Since I have lived in St. Louis all my life, I have been hearing about the “MySpace Suicide Hoax”. But these articles were all very interesting to me, especially the one from The New Yorker, because it really covered the case in great detail. I hadn't done much research on the topic before, and my only knowledge came from what I would hear on TV or on the radio.
I think the articles really speak to the need for laws that punish those who take part in cyberbullying. Technology is changing the way we do so many things these days, and the laws need to reflect that. I also think that the laws needs to do something about people who pretend to be someone they're not on the internet. I think the defense that she couldn't be held accountable for violating the user agreement on MySpace because she didn't read it is very faulty. While it is true that most people don't read the user agreements and agree to them anyway, it is also true that most people have the common sense not to pose as someone they're not, especially not to intentionally hurt a young child.
I think that is one of the biggest downfalls of the internet. It is so easy for anyone to get access to a computer, and then with that access to go on any website and pose as someone they're not. That can be harmful in many ways. As proven in the Megan Meier case, the internet is a very easy place to manipulate young peoples' feelings. While this wasn't discussed much in the articles, the internet is also an easy place for child predators to target children.
All of this is reasons why I think there should be harsh punishments for adults who engage in this horrific behavior. I also think parents need to talk to their children about the reasons why cyberbullying is wrong and how it can hurt people. Children need to understand that their actions can have unintended consequences and what kind of punishments they should be given. This is a big issue that parents and even schools need to deal with.
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I definitely agree with you when you said that parents, schools, and the law need to handle the issue of cyberbullying. I did not realize how out of hand it was getting and I too think that if we do not do something to prevent it, it will become even more prevelant in the future. I also agree with your point that children need to know that something which may seem innocent can have terrible consequences. It may not be realistic but I do think that all parents should monitor and know what their children are doing online. It may sound like tough love but if the child gets upset with this you can always take it away. I feel as though being on the internet and especially on sites such as myspace are a privilege.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your position of making tougher laws. In court, it should not be allowed to just push past the fact that she made the agreement to abide my MySpace rules purely because most people don't read it. Then, the same logic would be used in other arenas purely because someone did not read the law. That sort of logic could lead to the downfall of many parts of our society as it would basically allow a free for all as long as you said you were unaware of a specific law.
ReplyDelete--Emily Rhoads