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www.vampirefreaks.com - Is this Site a Killer?
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by Leonard Brody | September 14, 2006 at 08:51 pm
58379 views | 2 Recommendations | 117 comments
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A Web site used by the gunman who killed one and wounded 19 at a Montreal college had surfaced in other violent Canadian incidents, including one in which an Alberta girl allegedly killed her family in April.The black and purple Web site, www.vampirefreaks.com, is described by its Brooklyn, New York-based founder as a "goth/industrial" site.
The site was available intermittently on Thursday, a day after Kimveer Gill, 25, was killed by police after he went on a shooting rampage at Montreal's Dawson College. Gill posted photographs and comments on the site, saying he loved guns and hated people.
"This is not the first time that the vampirefreaks Web site has been in the news," said Jesse Hirsh, president of technology services firm Openflows Networks Ltd. in Toronto.
In a Toronto trial last year, the girlfriend of a youth accused of killing his younger brother and attempting to kill his stepfather was revealed to have had a profile and pictures on the site.
A 23-year old man and his 12-year-old girlfriend, accused of killing a woman, her husband and their eight-year-old son in Medicine Hat, Alberta, last April, were also reported to have had profiles on vampirefreaks.com.
Started by a Brooklyn resident, the site claims to have more than 600,000 members and millions of page views each day.
Users can post pictures along with their likes, dislikes, favorite music and location, and communicate with others in "cults" or groups.
The Goth sub-culture is often characterized by black clothing, pale makeup and body piercing. Many write about being alienated from society, and while musical tastes vary, shock rockers such as Marilyn Manson are said to be popular.
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at 09:00 on November 3rd, 2008
Instead of categorizing the site by a hand full of incidents try interviewing a vast majority. I agree with some of the comments above me the site isn't what you think. It's about the music. It's a place to get together an meet others. As someone stated its just like myspace, but because myspace isn't associated with the term "goth" you people think nothing about the site. People see the world "goth" an they automatically think bad things about the said group of people. Sure we are different then most of society but it doesn't mean we aren't human. I mean people commit crimes everyday the news is filled with it. But yet it never fails that when I read stories online about news and what not that have VF involved in it the writer of the story wants to somehow blame the site. Don't blame us for what some other human did. The site as a whole is a nice place with very nice people. I've been on the site for almost 5 years now. But honestly instead of saying or hinting that all people on VF are like the ones that were involved in school shootings check your sources, after isn't that what writers are supposed to do. Cause im pretty sure that if you look into it myspace is involved in some of the same things but i dont see news articles about them. why probably because they arent associated with the "goth" culture that so many people fear for whatever the reason maybe. anyway im done commenting this article was a waste.
im very sorry to hear about the school shooting an im sorry for the families that lost loved ones.
at 14:08 on November 3rd, 2008
This is ridiculous. VF does not make killers, these killers are born with the urge to do so.
VF is another site just like myspace and facebook but for industrial/goths to go. It's a scene that may not be supported but it doesn't mean that we are all killers. I have been a VF member for almost 2.5 years and this site has rules just like any other, if not enforced better than others.
at 20:38 on November 12th, 2008
This site is fine!
I have had at least so far 2 account's thier!
I have the best friend's ever thier!
I met my BF on thier!
My dad is on thier!
Sure some are wierdo's and ass hole's but so what?!?
The people who are getting killed are ideot's...they agree to meet these people!
It's the people's fault!
So the site is fine...i mean look at MySpace...many people are getting killed thier!
So leave VF alone!
Its not at freakin fault!
You see...the site just sit's thier the people can go place's and walk around!
You see now!(btw)If anyone want's to hit me up give me ur link's and stuff.
at 14:00 on November 13th, 2008
Okay, VF is soo not a bad site..just those people that killed were bad. I am a member of VF and I have never seen or heard anything of violence by anyone. Many of those that I have met on VF are really down to earth and good people. I myself am a vegitarian and pacifist. Just because we are different and that scares you does not mean that we are bad people. People need to get straight that in EVERY clique, there are bad people, but we are all different and so if one of us is violent..doesn't mean that we all are. I really have no idea how those peoples crimes have anything to do with VF, unless they posted the incriminating info on that site. It is just a popular site that scares people because we are different from them and so it gets blamed for the negative actions of those who we have nothing to do with. Don't blame the first site you find negative because it is different..try finding things by fact not superstition.
at 20:44 on November 13th, 2008
VF HATERZ JUST SUCK ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
at 23:11 on November 14th, 2008
Well, I think my name is my VF
But personally I think that the site was targeted by the media becasue everyone thinks of goths and gay, murderous, blood loving freaks. Of course the single site was targeted, not myspace, no. why would they, I mean Myspace hasnt done anything wrong so it must be VF right?
NO
People who think this obviously are ignorant and stupid. sure, I've gotten stressed out to the point I WANTED to kill someone. But haven`t most of us? seriously. Get over it, and this user didn`t write the story, so stop freaking out at him for no reason. Please?
at 10:42 on November 16th, 2008
Are you suggesting that because they were on vampirefreaks, they must be killers?
