Adult Cyber Bullying- Should laws protecting children also be applied toward the safety of Adults? Part II

Presented to you here and now is an extreme case of cyber-bullying of the worst possible level. NO CHARGES WILL BE FILED!

Does this child mean nothing?  DID HER LIFE mean nothing?  NO ONE Is CULPABLE!? According to existing laws Megan Meier, her life, parents, siblings, loved ones and neighbors mean nothing. 

Main Entry: cul-pa -ble
Pronunciation
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English coupable, from Anglo-French cupable, culpable, from Latin culpabilis, from culpare to blame, from

culpa guilt
Date:14th century

1 archaic   : GUILTY, CRIMINAL
2 : meriting condemnation or blame especially as wrong or harmful  *culpable negligence*
synonyms see BLAMEWORTHY

In the case of Megan Meier Cyber-bullying, Death, Dying, and Dead are facts.  A little girl is dead because of the ONLINE conduct of a GROWN WOMAN!  An adult!  AND nothing can be done about it? 
She is dead.  Too bad. So sad.  "...ummm, now what was I doing?”   Let us all get back to what we were doing as if it never happened…, after all it is cyber space and not real right?    Do we have an unconcerned attitude about this incident and others like it?  Does it have to happen to us up close and personal before we become pro-active in combating such atrocities? 

As iterated in Part I of this series, if an individual was so inclined as to actually subpoena AOL archives of all chat logs they would notice that in episodes of cyber GANG bullying is rampant and unchecked. The Cyber Bully counts on this silence to gain power over a person or venue.  In so reading a chat log, one cannot help but notice that only a select few are typing and posting to the room.  Most everyone else in attendance fell silent and the posting by most of the others in attendance in that chat room stopped except by the ACTUAL bullies. Now if an individual is bombarded with these types of abuses over and over for days, weeks, months and years what effect does it have on that person?  

In the Case of Megan Meier, death was the effect and death resulted.  I think this proves my case.  Megan Meier was a childand if you followed the story link provided, I am sure it elicited many emotions in the reader both pro and con regarding CHARGING, or lack thereof, the woman involved in this horrible event that lead to Megan’s death. 

This case of Megan Meier is so outrageous, blatantly and egregiously wrong that I am sure certain legislative powers that be will submit bill to Congress mandating law and punishment of such crimes will be forthcoming.  HOWEVER, a critical thinker would be aware that pending such legislation(s), the whole premise of a FREE INTERNET becomes severely compromised and may fall into being regulated by the Government because of such unaccountability, lack of culpability and abuse by users of theInternet and the HOSTS of various venues whose failure in properly policing their venues could actually result in death.  THIS threat is real. We all pay for the crimes or abuse of a few and the total disregard SITE HOSTS for the safety and well being of their members while using the chat rooms or other such socializing venues.

A little girl is dead because of online conduct in which NO ONE was found to be culpable.  HOW HORRIBLY SAD! I cannot wrap my mind and heart around this horrible tragedy and how it could have ever happened in the first place!

The atrocity of a grown adult using her advanced years of experience and knowledge over an inexperienced little girl is outrageous, yet unchecked and not punishable by existing laws ONLY BECAUSE IT HAPPENED IN CYBER SPACE!   How would this case be different if it had happened in real life?  All we can really do is speculate, but I suggest and suggest strongly that this could NOT have happened in real life because a real JOSH would have been needed in order for the deception to have taken place over little Megan Meier.  

Upon the death of in tribute to Megan Meier, many online sites began popping up by concerned citizens which were meant to be helpful in combating cyber crimes of a "bullying" nature.  But all these sites do is give an individual the same advice given by most hosts of such forums in which these very abuses take place.  However, in defense of the sites, clear and definite  definitions are provided regarding many elements of venues of abuse perpetrated online.   

http://www.stopcyberbullying.org Gives us the following is a definition of cyber-bullying:

"Cyber-bullying" is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones. It has to have a minor on both sides, or at least have been instigated by a minor against another minor. Once adults become involved,  it is plain and simple cyber-harassment or cyber-stalking. Adult cyber-harassment or cyber-stalking is NEVER called cyber-bullying.”

