of.

2.  Women saying they are pregnant (or that they want to place their baby/child for adoption) but instead are just trying to get attention or money, can destroy the hopes of sincere hopeful adoptive parents.

3.  Women who say they are pregnant and considering adoption, and go online "looking for" parents, can perpetuate the actions of those who may be inappropriate parents, pedophiles, or criminals.

3.  Hopeful adoptive parents who search the Internet may not even have a homestudy (be approved), and yet are trying to "find" a baby!  (The dangerous thing about the internet is that it's instantaneous: Maybe this "adoptive couple" just thought of this adoption "idea" five minutes ago!) Meanwhile, approved adoptive parents, who have applied, gotten an approved homestudy, passed all kinds of background checks, gotten references and counseling, and may have been waiting for years -- are still waiting.

People who want to adopt need to, for everyone's sake, especially THE CHILD'S SAKE, go through professionals whose expertise and education enables them to guide birthmothers and adoptive parents alike through the ethical, appropriate education and procedures for adoption.

Answer 7

People who solicite a baby is just immoral,  I don't see how any biological parents can give up their baby on this site and not have a background checks. I mean, how can people just hand a baby to a stranger? Infants are totally helpless and should be protected. I couldn't imagine, what some people will do to these babies, when things like human trafficking and organ trades still happens in this world.

I agree with you, Yahoo should bane questions that are using illegal way to solicite for a child.

Answer 8

Yes it shouldn't be allowed.  That is what a adoption agency is for.  Yahoo should delete their accounts and ban their IP address.  That's unsafe and dangerous.

Answer 9

I think most of what you say is correct, however, if you study other categories, the comments and questions there make me uncomfortable as well.  I do know this, most potential adoptive parents (in the early stages), are uneducated on the adoption process, only something you can learn by being actively involved in the adoption community, reading books, going to seminars, talking to people.  It is VERY risky to solicit on line, and I don't think most that do, are fully aware of how many scam artists there are out there waiting to steal their money, and ultimately break their hearts.

Answer 10

I agree with you. I think that the people (soliciting for babies)  are probably people that have good intentions but just don't know the proper avenues for adopting a child. I don't actually think anyone would see that kind of posting and just give up their baby to someone over the internet.

Infertility is a very serious issue and I can understand that it can make people feel very desperate for a family. That being said, I think the gentle responses that guide people to using adoption agencies are the most sensitive response.

Answer 11

you have to make a suggestion on their suggestion boards and they will get back to you.  As for the other part of your question, I have no opinion either way.

Answer 12

I don't agree with a lot of the answers you got for this reason: It is VERY expensive to adopt a baby & a lot of these couples have been trying for years. Getting a newborn baby is almost impossible because by the time all the red tape in cleared these babies have been in foster homes for several months, if not years. I know we have a lot of older children who need homes too but some of these couples don't want kids who have been in the system for so long & that leaves scars (I was in the system for a while so I know about these scars). I'm not saying that answers is the place for it but I can sympothize with these desperate people. We need to approach congress about the prices the adoption agencies & the attorneys are charging these people to make their dream of being a parent come true. I call it "black market".

Answer 13

I don't think people who post such questions are trying to do harm.  Removing their questions, without explaining what the problem is, won't help.  Under the current system, they consistently are referred to the appropriate routes for adoption by other users, so I think it's best that it stays that way.

Answer 14

no, thats so unprofessional and unsafe.

Answer 15

I completely agree, it's so wrong!!! I mean, sure those babies need to be adopted, but this is not the right type of environment to find good parents for the babies. You never know what kind of creep could be reading them.