I'm Back

Ok so we had some issues with trolls. You know middle school like personal attacks. I mean really get a life come up with something better. Just the number of comments from one person I had to shut down for a bit. I mean really they used a fake profile. Didn't even have the balls to use their real name.

Which brings me to a new thing. Apparently rumor has it the new cool thing for bloggers to do is get fake profiles. These are not to protect their identity or anything like that. Nope it's to harass and be outright rude to others yet keep their squeaky clean I'm so great blogger act up. My understanding is the intent for these profiles is to cyber-bully.

Trust me I know by writing this the comments are going to come, they will bitch, they will cry. Even play the victim because someone wrote a blog about them. Well guess what if you think this blog is about you than you are a bitch who is doing more harm than good to our community. Go ahead whine. Get your mob to take up the pitchforks and come at me. In the end it speaks more to you and your mentality than it does me.

I will not be bullied into staying silent, just because I don't sit at the cool table. Your middle school behavior calling me fat, lazy, worthless, slut, etc.. Is just that middle school mean girl attitudes that you never grew out of. Your life must be pretty pathetic that you have to attack someone online that you don't even know. Cyber-bullying does not only affect kids. Adults can be victims as well.

"Why Don't We Call Adult Cyberharassment "Cyberbullying"? Parry Aftab reminds us that, with cyber-bullying and harassment, what we need to know as adults we already learned in kindergarten. How does that work when the Internet was a twinkle in Vint Cerf's eye when most of us were young? It's not complicated. We all understand name-calling, being excluded or being threatened at some point in our young lives. Now imagine that we could retaliate against anyone who has wronged us, made us angry, jealous or unfairly-judged and not get caught. If we were invisible, what would be do or say to those we dislike or hold in contempt? How would we lash out against others, what would we do that we would never consider doing openly? That is cyber-harassment, and when it involves spying, tracking and targeting our online activities, communications and friends, is "cyber-stalking." But for all purposes, they are interchangeable terms. Several things motivate cyber-harassment. These can range from boredom and the harasser seeking entertainment to personal vendettas, and include:

1. Revenge
2. Jealousy
3. Righteousness
4. Bigotry
5. Fear
6. Anger
7. To get the attention of the target or others

Sometimes there is no motive at all, and the target was targeted merely because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It becomes a cybercrime of convenience." https://www.wiredsafety.org/subjects/cyberbullying.php

Facebook also has this mob mentality to it it. One person says something and then all of the sudden a bunch of people grab their pitchforks and jump in. Just watch it. If person A doesn't like person B Than none of their friends will like that person either. They do nothing to stop it they just join in. No one says hey wait this is wrong. Nope they just grab a pitchfork and attack. Frankly that is just as bad as the person who started it.

People are so tied up in people on Facebook liking them. people they don't even know. sure you think you know them but really you don't. You know what they allow you to know. What they want you to know. SO in this quest to be liked we give up common sense and decency and jump on their bandwagon. A simple Google search will bring up multiple articles on the mob effect. These two are just examples of hundreds.

"Individuals do not always think critically about the information they receive when they are in a crowd. It’s simply easier to go along with what everyone else seems to be supporting.  "  http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2011/08/mob_mentality_shows_dark_side.html

This is a great article on the Lynch-mob mentality of Facebook. "As mentioned earlier, social media has been lauded for the way it allows anyone with a social footprint to share their point of view. The trouble with anything that offers this kind of untethered “freedom” is that it often leads to untethered hate.

Instead of needing the bravery (stupidity?) to face someone head on and in person, the web allows the comfort of a screen and being thousands of miles away from the target of their abuse. Instead of leading to mature discussions around common goals, frustrations and injustices, it’s led to the bear pit mentality that we seem to be seeing more of. Ironically, as social media matures, the audience seems to be going the other way." http://dannybrown.me/2014/01/07/social-media-bullying-and-the-growing-lynch-mob-mentality/

Here is the thing cyber-bullying can have legal repercussions as well. There have been a few cases of cyber-bullying that ended not only in suicide but the tormentors being charged with murder. So you think its cute and just a little fun to be a jerk well it could land your butt in jail.

Some legal ramifications include but are not limited too: (vary by state as well

" Civil causes of action for alleged torts like defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, premises liability, vicarious liability, and damages;Civil causes of action for alleged free speech, equal protection, and privacy violations;

• Student and employee discipline for harassment and violations of institutional policies and codes of conduct—Effective July 1, 2012, California elementary and secondary schools will also be able to suspend and expel students for cyberbullying that satisfies certain legal requirements under California Education Code section 48900(r); and
• Criminal charges and prosecution for hate crimes, impersonation, harassment, cyberbullying, and violations under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA)." http://safely.yahoo.com/blogs/expert-advice/civil-criminal-consequences-cyberbullying-064931462.html
So what should you do. http://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/how-to-report/index.html says:

"When cyberbullying happens, it is important to document and report the behavior so it can be addressed.

Steps to Take Immediately

• Don’t respond to and don’t forward cyberbullying messages.
• Keep evidence of cyberbullying. Record the dates, times, and descriptions of instances when cyberbullying has occurred. Save and print screenshots, emails, and text messages. Use this evidence to report cyberbullying to web and cell phone service providers.
• Block the person who is cyberbullying.

Report Cyberbullying to Online Service Providers

Cyberbullying often violates the terms of service established by social media sites and internet service providers.

• Review their terms and conditions or rights and responsibilities sections. These describe content that is or is not appropriate.
• Visit social media safety centers to learn how to block users and change settings to control who can contact you.
• Report cyberbullying to the social media site so they can take action against users abusing the terms of service.  

Report Cyberbullying to Law Enforcement

When cyberbullying involves these activities it is considered a crime and should be reported to law enforcement:

• Threats of violence
• Child pornography or sending sexually explicit messages or photos
• Taking a photo or video of someone in a place where he or she would expect privacy
• Stalking and hate crimes

Some states consider other forms of cyberbullying criminal. Consult your state’s laws and law enforcement for additional guidance.

Report Cyberbullying to Schools

• Cyberbullying can create a disruptive environment at school and is often related to in-person bullying. The school can use the information to help inform prevention and response strategies.
• In many states, schools are required to address cyberbullying in their anti-bullying policy. Some state laws also cover off-campus behavior that creates a hostile school environment."

"While we may feel it’s funny to latch onto a trending topic or viral event, it’s all too easy to forget in the heat of the moment what the eventual outcome may be.

And, as the sad cases of Rehtaeh Parsons http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/child-porn-charges-against-2-teens-in-rehtaeh-parsons-case-1.1320438 and Hannah Smith http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/aug/19/ask-fm-cyberbully-hannah-smith-death and others like them shows, this pulpit doesn’t end with emotional upset by the victim…" ( http://dannybrown.me/2014/01/07/social-media-bullying-and-the-growing-lynch-mob-mentality/)

I'm just trying to say stop being jerks. The drama and bullying distracts from any message you may really have.

The following movie is long but worth a watch.