I agree we must protect our children at all costs. That is a given. The Case of Megan Meier is proof of this fact.  BUT AN ADULT committed the atrocious act leading to the death of this child. But shouldn’t these definitions also be applied toward helping adults in defining online abuses and cyber-bullying and offer the same immediate remedies for violations therein. 

Cyber-Harassment and Cyber-Stalking are terms applied to adult online misbehavior, and  have no laws that offer immediate protection by law enforcement officials or offices whereas, the cyber-bullying laws applied to children are immediate. Additionally, the “long arm of the law” is slow for the applicable laws regarding the Cyber-Stalking/Harassment definitions that are commonly applied toward adult against adult behavior online or in cyber space per se.

We need help here and fast before someone else thinks it is okay to act this way toward any other human being, child or adult.

The following is additional information  found on http://www.stopcyberbullying.org on cyber-bullying:

The harasser may post comments intended to cause distress to the victim, or make them the subject of harassment by others. They may send a constant stream of e-mails and instant messages to their victims or a victim’s co-workers, friends, or family. They may pose as the victim and post offensive comments or send offensive messages in their name. They may send hateful or provocative communications to the victim’s boss, family or significant other (in their own name or posing as the victim). Often the victim’s computer is hacked or their e-mail accounts are broken-into by the cyberstalker/harasser and taken over entirely, or the password is changed and the victim locked out of their own accounts. The victim may be signed-up for spam, porn sites and questionable offers.

Cyberstalkers/harassers frequently follow their victims into chat rooms and onto discussion boards, posting lies and hateful messages, or passing misinformation about the victim. They may create sexually explicit images, using the head of their victims attached to the bodies of porn actors. If they have real sexually explicit or nude images of their victims (usually froma failed romantic relationship between the stalker/harasser and the victim), they may create Web sites posting the images and advertising the site to friends and family of the victim, or supply them to commercial porn sites with amateur image sections for public display. We are even familiar with cases where the cyberstalker has threatened the life of the President of the United States or the Queen of England, while posing as the victim.

In the most dangerous type of cases, the cyberstalker posts the name, address and telephone number of the victim online, often posing as them, and soliciting sexual activities on their behalf. In a California case, a man targeted a woman by posting her name and address online and soliciting group sex. The woman had never even used the computer before, but found  herself facing angry, sexually frustrated men at her front door.

Death threats are typical in a cyberstalking situation. In fact, there have been several well-publicized cases in the United  States where victims were eventually murdered by their stalkers. Many of these began as cyberstalking situations.

If there is any indication that a cyberstalker/harasser knows where the victim lives, works or how to find them offline, law enforcement must be contacted IMMEDIATELY to begin an active investigation into the circumstances of the situation. ©Wiredsafety law enforcement division, CyberLawEnforcement.org assists law enforcement in cyberstalking/harassment cases.

Feel free to use the links above to learn more about what to do in case you or someone you know and love fall victim to cyber-bullying.  

In Part III of this series, we will examine the available laws applied toward cyber-bullying, cyber-stalking and cyber-harassment, respectfully.  And if research allows and provides, I hope to include links to stories involving criminal incidents resulting from online activities.  

Again, and as usual ~~ Thank you for reading!

 

 

 

 

 

 Part I

Adult Cyber Bullying- Should laws protecting children also be applied toward the safety of Adults...

 

 Part III

 http://www.nowpublic.com/crime/adult-cyber-bullying-should-laws-protecting-children-also-be-applied-toward-safety-adults-part-iii

 

Part IV 

http://members.nowpublic.com/crime/adult-cyber-bullying-should-laws-protecting-children-also-be-applied-toward-safety-adults-part-iv-and-final