The Problem of Cyber Bullying

[Sukerkin]

I know that we have touched on this subject before here at MT and that the views of some are that people should just 'tough it out' when faced with such a thing as concerted cyber bullying. However, when things like this tragic story come from such bullying, it is clear that simple attitude, that is effective for some, is insufficient. After all, bullies, by their nature, tend to seek out and torment the vulnerable.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/amanda-todd-cyber-bully-named-1381210

As a second topic, what do people think of the actions of Anonymous? My mind tells me it is very wrong, for it is all too easy to direct a mob at the innocent. My heart says, if they have the right man, then he deserves everything he gets. But really the law needs to act on such matters rather than the vigilanties of the web.

Finally:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/amanda-todd-facebook-page-set-1378930

We share the planet with all kinds of people but the web seems to give them licence to show their petty evils with impunity. As a man of my generation and my upbringing, I am revolted that people could behave so; even tho', superficially, they shame only themselves, they implicitly shame us all when they act so. It is as if the internet makes such victims not real to people. I appreciate 'black' (or 'gallows') humour and think perhaps that those posting such nastyness are not fully aware of the pain they cause for their moment of laughter. But in the end, I would keep my tongue silent even about my worst enemy when he had passed.

The fact that there seems absolutely no effective defence against this sort of behviour makes it all the worse.

 

[WC_lun]

Technology is a double edged sword and the internet is no exception. While it allows us far greater communication than ever before, it also allows those that feel the need to bully others a sense of empowerment because there are no or little repurcussions. Just about everyone knows that saying something ugly about a recentley passed friend or family member is very inappropriate and in real life runs the chance of the offending party getting thier nose broken. On the internet there is not such repurcussion, so the cowards all come out to pick at the corpse.

The young woman in the story made some mistakes in her short life. Who among us have not? She was also the victim of a predator. It is too bad that so many people want to focus on the victim instead of her tormentors.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Technology is a double edged sword and the internet is no exception. While it allows us far greater communication than ever before, it also allows those that feel the need to bully others a sense of empowerment because there are no or little repurcussions. Just about everyone knows that saying something ugly about a recentley passed friend or family member is very inappropriate and in real life runs the chance of the offending party getting thier nose broken. On the internet there is not such repurcussion, so the cowards all come out to pick at the corpse.

The young woman in the story made some mistakes in her short life. Who among us have not? She was also the victim of a predator. It is too bad that so many people want to focus on the victim instead of her tormentors.

Without even reading the story, we need to focus on victims so that we can learn what went wrong for them and why. Just because bullying is wrong, doesn't make acting like a victim right. We need to identify the victim mentality and squash it, even bully it out of our children.

 

[shesulsa]

How about Anonymous posts the names of the officers and investigators who don't do anything about this kind of crime? Where's the FBI in this? Isn't child pornography a federal crime?

How about they post the names of the administrators of the schools where this girl went and who did nothing to help her?

But then ... couldn't they also post the names of her parents and/or guardians who didn't turn her internet access off?

I don't know, I think there are pieces to this puzzle we're missing.

But to expect teen girls who are extremely insecure just by nature of their developmental age to "tough it out" or "drop the victim mentality" is probably to completely dismiss much of what being a teen girl is. Can we do better? Yes. Will it work on every girl everywhere? No.

I have had so many reports from children that their at-school bullies go about unchecked in their behavior I could vomit. Yet if they fight back all hell breaks loose and they get suspended.

What the heck is going on, people? What do you REALLY think is going on?

 

[WC_lun]

Blaming the victim is not the answer. Are there kids/people that play the victim card too often? Of course there are, but this young woman WAS a victim. Expecting her to be strong enough to bear the abuse she suffered from others is asinine because she shouldn't have to. That's like telling a child to tough out the beating from an abusive father.