We've all heard stories in the US about internet bullies but no formal laws have been passed to address it. The UK is doing something about it -- they have jailed 18 year old Keeley Houghton
for internet bullying . She spent 6 weeks in Eastwood Park prison in Gloucestershire, because she posted a threatening message about another girl on her own Facebook profile. "Part of the message read: "Keeley is going to murder the bitch," according to the Press Association."
"In a poll of 2,094 young people across England conducted by the charity, 30 percent of 11 to 16-year-olds who had been "cyberbullied" had been targeted on Bebo.
"In response to this Bebo has posted a panic button on their site which allows children who are fearful to report abuse.
Facebook on the other hand which has over 300M users worldwide said they dont think a button will help, and that they have other measures in place. I have a facebook account and the only option I see is "Remove from friends". Shouldn't a measure be put in place that is also easy to find?
5 comments:
I also have a Facebook account. I realize people can easily report inappropriate photo's to Facebook headquarters or delete friends.
However I don't think a report abuse button is necessary to prevent bullying. Everything typed on Facebook and social networking sites can be copied and pasted or copied with a screen shot. If there are any signs of bullying or threats the victim or witness can easily record it and report it to authorities or the Facebook Team.
Social networking is but an extension of our own culture and society. It takes the schoolyard social dynamic and connects it beyond the last period of the day to a round the clock network.
It is not to Facebook we should be looking for answers to online bullying. If there is bullying going on online, then there is bullying going on offline. The problem is not the websites, but humans themselves. Adding a bully button isn't going to stop bullying. Facebook is not the bully, the kid behind it is.
Michael that is true. Although I think the Facebook button is unnecessary.
I think social networking is a great tool to prevent malice from spreading among the media, workplace and public, as it provides an opportunity to intervene. For example if a person is constantly harassed in the schoolyard, workplace, or spreading rumors there is no hard evidence since it is all oral and the problem will most likely be ignored since there is nothing to act upon. Unless it is physical then there is hard evidence.
Messages posted on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc are automatically on the record. If threats, racist remarks, unethical stories,etc start spreading in cyber space, it can easily be saved, printed and reported to authorities and/or supervisors.
Former writer at the NY Post, Sandra Guzman is suing the paper not only for racism about the caricature, which was perceived as comparing Obama to a dead chimpanzee. According to the AP. "The lawsuit said Guzman was subjected to a hostile work environment in which women and minority employees were continually subjected to discrimination and hostility."
"The lawsuit portrayed the Post as a nest of inappropriate and sexist comments and conduct and a place where racist comments were commonplace."
I think Guzman’s statement in her lawsuit is so vague and if there were comments pertaining Guzman’s complaints about the New York Post on social networking sites, her lawyer and the authorities would have a much easier time building the case because their would be evidence to support it.
Facebook is a double edge sword.On one hand, the ability to communicate with people you may have otherwise lost touch with, or find people who evoke wonderful childhood memories, is great.
However, the frightening part of facebook to me, stems from the same accessabilities.Anyone can find you, and private info can be relatively easily obtained.In fact, right now there are two instances in the news, one of a teacher getting fired because of some vacation pictures she posted,and another ,a woman loosing her disability payments, partially attributed to the fact that she she also posted some pictures contrary to her reported condition.
These cases may not be the same situation as cyber bullying,but on facebook,you have the ability to say or do things , you think are without accountability.
This is what's concerning , and should be carefully thought about.So if Facebook is being used to make dangerous threats to someone, who didn't think about that accounabilty ,I think the receptor of those threats, should have the ability to press a button and report it.
I also disagree, with the thought that it's not the social networking that is the problem ,it's the person behind it. People become very brave when there is no real confrontation, and you don't see the person's face , or get a response.Putting a comment online is easier than a physical encounter .You can be cold and heartless with just typed words.I think social networking has added to our societies lack of social graces, our inability for our kids to not, verbally communicate well, and become less tolerant and compassionate.Cyber bullying is a perfect example of it
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