Patrick Donovan
September 13, 2012
Social Media Article
Justin Ramm
Cyber-bullying Among Social Networks
During the past couple of decades, Internet use has turned into a worldwide frenzy
that continues to spread like wildfire among both young and old. Presently, technology is
grasped to as a way of survival to not only businesses and media, but also people. There
are countless social media networks that connect current and past friends and allow them
quick communication. These networks also give out information like age, birthday,
pictures, and statuses that indicate how each person is feeling. Social networks like
Twitter, Facebook, Formspring, and MySpace are very revealing of personal particulars,
which can sometimes be a harmful thing. These websites can even become quick and
easy doors for harassment, arguing, and bullying. Cyber bullying is simply defined as the
act of harassing someone online by sending or posting vulgar/demeaning messages which
in most cases is posted anonymously (Dictionary.com). Cyber bullying is a serious
offense and, unfortunately, can be followed by fatal responses by the recipient of the
harassment. The Internet has opened a new, sometimes dangerous, way of
communication with others and it can be looked at with horrendously negative
connotations. Although it has many uses and websites, social networking has, in a way,
corrupted the Internet by enabling cyber bullying and allowing people to use an alias to
hide behind to harass others.
As the Internet began to evolve among generations of its time many social
networking sites began to spring about. MySpace was one of the first social media
networks that soon became a breeding ground for cyber-bullying to take place. MySpace
was founded in 2003 and acquired by News Corporation in 2005. This social network
Patrick Donovan
September 13, 2012
Social Media Article
Justin Ramm
was an instant hit in the United States, attracting thousands of Americans to join the
network. By 2008, MySpace had attracted more people visiting this page than any other
site on the Internet, even surpassing the famous “Google” in June 2006 (MySpace). This
social network focused on meeting new people along with staying in touch with your
current and past friends. Conflict began when friends clashed with friends beginning
arguments. Often times, demeaning or rude comments were left posted on timelines.
These comments may have been seen as jokes, but in some cases they were not taken so
lightly.
These inappropriate comments are a form of cyber-bullying. Often younger kids
would post these comments feeling more powerful yet safe, hiding in this eternal cyberworld. Raising the question about how such people actually function in real world
situations. People who have this urge for power can be self-conscious or shy when it
comes to an actual face-to-face conversation in the real world. Another social media site
that’s core was centered on anonymous questions was Formspring. This website allowed
people to post questions upon the home page of anyone they wanted and allowed them to
hide there identity. Popularity was lost quickly due to people asking inappropriate
questions and leaving their name anonymous. This started a new form of hiding
identities. Many began creating an alias to build confidence and allow them to say things
they would never say in the real world. Another reason behind these degrading actions on
a social network may come from real life bullying issues themselves from others. Cyberbullying can be a way of coping with inner mental and emotional problems. When these
cyber-bullies feel that they themselves are threatened and trapped, they create an alias to
threaten these enemies that cause them hardships. This has affected the cyber-world
Patrick Donovan
September 13, 2012
Social Media Article
Justin Ramm
dramatically filling it with unsubstantiated and false information along with false
identities.
In some cases people receive a friend request or a comment from a person that
they had never seen or heard of. The immediate reaction in adolescents is to add them to
make a new friend. However, this is not always the right choice. In some cases people
use the cyber-world /“new world” as a place to create someone they want to be or create
just an altar ego of themselves to stay hidden from all others eyes. Hiding behind a false
identity seems to be on the contrary when wanting to have power over others. But in
order to achieve this power over others, they feel it may only be possible when hiding
behind someone more powerful than who they truly are. It seems strange that in order to
have power over others you must become someone your not. Some may ask why would
anyone listen or be negatively affected by someone that isn’t even real? This is because,
although these people may not exist outside of your computer, in the cyber-world they
are just as real as someone you meet at school, at work, or at any social event. Being a
naïve adolescent, all new friends made “must” exist especially when at first they tell you
everything you want to hear. One particular case where a false identity was used to
convince and betray a young and naïve teen was on MySpace that ended in the suicide of
Megan Meier.
