Topic : 01/08 Cyber Bullies

I may only be 13. but that is the exact age of Megan who commited suicide. I believe I can understand how she feels though not having gone through it myself.  Being 13 I know all about how everyone says ' I will be strong enogh to say no to peer pressure' or 'I wouldn't let that type of thing break me' in that moment when everything is fine. When peer pressure or bullying strikes you, you can almost lose control of what and who affects how you feel and if the pressure or bullying is enough I can see how she felt this is the only way to stop. Bullying of any kind is horribly wrong. I 100% disagree with it. I cant even begin to understand what was going through the head of that girl who made that myspace page. I can't believe there are such mean people in the world. It makes me sick. I feel horribly for the family of innocent Megan. I believe that the person/people responsible for taking her life should be punished by law. Yes I agree with free speech as in being able o  say what you want and not having your thoughts put down by society but if what free speech has become today is saying rude, mean, horrible things to someone long enough to have them rather die than have it go on. That is something I certainly do not agree with.

I was wondering why the mother didn't "block" the user from her daughters myspace account.  She didn't not have to speak to that Josh Evans ever again if she didnt wish to...

Isn't there a law on the books, (passed by Bush about 2-3 years ago) that is against cyber bullies that pretend to be someone else while bullying? I am sure there was - it was a big "ta-do" back then! 

I think what Sandy was trying to say is that the government has determined for us what is suppose to be offensive. well that again is a generalization that is usually what gets people in trouble in the first place.  I offer as an example: my company has "an end of the year" celebration which they refuse to call a holiday or christmas party because that title may offend someone however the entire month of December the office satelite music station plays Christmas music - what is offensive to some is not always offensive to others and who draws the line and where is it drawn?  Sandy thought the joke was funny, it was perhaps funny as it poked "fun" at all those groups and various demographics that numerous people in this country are so quick to judge others . The country needs to lighten up and laugh alittle more at ourselves instead of each other. why do we have to be so PC?

I totally agree that Congress must create national laws in regards to criminal activity online. Assaults that occur on the internet are warning signs of sociopathological behavior on behalf of possible future criminals. Why is it that in America a certain number of people must be victimized by violence in order for legislation to be passed? Individuals who go online to assault other people sexually or racially are sick and have either serious anger management issues or psychopathological issues that can and do spill over into real life situations. Most websites are prone to abuse by sociopaths who cannot function properly in the real world and take their problems out on people online. I for one am considering getting rid of the internet in my home completely. I am an avid computer user and doing this will hamper my ability to use the internet with ease. However, the internet is so out of hand that I might just stop paying the fees the ISPs are charging for a service that has been overwhelmed by various forms of corruption.

Cyberbullying isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Read on...

First I'll say that it doesn't just appear on the message boards.  It also occurs "behind the scenes" in email.  I used to be a very active member in the Adobe message boards...knew two software product backward and forward and helped others who had difficulties in the software.  I spent a LIMITLESS amount of time pushing the software and discouraged piracy...a real Adobe advocate in every sense of the word.  I was well accepted, well liked to the point where I was invited into a secret forum.  
 When it was discovered, a few people were against a very personal, yet not rare, feature that in no way relates to the company or their product, they spread rumors and shunned me.   This wasn't something that is highly unexceptable in our society.  This is something that applies to at LEAST 60% of our society and I am being conservitave.  In fact, some in the forum were also "guilty" of this but denied it. Let me stress that my posts did not reflect anything about me concerning this issue. It was discovered in secret by people who were intolerant.  If I told you what this characteristic was, you'd  scratch your head and wonder why I was rejected.  I refrain from revealing it to prevent off-the-subject arguments.
My sense of being shunned is NOT my imagination. If I log on under my normal username, they ignore me, except for a few newbies who don't know who I am. This includes complimenting people who shun me. When I logged in under a different name...a NEW name...they accepted me, laughed at my quips and jokes, enjoyed my company.  I complimented others who responded with hearty "thank-you"...  until I said something that revealed who I was.  Then I was shunned and no replies existed after anything I said..even compliments directed at individuals..  It had nothing to do with what I said...it had everything to do with the fact that the monitors were able to match IP numbers with posters, and this cannot be altered like logon names can.
My imagination again?  Nope!  I tried the experiment again and the EXACT responses played out...Accept, laugh, discover...ostracize. 
In a way, though, I have to hold them responsible for my financial success.  I quit attending the message boards and directed my attention and time toward a business that is very successful.  I wouldn't have been this successful if I had remained popular on the message boards.

I also have them to thank for releiving me of the compulsion to upgrade every piece of software and hardware just to "keep up with the in crowd".  I was replacing fairly new paraphernalia with brand new equiptment that I didn't need.

I didn't realize how much time I was wasting by posting, checking replies, posting replies to replies, starting new posts, checking all the replies to every post and reply...it became very time-consuming.  Not to mention the time it took to learn new features of computer paraphernalia that was unnecessary. 

Yes, I initially felt like a reject, but my clients don't reject me. 

Because I was singled out by immature message board attendants, I have SAVED money and MADE more money than I ever thought possible. 

I won't go back to that message board...not because of their weaknesses...but because of my strengths...and because i don't have time.

i believe this is totally unacceptable and unbelievable in our day and age this could and did happen ,my heart goes out to the family and law enforceforcement should be doing something to change this so it never happens again. 

I am truly sorry for your loss.  I have 2 daughters and I monitored the things they did on line until they moved out of my house for college.  I couldn't control everything, and I certainly tried my best.  They will always find ways around the parents......just something kids do.  Thankfully, nothing horrible happened to them.  I believe that I might get myself into a heap of trouble living so close to the horrible person that had a big hand in your daughters death.   Stay strong.  Fight this horrible injustice. 

 

To all the ones out there voicing your opinion against Meghan's parents......you obviously aren't one yourself.   Otherwise you would know how hard it is sometimes.  There are always two sides to every story.  You have no idea why Meghan's mom responded to her the way she did.....so, pipe down.

In Florida we do have a cyber stalking law.  However, I did find out just how untrained law enforcement and the state attorney are when it comes to prosecuting this law.  I myself was a victim.  We need to push for more strict guidelines, and make it completely traceable through the ISP!  We need to have law enforcement understand that just because the crazy maniac from the chatroom has not shown up on our doorstep, does not mean that they won't and that it is not a real threat.

 

Kudos to Dr. Phil!