It's JUST the internet..

[boodie]

I am beginning to have serious issues with people who use the expression 'It's just the Internet' to excuse the fact that they have just totally disregarded someone elses feelings, like the medium allows you to get away with saying or doing almost anything you want because its 'just the 'net'. Sure this is a new medium, but that doesn't give anyone the right to forget that at the other end of the keyboard is also a living breathing person with feelings.

Slander laws exist to stop people from spreading lies and rumours about you, libel laws exist for the same reason, things people say can quickly be forgotten, but things in print have a habit of dagging around for many decades, and are able to resurface or be found by people, and the same goes for the internet, things you write about someone can hang around for years and years and with a bit of judicious googleizing can be found by anyone, who enters your name into a search engine.

When you can be SUED over something written in your blog by OTHER people.

When you can LOSE YOUR JOB over something you have written in your blog

When anonymous CYBER-BULLIES can ruin a teenagers life, driving him to thoughts of suicide

When your son MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED by someone he met off the internet.

Then it's no longer 'just the internet' is it.

I hear the phrase 'its just the internet' to excuse some of the most appalling behaviour by people who obviously think it's downright funny to screw with other peoples emotions and life, to those people, would you act the same in person to someone you didn't know, of course you wouldn't but you're free to be an arsehole of the highest order through the anonymity of your keyboard, and that speaks volumes about your maturity, intelligence and value system.

or lack thereof.

Comments

[ngarewyrd.livejournal.com]

agreed, Totally, I think I ranted on this particular point a little while back, but yes, just cos it's words on the screen, does NOT mean that there aren't people behind these words.

to claim otherwise is one of the lowest of the low forms of bullying, I don't care WHAT someone else claims, or the language they use to communicate, it's not Just the internet, there are Real people behind the words, and those real people can get hurt, and be hurt by the mere words

[funnelwebkitten.livejournal.com]

words are never mere, if they were we wouldnt have libel laws.

[hedgegoth.livejournal.com]

Well yes, but consider that the former bullies are now the ones in charge.

The most popular kids in my school were the bullies.

[funnelwebkitten.livejournal.com]

sadly, yes, same with me, you had to belong to a clique to get along, or your life was miserable.

[hedgegoth.livejournal.com]

*shrug*
i stil ldon't belong.
never will.
they can go fuck 'emselves.

i do not bend, i do not conform.
i may be broken, but i cling to my brokeness with pride
i'm the one that made me this way
nothing they did matters in the long run.
they're what the world wants?
the world deserves to die

[havoc-fox.livejournal.com]

AMEN! Many forget that theperson on the other end is a real person. Just becauseall you can see text on a screen doesn't mean there isn't areal person typing it.

[funnelwebkitten.livejournal.com]

Come across too many examples of that, the recent ones in furrydom spring to mind, where certain furs decided it woul d be fun to mess with the mind of another fur.

[havoc-fox.livejournal.com]

*nods* I have personal experience with that from dragons on 2 seperate occasions "/

It's not the internet, it's the people.

[psaakyrn.livejournal.com]

Saying it's just the internet is just like blaming murders on the gun. There is nothing wrong with the internet, only the users.

Re: It's not the internet, it's the people.

[haggis-bagpipes.livejournal.com]

yah, seconded.

[sci.livejournal.com]

Thankyou Boodie, I may end up quoting you from this. ^_^

[funnelwebkitten.livejournal.com]

oh feel free...

i dont often say things worth remembering 8-)

[khakiwolf.livejournal.com]

I agree. The Internet has become a free place for people to attack others anonymously, usually because the person is in another State, country, or even across the world. There is the whole," What are they going to do to me?" security blanket there.

The funny thing is you're right about them not being nasty to people they meet irl. I've met several people who have attacked me online and they had nothing to say to me. I guess they feel safer behind their keyboard where they can "lol" to their heart's content without me cracking them open with a steel baseball bat.

[funnelwebkitten.livejournal.com]

I agree. The Internet has become a free place for people to attack others anonymously, usually because the person is in another State, country, or even across the world. There is the whole," What are they going to do to me?" security blanket there.

That is true, but what they never stop to think of is the consequence of their words.

[khakiwolf.livejournal.com]

Consequences? What consequences? They make fun of someone, log off, and turn off their PC. They don't have to deal with anything that happens afterwards. =P

[cecilia-a.livejournal.com]

I have had some rows with people claiming precisely that this is "just the INTERNET!!!".
I am sure you have read about it, but I can resist posting the links to the whole thing once more:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/cecilia_a/835.html
http://www.livejournal.com/users/cecilia_a/1122.html

Quite obviously I agree with you completely. I am very tired of the people hiding behind the idea that "THIS IS JUST THE INTERNET! Only the FRICKIN INTERNET!" and try to give them a noseburn whenever given the chance.

[funnelwebkitten.livejournal.com]

interesting links

[noxnottetorrent.livejournal.com]

Well said! The problem I've often come across is teenagers... and please! I'm certainly NOT tarring every teen with this brush; there are many wonderfully intelligent and responsible young people around.

But it seems that the fact of having no-power in real life, seems to encorage many to take up positions of "authority" on cyber-life; as moderators of communities and owners of message boards and egroups. It seems to be a way for them to exert control, and have the chance to wave around the "it's my ____. You will do as *I* say!" flag for a bit.

[funnelwebkitten.livejournal.com]

Oh yes.. I have noticed that too, a little power seems to go their heads, on those who do act like dicks, which like you is NOT all teenagers, just some.

And they seem to think it absolves them of the usual things like, common decency.