The suicide of Megan Meier was a shocking and heartbreaking story of a thirteen
year-old girl from Dardenne Prairie, Missouri. The story begins with a young teen that is
faced with the pressure of self-image and to be “popular”. Megan Meier, from a young
age, faced issues with anxiety and depression. (Maag 2) After years of being made fun of
at her original school she transferred to a private school. Megan’s mother, Tina, stated
Patrick Donovan
September 13, 2012
Social Media Article
Justin Ramm
that her daughter Megan had begged her for weeks to join the social networking
site. Tina Meier decided that it might be a good thing to let her daughter search and find
friends on the site as well as with stay in contact with her old friends. Megan soon had
received a request from a boy named Josh Evans who was from her neighborhood but
was home schooled. The two became close and after a few weeks of flirtatious talking,
Josh had started calling her names and saying he could no longer be her friend and that he
“hated her”. On October 16th 2006, Tina Meier found Megan hanged in her closet barely
alive. Megan was rushed to the hospital and died the next day. (Maag 1) The family of
Megan would soon find out that the child known as “Josh Evans” was really the mother
of a neighborhood girl that had gone to school with Megan. The mother was named Lori
Drew. This story began a trial against Ms. Drew along with multiple anti-cyber-bullying
acts.
This particular story portrays a radical event that was caused by the false identity
of Lori Drew and the use of cyber-bullying. This severe case was seen nation wide and is
a clear example of the dangers of cyber-bullying. The question is: where does it end?
Since this event, more and more people have been joining a multitude of social networks.
After the fall of MySpace, Facebook came about attracting thousands more of people
worldwide (MySpace). Sites now post pictures and status updates with a click of a button.
Technology now allows us to access all these sites from our cell phones. “High-tech
bullying can happen anywhere, anytime, among lots of different children who may never
actually meet in person. It is inescapable and often anonymous…”(Maag 1). The growth
of each individual social network allows for a variety of forms of cyber-bullying. The
rapid expansion of technology is making it even easier to become vulnerable to
Patrick Donovan
September 13, 2012
Social Media Article
Justin Ramm
harassment and bullying. “For me, as for others, the Net is becoming a universal medium,
the conduit for most of the information that flows through my eyes and ears and into my
mind.”(Carr). This Quote from Nick Carr paints a clear image of how the Internet is
appealing to more people on a personal level that expands to a world community. Due to
the immense growth of the Internet changes will have to be made to accommodate for the
issues of previous sites.
As of present day cyber bullying still remains an ongoing problem for people
around the world. However, as technology grows, so does its protection. Today, society is
leading us to make the inevitable preventable. Although advances cause greater numbers
of people to join sites, sites are trying to help prevent cyber-bullying and its harmful
effects. “MySpace uses algorithms and people to strike harassing or bullying images and
content, the company said in a written statement, and the site offers users opportunities to
report cyber-bullies.”(Maag 3) This is just one example of one site in 2006 that has begun
to make a difference. As there are transitions among popularity of social networking sites
(i.e. MySpace to Facebook), the maturity and security of the site is strengthened.
Facebook is said to be a safer site compared to MySpace. As problems are faced
technology moves just as quick to find a solution. It is not to say that cyber bullying has
been completely eliminated, but small changes, such as security questions and blocking
technologies decrease the changes of major catastrophes occurring. These small
precautions and safeguards are examples of how these sites are attempting to make
improvements on the problems surrounding cyber bullying.
Living in a highly industrial and technological society, safety is an ever-growing
priority. Megan Meier’s tragedy was tremendously heart breaking, but completely
Patrick Donovan
September 13, 2012
Social Media Article
Justin Ramm
preventable. Today, technological growth is attempting to head toward limitation and
safer options for these websites. While trying to keep equilibrium between the growth of
social networks and the increase in technology, prevention can only be achieved
collectively with the help and realization of all citizens. Steps towards a secure and
protected Internet world are vital to societies well being.
Patrick Donovan
September 13, 2012
Social Media Article
Justin Ramm
Works Cited
Carr, Nick. "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" The Atlantic. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2012.
Maag, Christopher. "When the Bullies Turned Faceless." The New York Times. The New
York Times, 16 Dec. 2007. Web. 12 Sept. 2012.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/fashion/16meangirls.html?_r=1>.
"MySpace." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 09 Dec. 2012. Web. 13 Sept. 2012.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myspace>.