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Posted By:
GeorgeH
68 days ago
Topic Type: News Story (Jump to http://www.cbsnews.com)
Category: Other Social Media
This is truly the dark side of social media and tied into the other Sphinn "Angry? Destroy Their Reputation Online!".
Will this lead to tougher laws?
2 Comments
Comments
I thought about my blog post (you reference) when I watched this story on the news. What happened to the teenage girl is horrendous but could happen to anyone who suffers from depression or disease that messes with hormones or mental function. Comments can be taken the wrong way or misunderstood, causing terrible feelings of rejection, suicide, etc.
I'd be happy to see more laws in place to protect from hacking and pretending to be someone you're not online. Sadly, though, as the victim of death threats and email bullying myself over the years, the Web is not some carefree utopia and isn't right for everyone.
The mother of the dead teen is right when she said that parents have to be informed and understand social media. We know this isn't possible, and people will get hurt. Or die.
It is the greatest fear I have with social media. One of the other Sphinns I posted to talked about how today's teens are lacking interpersonal skills due to online social media.
There are big issues that need to be looked at, as people tend to act very differently when they feel insulated from the human being on the other end of an action.
As I alluded to in my comments to that post, if you need further proof that people act very different in person than they do when disconnected, take a look at the way people drive. The average person wouldn't cut into a line at the bank or grocery store. The same person that might hold the door open for an elderly woman entering the post office will often cut her off in the parking lot or not let her into traffic...