Well, these killers also go to Walmart, the mall, the gas station, the supermarket.
Does this mean everyone who goes to Walmart, the mall, the gas station and the super market are killers? Are these places harboring killers!? OH MY GOD SHUT DOWN THE MALL, IT PROMOTES MURDERERS.
It's not a site that makes killers, they just are. Has anyone considered that sometimes people are crazy because they just fucking are? No, it's not TV, it's not videogames, the internet, music. They're just nuts.
at 17:57 on November 24th, 2008
I've been a VF member for years now. Pretty much close to when it started. When I first joined there was only a small handful of members. So naturally, it was a pretty good online community to hang out at. But, over the years..it's grown in popularity and therefore more pervs and pedos are slipping through the cracks and signing up to VF. So today as it stands, I definetly say VF should be shut down, (along with myspace.)
These types of community sites just breed online crimes and there's very little the ADMINS of these sites can do to control it. That's why I say the best option is to just bring them all down for good.
at 11:47 on November 26th, 2008
No this site is not a killer,there are everyday people with profiles on here,it doesnt mean its a cult of a bunch of psycho-killers.Its sad to think that every countires media stoops to the sad pathetic level that every woman/man who wears a bunch of black or has the "gothic" style,is autimatically labeld "Deppressed","Freak","Creep","Psycho" or a "Killer",this is not the case,just because we dress different doesnt make us any better or any less of a person than you.I feel sorry for "Jet" the site owner,hes a really good guy and doesnt deserve the crap you people are trying to pull over on him.Vampirefreaks.com is not as bad is what these people make it look.Its not any different than facebook or myspace,there are just as bad if not worse people with profiles on there,so does that make facebook/myspace rapist/child molester/killer websites?
at 05:44 on December 2nd, 2008
let god be with
at 10:40 on December 9th, 2008
I've been on this site for nearly two years and in no way has it corrupted me.
I'm perfectly fine.
Everything is Ay Okay with me.
You can't point fingers at people for stupid stuff like that.
So what?
Millions of people have a myspace.
There's bound to be someone on there that've killed somebody.
But you don't blame myspace, do you?
at 01:34 on December 17th, 2008
why do people always blame the wrong people of horrible thing
i am a VF member for many years now
and i have never seen anyone like the monsters who committed these terrible crimes
almost all people i have seen are nice peace loving people
violence and crime makes me sick
and its everywhere and VF is a place where i never see or hear about violence
when i walk on the street there i see violence
when i turn on the TV i see violence
some people say that the people on VF are weird and violent but ofcourse this is a lie
if you compare the average (normal) person to a goth or such than they are much more violent and small minded they dont tollerate anyone who doesnt look like the media sterio type and that is sick
they are the people that commit violence against people that look like the members of VF
when i was younger i got death treats every day in school
and when i walk outside to visit a friend people trew stones at me
and i just told them to act like a normal human being and respect everyone no matter what he/she looks like or what the persons religion is.
but no ofcourse they dont respect that
These are the people the media should focus on
maybe there are 1 or 2 weirdo's like that on VF
but there are over 3000 of these people in every neighbourhood arround the world and i assure you non of them are goth or such
the media should focus on the real dangerous people
and pick them out and only accuse people when you know that they are bad and not blame everyone equaly when there is only 1 rotten aple in the basket
Violence is in the human nature
but i am not one of them icant wait till the day comes that violence , crime and murder is a thing of the past
HATE is just a four lettered word and the ones that hate are weak
people should learn to love and respect eachother
before that happens violence will remain.
at 03:36 on December 28th, 2008
Just another f*cking sick excuse to put us people in a bad daylight for whatever reason ... if you don't f*cking like then show your balls and give us reasons not just like .. "Oh yeh that guy killed someone, oh he was on VF, we don't like VF so now lets blame them" ... FOR GOD FUCKING SAKE ... He could have eaten special yoghurt ... BLAME THE FUCKING BRAND ...
Just doesn't f*cking work like that ... for f*cks sake sorry for this f*cking comment
at 06:30 on January 6th, 2009
Vampirefreaks is not the fault. I've been a member of VF for over 3 years on various accounts. Never have I even had the compulsion to want to kill because of the site.
Those who've never been on the site, think of it as bad because it supports the gothic/industrial culture and has the name "vampirefreaks". Those of us who love VF find most of the members of Vampirefreaks friendly and all-around nice people. Although it is the internet so you never truly know anyone.
at 05:46 on February 10th, 2009
YOU GUYS SUCK
at 08:12 on February 17th, 2009
no this site fucking rules.
at 08:24 on February 17th, 2009
i agree with aredne he said it all
at 09:41 on February 18th, 2009
this is to any one who says VF kills or make people kill you are retarded
and GOTHIC GIRLS ARE TOO HOTTT FOR YOU
at 11:00 on February 18th, 2009
this is stupid not all people on vf are lyk that i mean really!!! thats just a stereo type... i have one and i'm a hello kitty junkie! Not all people on vf are bad!!!!!! And we don't need to be judged based on other peoples actions!!!!! if you don't lyk vf too bad it's just a site for goodness sakes!
