Internet Accountability

[Guest]

We've discussed online accountability here many times. This just came up on blog by someone I've read for a very long time. Right now I am cold angry. I am ice angry. I am furious.

Too Far

I'm angry about this for several reasons.

First, I'm angry at some random asshole threatening a 6 year old child.

Second, I'm angry that the crazies, assholes and bastards have the power online, and the regular people who don't really want to hurt anyone are the ones who have to hide, deceive, and be careful so the crazies can't find them.

Third, I'm incredibly angry that this particular assholes (and others I've seen online in my years on the interwebinet) take advantage of anonymity to commit even further acts of incredible assholery.

I suppose it is useless to point out that, really, online anonymity is an illusion. Should someone really, really want to find you, and you have any kind of online presence, if they want to spend the time, money, and energy, their chances are good. Unfortunately, the assholes, crazies, and even those people who only stick their heads up their asses every few months when a full moon catches them wrong, don't seem to get the full brunt of this. The decent folk let them have their illusion.

I am hoping that, in his anger and fear, Rob did not delete all information about this particular crazed ass. I hope he turns all information over to the police. A threat against a child should be taken very seriously, no matter the source. And I wish the Rummel-Hudson family better luck than they've been having.

I put this here, in this forum, among people who are for the most part sensible, responsible, accountable for their own behavior online and off, because I think it is something about which every thinking person should get just a little angry -- not, perhaps, so much for this particular case, which is enough for me, but because these topics deserve attention and discussion.

How can the freedom provided by anonymity on the Internet be tempered with responsibility? And how far is too far?

 

[Guest]

 

[frozen_north]

Just read the blog entry. OMFG!!
I agree, this man needs to turn the information over to the police...actually, if I am not mistaken, the internet is technically federal jurisdiction. The FBI has the resources to track this asshole. Threats of violence against children on the internet are taken VERY VERY seriously!

 

[carsonshepherd]

Anonymity takes away the need to act in a socially acceptable/responsible manner - some people choose to take advantage of this, and descend into shit like this. People with a conscience treat online people - whoever the body is typing the words somewhere - the same way they treat real-life people.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I had an argument with another internet poster, about five years ago, during which he not only heaped abuse upon my head but insulted my husband, and- finally- my fourteen-year-old daughter.

The thing was, he was not, and is still not, anonymous. I knew his real name and his home address. He lived in my husband's original hometown, and we have deep ties to many Cracker rednecks and skatepunks there. It was so very difficult for me- All I had to do was pass on the message to my younger kinfolk along with an address...
I never did.
He's since moved to England- Leeds- and I still consider him within reach.

 

[SeaCat]

And people often wonder why I carry?

Unfortunately the world is filled with sick nut cases who believe they have the right to do things like take their anger or sexual frustrations out on the innocent.

People laughed at me when I made comments about sick fucks looting and raping after natural disasters. "Oh we're too civilised for that." They said. Yep, lets just look at the aftermath of Katrina and see how civilised people act. Makes me kind of happy to know I'm not civilised, just honorable.

Cat

 

[Just-Legal]

I had an argument with another internet poster, about five years ago, during which he not only heaped abuse upon my head but insulted my husband, and- finally- my fourteen-year-old daughter.

The thing was, he was not, and is still not, anonymous. I knew his real name and his home address. He lived in my husband's original hometown, and we have deep ties to many Cracker rednecks and skatepunks there. It was so very difficult for me- All I had to do was pass on the message to my younger kinfolk along with an address...
I never did.
He's since moved to England- Leeds- and I still consider him within reach.

He is.. He's within reach of me *cracks knuckles*

 

[AchtungNight]

As someone who has in the past flirted with Internet trolling, I can say a few thoughts on this subject. One, I too appreciate deeply the anoymity and ease of publishing writings the Internet provides. Two- I do not, however, appreciate the power it gives some people out there to post shit like what was on the link mentioned. Hatemongering, flames, and spam are evil and should not be tolerated. I deeply hope that the asshole who made that reply will get what he deserves. I also hope that all of us who have not already will develop the kind of responsibility necessary to avoid doing such things, and if not, that there are good enough moderators out there to watch our backs and slap us down when necessary. This guy obviously needs some of those. I have too in the past, I hate to admit. May we all hope and work towards a better tomorrow. It is the only way to make things go right in this world.

As for Internet anonymity, well, the post is right, it's an illusion. You can only fight it with careful repeated measures. Maintain the illusion, but acknowledge the reality if you have to. Do not take anymoity for granted, ever. Keep track of what you post, and be cautious of the jerks. Also be prepared for them. Me, I practice debate, tolerance, and jeet kune do. I also associate with good people online and in RL and try to stay out of where the bad guys are. I recommend the same to everyone else I meet who uses the Internet.

 

[rgraham666]

This is why my handle is so close to my real name. And why a picture of myself is always one of me.

It reminds me that I'm me, not what appears on the internet. I'm the one responsible for what I post.

It keeps me honest.

 

[neonlyte]

I've looked at this a dozen times, and confess I'm lost for words. The blog writer should inform the police, there is no other course of action open to him.

Did anyone see the bloggers post that led to this appauling response?

