My playground too…
I have long been a fan of the internet. You probably know this about me.
It’s a fabulous place, a fun playground filled with interesting people from all walks of life, from all over the world.
I have met some incredible people online – people I am proud to call friends in the real world.
The internet allows you to seek out the best, most inspiring, sweetest, funniest facets of human nature. Most of the time.
And then sometimes, a foul few ruin it for everyone.
Most of you already know the awful story of how anonymous ‘trolls’ (people who allow filth and ugliness to pour from minds through their keyboards) ganged up on an Australian TV presenter who dared to ‘out’ one of their kind publicly. I refuse to republish their vitriol here, but suffice it to say that they relentlessly called on her to take her own life. Seriously. She is in hospital as we speak. (If you want to know more background, the news story is here).
Incredibly, I have remained relatively free of this kind of attack during my years online. This is in spite of having a silly, could-be-rude blog name (which has afforded me a degree of anonymity that helps those close to me feel comfortable). In spite of working in an industry that has seen others become the victims of some extreme activists’ ‘virtual attacks’. For some reason (and I cannot believe it is simply my empty threat to use a whip) everyone has played beautifully in my corner of the internet. And I cannot tell you how surprised and delighted I am that this has been so.
I adore all my visitors – who arrive here from a spectrum of countries, backgrounds, beliefs, genders and sexual persuasions. Despite many of you living very different lives, you appreciate mine. And this is how it SHOULD be. This is the internet at it’s best.
I have a great friend who works in a hospital, and sees the result of cyber bullying at one of our local towns. She sees schoolkids on the verge of suicide and it (quite naturally) disturbs her deeply. She is strong in her belief that facebook is evil. I see her point, but also know how wonderful a tool it can be. I use facebook to share photos and stories and funny snippets from elsewhere with friends and family. I use it for business, for organising events, for letting my internets buds know about new posts on this blog. I chat with some of you there, and I love that it’s a two-way forum.
I try to adhere to the same rules I do in real life. If you cannot say something nice, try VERY hard not to say anything at all. I’m not perfect. I have regretted things I have said. But I have certainly NEVER wished anyone harm. Yet I wonder if everyone actually understands the responsibilities they have every time they push that ‘enter’ key?
I have long believed that kids should be taught at school what is means to ‘publish’ something. That once published, your words or images will remain FOREVER. To help or hurt you and others LONG into the future. That just because you delete something from your twitter or facebook stream, it is never actually removed indelibly. Anyone can take a screenshot and save it.
Kids need to know that it is okay to be different, to have opposing points of view to others, to debate a topic without allowing your language to degenerate into personal attacks. I sometimes wonder if ADULTS know where that line is anymore?
Certainly if one of us is feeling vulnerable and in need of support, we should all be there to do just that. Or at the very least, SHUT UP with the negative.
My friend believes social media is to blame.
I don’t.
Because it’s not facebook that is evil, or Twitter. Or even social media in general. The evil lives in the minds that hide behind the safety of anonymity or distance these tools provide. It finds safety here, and it can fester, encouraged by the evidence of others successfully venting their putrid thoughts in the open.
Without consequence.
And basically, to me, this is the cause and the answer rolled into one. There MUST be a consequence for vile behaviour (as there is In Real Life).
I know you cannot track these trolls down easily in person – they are cowardly and hide behind fake IDs and generic email accounts specifically set up for their bullying activities. But SURELY you can shut down their line to the world: their internet access? I wonder (in all my technical ignorance) can authorities not take away a troll’s individual voice? Identify and shut down their IP address? I am no expert but surely this is possible?
Because the internet is my playground, and your playground, and will be our children’s playground too. Let’s find a way keep it safe and clean and wonderful.
What are your thoughts on social media in general?
And what would you see done to bring justice to trolls like those who attacked Charlotte Dawson?
In anticipation…
BB
PS Images inserted to lighten the unusual weight of this post, and to encourage me to remember how great and inspiring and sweet my virtual playground usually is!
PPS If you want to read comment that doesn’t pull punches on this topic, read Jen’s rant here.
19 Comments
bushboy
I like the analogy of the second photo….keep the “bull” at a distance
bushboy´s last blog post ..Droving on a Sunday morning
Oopsiemumma
I completely agree with you. Social media isn’t to blame, humankind is at fault. But we probably need to look at some laws similar to someone harassing you at your home. There has to be some way that we can be tougher on people who troll.
Oopsiemumma´s last blog post ..Miss Princess is a tantrum champion with a LARGE repertoire!
jen
That’s my worry is that people will blame social media. It’s not the medium, it’s the people! Unfortunately it sounds as though Charlotte bought into the trolling a bit but that in no way condones what was said to her.
I think if someone’s being trolled, ignore them. Block them from your Twitter feed, unfriend them from Facebook etc etc. Then surround yourself with your friends.
jen´s last blog post ..I will remember her
KAddy
Well said BB.
Hippomanic Jen
Well said, and I simply LOVE the last photo. Contrast of texture and big brown eyes!
Fiona Lake
I agree that it’s not the medium that’s the problem it’s the users. However, because humans aren’t perfect, laws need to catch up. Service providers are increasingly being held responsible for user’s behaviour – this means that once they’re alerted to illegal behaviour it’s their responsibility to shut down the user’s account. Hopefully blogs, forums & new accounts on Twitter, Facebook etc will require users to verify their identity more accurately than is currently usual.