at 09:02 on February 27th, 2009
everyone should stop being stupid about this and shouldn't accuse vampirefreaks.com the site is awesome and u cant acuuse the whole website because of all the 600,000 users or more that there are only about 5 of them might be killers and not only goths or emos can be killers but anybody can be a killer so dont accuse us goths to be the only ones out there.
at 18:02 on February 28th, 2009
This is very stereo typical. There are many good people on this website and I think people are getting the wrong impression off of it. myspace, facebook, myyearbook, etc are just as "dangerous" as any other site, so I dont think that people should point others out etc etc. But people who do evil things like that have lost there marbles. literally. (:
at 12:33 on March 5th, 2009
What about subliminal messages and such, I dont think tis a good website. Period, and yes I know that it might just be a fake scandal adn there is nothing wrong with it, but why put yourself in a situation like suchl. Its like boiling a frog, you can think you're safe and its onlya little bit, but if you're there too long, you'll drown.
at 13:14 on March 14th, 2009
its pathetic. i bet if someone was killed and they had a profile on facebook, itll be on the news.
at 18:39 on March 15th, 2009
this is the stupidest shit I have ever heard.
When are we going to stop blaming shit that has nothing to do with what happend?
vampirefreaks is just like myspace but with "rocker" people on it.
So when someone goes out and kills someone and they have a myspace does myspace get accused?
I am so tired of hearing people blame shit that doesn't matter.
ever think that the people that did those crimes are just sick and disturbed people?
who does that shit?
And when are we going to stop blaming Marilyn Manson? i mean come on.!
at 19:00 on March 15th, 2009
FOR ONE THING
Lets get this straight why dont we
sure... The people in those killings had a sight on Vampirefreaks.com
im not saying you lie about it.
What makes me mad is that you say OH MY! THEY HAVE A PROFILE ON A GOTHIC INDUSTRIAL SITE!! I KNEW THEY WERE UP TO SOMETHING!
Well no like that but still. okay... What annoys me about tese stories is that yeah they may have had a site on VF but why are you only picking on VF? They may have had other proofiles on other sites like MySpace of Facebook. But you guys didnt convict them of anything did you?
Im not saying you should just shut up and not say anything about it. What im trying to tell you that what this "News" is. This news is stupid. Im sorry to say. if they only had a profile on VF okay then. But if they had more like an email, or something other than that yeah. You need an email to get on the site. they could have planned it over hotmail or yahoo. So dont just attack one site unless you have your facts straight. Journalism now a days isnt truthful. its about as truthful as politicians
at 09:35 on March 18th, 2009
Are you serious? Ya'll will blame anything on a website. Like Myspace or VampireFreaks.com. I love that sight I get on everyday. Now killing some people. Nah. Never reallky seen it. I see alot of emotional stuff like cutting and stuff and I always try to be there for people. I think if your trying to blame it on something like that you have to be crazy. Bet most of them have a fucking Myspace. or a FaceBook or something like that.
at 09:43 on March 18th, 2009
well VF is like a myspace.its not a killer its another way to connect with friends. just because someone decides to where all black pierce their face and where eyelier does not make them a killer
a website cannot make someone kill. the things people say/do to eachother causes murder..and usually murderers are just psycho idiots that need help.
leave the stereotypes out of murder.
at 15:41 on April 4th, 2009
It's not the website or the people on the website. It's the information people exchange over the internet. Dumb asses.
at 04:36 on April 6th, 2009
if you think that the site is whats making ppl do this your outta your mind, i have one and many people on here are cool and kind people, just because a few people have posted pictures and stuff saying they hate the world and yada yada doesnt mean that the site is a bad influnence, its just a place for people to go and be thereselves without beind judged, if you think vampirefreaks.com is a bad influence.. look at myspace.. people have stalked other people off of there, run away to be with there "internet love", harrassed ect ect., therefore you cant just blame this site alone, and you cant judge it because its not "normal". theres crazy people everywhere and jsut cause they show up on this site doesnt mean a thing. the people that commited those crimes were probably harrassed, raped, abused by loved ones, school mates, or so on. so yea its not the "evil" people think it to be.
Thanks From...
A Fellow VampireFreak,
Emily
at 14:49 on April 13th, 2009
It's hard for me to belive just how stupid and judgemental people can be. People who kill themselves or other people have serious psychological issues. It doesn't matter if they dress "goth" and use vampirefreaks. I'm sure there are a lot of murderers out there who use facebook and myspace too, but you don't see articles about those sites breeding killers because they're accepted by society as the norm.
I've dressed "goth" for the last 9 years, listened to Marilyn Manson, and used Vampirefreaks, and I've never killed anyone, nor have I ever thought about it. It's things like this article that make life harder for me. I may dress "weird" and listen to music that's not Britney Spears, but I'm a highschool graduate, in college, and I'd rather read then go out and get drunk like most kids my age. I respect myself, and that's not something very common in girls my age. Just because people dress differently doesn't make them a horrible person, and I really wish people could understand that.