I'm also concerned about the blogger's is naivety. He seems to have some commercial deal with an agent and publisher, the blog is part of that arrangement. Advertising self and family in this way provokes the worst kind of cranks. Someone ought have been protecting his interests - if he is too innocent to recognise the risk of exposure for himself. It is a kind of unwritten rule that children should not be exposed through the internet to the bizzare range of nutters we have to live alongside.

 

[Guest]

I've looked at this a dozen times, and confess I'm lost for words. The blog writer should inform the police, there is no other course of action open to him.

Did anyone see the bloggers post that led to this appauling response?

I'm also concerned about the blogger's is naivety. He seems to have some commercial deal with an agent and publisher, the blog is part of that arrangement. Advertising self and family in this way provokes the worst kind of cranks. Someone ought have been protecting his interests - if he is too innocent to recognise the risk of exposure for himself. It is a kind of unwritten rule that children should not be exposed through the internet to the bizzare range of nutters we have to live alongside.

I don't know that Rob is so much naive as optimistic. He's been an online presence for a very long time, before the rise of the blog. I've read his writing since before his daughter was born. Her particular disability has unfolded before me as it did for him.

The incredible ability to share one's thoughts and experiences online has given him some gifts he might otherwise not have been able to obtain. He has entertained, illustrated, instructed and argued online for at least 8 years, and his readers have in many cases become his friends. They have donated money to provide his daughter with her "Box o' words" -- a speech synthesis device that allows her to communicate.

Rob started his online journal back in the innocence of the Interwebinet, in the late 90's, when not many thought much about having to hide from the crazies (just like once upon a time there was not much identify theft). Once you've been honest and open about yourself, there isn't much chance to go back. Either you start out with deception to protect yourself (and you maintain it with excrutiating attention to detail) or you don't. Rob's honesty has been what led so many people to want to help him (I'm sure most of you are familiar with the various "fake" blogs that were put up just to collect sympathy and money with deception).

I wonder how the internet would have developed if we were required to present as ourselves -- that is, to deceive about identity online took the same effort as decieving face to face.

 

[impressive]

I don't know that Rob is so much naive as optimistic. He's been an online presence for a very long time, before the rise of the blog. I've read his writing since before his daughter was born. Her particular disability has unfolded before me as it did for him.

The incredible ability to share one's thoughts and experiences online has given him some gifts he might otherwise not have been able to obtain. He has entertained, illustrated, instructed and argued online for at least 8 years, and his readers have in many cases become his friends. They have donated money to provide his daughter with her "Box o' words" -- a speech synthesis device that allows her to communicate.

Rob started his online journal back in the innocence of the Interwebinet, in the late 90's, when not many thought much about having to hide from the crazies (just like once upon a time there was not much identify theft). Once you've been honest and open about yourself, there isn't much chance to go back. Either you start out with deception to protect yourself (and you maintain it with excrutiating attention to detail) or you don't. Rob's honesty has been what led so many people to want to help him (I'm sure most of you are familiar with the various "fake" blogs that were put up just to collect sympathy and money with deception).

I wonder how the internet would have developed if we were required to present as ourselves -- that is, to deceive about identity online took the same effort as decieving face to face.

It is a lovely blog. I fell into it for a couple hours yesterday evening.

 

[S-Des]

I wonder when the laws will catch up to the internet? I couldn't look at the link in question. From your reactions to it, I know it would bother me deeply. For a long time in the states, drunk driving was considered a joke. Even after killing people, judges would give a drunk driver a slap on the wrist (after all, it was just an accident). They finally started getting serious about it because if you get behind the wheel drunk and kill somebody, they're just as dead as if you did it with premeditation (and in a way, you did).

Stalking laws, date rape, video voyeurism and expoitation . . . all things that were treated with contempt by the authorities for too long. If the authorities do track down the sick fuck who threatened the child, exactly what punishment will await him? The politicians are spending too much time worried about lining their pockets or manufacturing stupid issues that will get their voting bass motivated to actually put some fear into these people.

I'm sure when they eventually get around to going after these creeps, they'll do it by trying to restrict sites like this (or at least making veiled threats at those of us who read or write on them). People wonder why there's violence in most of my stories.

 

[Guest]

I wonder when the laws will catch up to the internet?

The law has always been a rather slow, deliberate beast, which in general is a good thing because laws should not be made in haste. And the interwebinet keeps coming up with new twists on stuff no one thought of before, faster and faster.

I couldn't look at the link in question. From your reactions to it, I know it would bother me deeply...

More than likely. Rob has not posted a follow up, so what he will do is not yet known.

Stalking laws, date rape, video voyeurism and expoitation . . . all things that were treated with contempt by the authorities for too long. If the authorities do track down the sick fuck who threatened the child, exactly what punishment will await him? The politicians are spending too much time worried about lining their pockets or manufacturing stupid issues that will get their voting bass motivated to actually put some fear into these people.

It does seem like human beings are unusual resourceful when it comes to hurting other human beings.

 

[Aurora Black]

It does seem like human beings are unusual resourceful when it comes to hurting other human beings.

Human nature can be an evil, twisted thing.

 

[wazhazhe]

I find this shocking. I hope he does report this to the FBI. I've heard they take this sort of thing very seriously.

 

[Joe Wordsworth]

Human nature can be an evil, twisted thing.

And, yet... a righteously beautiful pattern. : )