Taking the good with the bad

Oh hello!

As much as we love social media and all the wondrous possibilities it opens up to us, there is a dark side that cannot be ignored. All too often we hear stories of tragedy as a result of bullies and extremists taking things too far on the internet because they feel safe and undetectable behind an avatar, or they have the support and encouragement of a community. What do you think provokes these attacks on social media users? Do we make ourselves too vulnerable by sharing too much in a public space?

(Source: Mejias, 2013)

Cyber bullying is bullying that takes place online - mobile phones, tablets, computers, social media, text messages and instant chat websites - and often occurs in conjunction with face to face bullying. Some consider it worse that physical bullying because it can happen 24/7, it can be an anonymous attack yet shared with a vast audience, and it can be difficult to remove degrading or abusive comments and pictures because of how easy it is to replicate once in cyberspace (stopbullying.gov, 2014). Check out the video below which compares cyber bullying to a virus.

(Source: Daniel Fraser, 2013)

e-Extremism is when extremist, hate groups take to social media sites as a means of "reaching an international audience, recruiting members, linking diverse extremist groups, and allowing maximum image control" (Gerstenfeld, grant & Chiang, 2003 p29).

Cyberterrorism is "the use of computer network tools to shut down critical national infrastructures (such as energy, transportation, government operations) or to coerce or intimidate a government or civilian population" (Lewis, 2002).

With the internet being so full of users who think this behaviour is acceptable, what does the future hold for social media? 

• Harsher penalties? Jail time, offenders names on a public registry, criminal record. Punishments need to be more severe so users are aware they cannot behave differently to how they would treat a person in real life.
• More loopholes? As technology advances, hackers, terrorists and bullies will find new ways to target their victims without getting caught. The tougher the laws, the harder they will try to get around it.
• Government control? Will allowing the Government to take more control over social media websites/the internet mean we are prevented from freedom of expression? 

Can you suggest ways to protect the rights of users but fairly punish those who offend? 

Bye for now,

Lisa

Reference List:

Mejias, UA 2013, The Dark Side of the Digital World, [image], utne.com, accessed 9 February 2014, <http://www.utne.com/science-and-technology/digital-world-ze0z1308zcalt.aspx>

stopbullying,gov 2014, What is Cyberbullying?, accessed 9 February 2014, <http://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it/>

Daniel Fraser 2013, Cyber Bullying Virus, [video], Youtube.com, 9 March 2013, accessed 9 February 2014, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmQ8nM7b6XQ>

Gerstenfeld, PB, Grant, DR & Chiang, C-P, 2003, ’Hate online: a content analysis of extremist Internet sites’, Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 1 December 2003, 3(1), pp.29-44, accessed 9 February, 2014

Lewis, JA 2002, 'Assessing the risk of cyber terrorism, cyber war and other cyber threats', Center for Strategic and International Studies, accessed 9 February 2014, via <http://www.auscert.org.au/render.html?it=3552#fn9>