Cyber Bullying: Bullying in the Digital Age

[EnigmaticCat]

I hope this is the right place to put this.  I was doing research for my thesis and I found a book where MyDeathSpace was mentioned.  It's Cyber Bullying: Bullying in the Digital Age by Robin M. Kowalski.
Here's the paragraph where MDS is mentioned:

Variants of social network sites have also been created in memory of deceased individuals who had profiles on social network sites. For example MyDeathSpace.com contains tributes to former members of MySpace who are no longer living. Clicking on the individual’s photo takes you to their MySpace page where people continue to post messages to the person. Although perhaps these sites provide cathartic value for some survivors, the sites also provide an opportunity for people to post comments and replies, many of them negative and inflammatory. It only takes a few minutes to find multiple instances of cyber bullying on the Web site, not all that surprising given that there is a section for hate mail. Posted within this part of the site’s discussion forum are hate emails that have been sent to the Web site. In one instance, a mother, whose daughter had died and whose picture and MySpace page were posted on MyDeathSpace.com, had posted a comment about how offensive she found the site to be and how she would do everything in her power to have the site removed. A torrent of responses from proponents of MyDeathSpace.com followed, many of which fit the definition of cyber bullying.

 

[sarabei]

Ummmm yeah...CYBER bullying...unless we harassed her outside of the forum how is it bullying???    I disagree with this article!   

[Apostate]

Cyber Bullying? How can you bully someone online? It is not like you can send them a bomb or something. Don't understand.

[EnigmaticCat]

Cyber Bullying? How can you bully someone online? It is not like you can send them a bomb or something. Don't understand.

You seriously have never heard of cyber bullying?  People have killed themselves over being bullied on the internet.

[IcingSugar]

You seriously have never heard of cyber bullying?  People have killed themselves over being bullied on the internet.

Probably one of those people that believes "sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me." 

[Distorted Angel]

Isn't sending hate mail a form of cyber bullying?   

[Feetprints]

Isn't sending hate mail a form of cyber bullying?   

Well, then you'd have to point to the fact that the hatemail is, most often, in response to having found a post about a friend or family member on here. So, it would still be considered as having been initiated by MDS.

[Distorted Angel]

Well, then you'd have to point to the fact that the hatemail is, most often, in response to having found a post about a friend or family member on here. So, it would still be considered as having been initiated by MDS.

I'd have to point out that a lot of those people, due to their emotions, object to perfectly respectful threads.  They lash out in the threads or by hate mail.  They initiate the hostility.  Their hostility initiates the bullying.  We just initiate a discussion.

[Azazel]

@ Apostate i can't believe you've never heard of cyber bullying.
  Where have you been for the last 20 years?  Under a rock or something?

[Nomad]

@ Apostate i can't believe you've never heard of cyber bullying.
  Where have you been for the last 20 years?  Under a rock or something?

20 years ago I was 14, and still using an Apple IIe.  Cyberbullying wasn't around then.

[g r ee n ey e s]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/bdQBurXQOeQ&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/bdQBurXQOeQ&rel=1</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/NbtajOvAU10&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/NbtajOvAU10&rel=1</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/1j6YA03hm4k&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/1j6YA03hm4k&rel=1</a>

[chimere]

Ahh. My school did a presentation on myspace and cyberbullying. nothing about mds though. (Hi by the way )

Although, all the trendy kids are on facebook these days. I didn't think myspace still had cyberbullies :p

[***JiLL***]

I understand that cyber bullying is a HUGE thing right now and I'm sure it can be devestating to the kids who are being bullied (as all of the suicides related to it posted on this site show). However, no one is forcing these kids to add the bullies to friend lists, or keep their profile pages public for people to post hateful comments on. I guess if I was in highschool I would probably understand it a little better...but if you're being bullied, why not change your e-mail address, make your pages private and not read the BS being posted?   Every social networking site and messenger has a way of blocking people right?

[navysailorx]

People are too sensitive. This new generation of kids is a bunch of panty waist wimps.