 Earlier this month I wrote about the art of e-manners, which are particularly important when interacting on social networking websites. Social networking websites are a wonderful product of the expanding Web 2.0 environment we live in. But like any service with potential benefits, these sites also carry negative repercussions if handled inappropriately. Users should always be cautious and responsible with the information, images and opinions they post publicly (after all, it is public!) and should never, ever use these virtual venues to instigate or promote offensive behavior or beliefs. Technology had given us fantastic ways to communicate with one another over the web. But what happens when that technology is severely abused? You get tragic stories like that of Megan Meier. In October of 2006, after a series malicious online messages—one stating that the “world would be better off without her—” Megan committed suicide by hanging herself in her bedroom closet. She was thirteen years old. The messages, sent with top social network MySpace, came from “Josh,” a 16-year-old boy with whom Megan had been chatting over the past weeks. This would be another lamentable story of a soured friendship taken to extremes... only there’s one problem: Josh doesn’t exist. Allegedly, a neighbor and mother of Megan’s former friend created the account under false pretenses (which violates MySpace terms and agreements of services). She communicated with Megan under the alias of a sixteen year old boy— Josh— creating a friendly, flirty rapport before crushing the girl with hateful messages. On Monday, the Associated Press reported that in Megan’s home state of Missouri, Governor Matt Blunt signed a bill prohibiting cyberbullying through more modern mediums. According to the AP, the bill includes new stipulations which will be added to the existing harassment laws; “harassment” is no longer legally defined as “communication... written or over the telephone.” Now, taking into consideration the influence and popularity of other technologies, the bill encompasses harassment “from computers, text messages and other electronic devices.” “This new law,” Blunt stated, “will ensure that we have the protections and penalties needed to safeguard Missourians from Internet harassment.” Megan’s mother was present at the signing of the bill, which was initiated by the terrible circumstances which surrounded the suicide. They all lead back to unfortunate truth highlighted by Ms. Meir— “This is not just one case with Megan.” The trial against the neighbor is still pending. In the mean time, I implore everyone who enjoys the fruits of social networking websites to handle them responsibly—with care and consideration for every word written, every picture posted, and every intention sent out there in the buzzing cyber world. |
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