A significant undiscussed issue looms large in my mind, amongst all this. Why are people so concerned about anonymous insulters, when there are so many who are readily identified? Some of the comedians who are writing articles decrying troll behaviour, trot out such nasty, personal comments that I turn the TV off when they’re on. To hear them complain of nastiness sounds very much like ‘pot, pot, this is the kettle speaking’. The general public seems to view it as entirely acceptable to personally insult politicians and people such as Gina Rinehart. And it isn’t.
Gabi
Well said BB – I like playing in your playground!!
Penny Hannah
Couldn’t agree with you more – I LOVE Facebook and the internet. Since becoming disabled and confined to home, it’s my connection to the world and I’m thankful for it every day. Cyber bullying is horrible and I’m all for bringing back the rack, or at least the birch, for perpetrators!
Jodie aka mummaducka
I have been lucky too and haven’t come across any on my blog. Do you think they might just target tall poppies? I am an educator and I hope that the children I am dealing with will come out really well educated on this. I spend a great deal of time trying to teach them about etiquette and ethics. I think we were all just a bit too wowed by the technology to implement some social standards in the very beginning! and there was a certain amount hiding , but these days everything has a digital footprint. We are now trying to play catch up in teaching the kids about it!
Jodie aka mummaducka´s last blog post ..Calves, calves, calves!!!
jeanie
I agree a bit with your commenter Fiona – so much of what is “acceptable” is being pushed past the boundaries in so much media, not just social, these days that I fear that there are many who have NFI about seemly behaviour – and many of them (especially in our country) who would be aghast if a consequence were ever encountered.
jeanie´s last blog post ..August-us the grate…
Buttons
This is a wonderful post. You believe the same as I. I have also been lucky and you know, by being a cattle farmer we can be a little vulnerable to cyber opinions which is fine I respect the views of others but to cyber bully people is not necessary.
It breaks my heart that this goes on and our children need to know it can be a beautiful place to play(your words) where good friends are made but they also need to know there are nasty people out there who could spread negativity to this world.
I think they should investigate and prosecute those cyber bullies somehow.
I love your photos and I do hope our world remains the beautiful playground that it should be.
Take care Great post . B
Buttons´s last blog post ..Extra-large Green Please! (Part 2 of 2)
Andrew
I am surprised that I have never been attacked by trolls or a fatwah or christian equivalent issued on me. I’ve had some extremely nasty blog emails from one person, yet I know who he is and I have allowed him back to comment. For a time I just deleted any of his comments. The trigger for my blog, your comments will nice and you will not personally attack. It seems to work.
In my family only one brother and my mother don’t use computers, and they are the ones who have the most to say about the evils of Facebook.
Stay nice, don’t stoop to responding to personal insults, and as wonderful as the world of the internet is, it is quite different to real life, as it used to be.
I am pleased that I have stayed quite Anon in the internet. It gives you a bit of license. Haha, except you know who I am and my address.
Andrew´s last blog post ..Fruit
Theresa in Alberta
Social media is the only way I would get to “visit” folks like your family in the land of OZ!!!! I so enjoy reading blogs like yours from the comfort of my home here in Canada while drinking my morning coffee. Good taste never goes out of style, so my advice to you is to keep doing what you are doing!!! Keep it clean and fun. We cannot control the trolls, we can only control ourselves eh. see you later as I am on my way to Oklahoma, then off to the land of Her Majesty eh ;p
Nancy in Iowa
I agree with you whole heartedly. There are crude, ugly, evil people in the real world and they also use social media. Like the current controversy over pit bulls – it’s not the dogs’ fault, but the people who made them the way they are. My daughter was hit by trolls, although at the time I had never heard the term. She won a major prize in a contest on Facebook. While most people were submitting warm, congratulatory comments, there were several who wrote such nasty, hurtful comments that she called me across the country in tears. I told her these were obviously twisted people just envious because she won, not them. Her friends and family kept writing supportive messages, and she did get through it. The contest contact even emailed her to thank her for her patience and for not lowering herself to the level of the ugly commenters. It’s so sad that there are people who will strike out simply because they can do so from behind a screen of anonymity – they certainly wouldn’t have the courage to do it face to face.
debby
Iam not computer savvy enough to know whether it is possible or not, but I don’t believe that a person should be able to ‘hide’. I believe the pushishment should be exactly what it would be if the words were uttered to a person, directly to their face.
That being said, I still don’t understand why the woman gave any credence to their words. Why didn’t she shut off her phone? It breaks my heart that she was so affected by those hateful people.
debby´s last blog post ..True friends.
JENNY TALIA
well, I think you already know what I think BB. I promise not to use that kind of language here though xx
JENNY TALIA´s last blog post ..once is never enough…
Bush Babe
LOL – I HAVE trained you well. (Pay you later, ‘kay? As everyone knows, I loved your work… enough is enough!
debby
I was thinking of this today. It’s no different than kids on a playground. However, a bully always backs down when confronted. I think that we all should make a commitment that if we witness a hateful remark, we inundate trolls with a taste of their own medicine. We should immediately begin slamming them with comments about how ignorant they are to say such a thing.
debby´s last blog post ..True friends.
Carly Findlay
Brilliant post here. It’s so true- its the users of the vehicle that is social media there the problem lies. I really feel for young people without the coping skills and the support they need to handle online bullying.