Technology: too easy to be mean
This is something I think about all the time.
It’s so easy — too easy — for people to hurt each other via the Internet. People can say horrible things — true or not — without much repercussion or backlash. In fact, they don’t even have to reveal who they are. On the Internet we can all remain relatively anonymous.
And now meanies are swapping and sharing secrets and embarrassing or intimate moments online — without the victim knowing.
This just happened last week when a Rutgers University freshman jumped off a bridge to his death after authorities say two classmates surreptitiously recorded — and broadcasted over the Internet — a video of him having sex with a man in his dorm room.
Oh, and it gets worse.
The two roommates — who have been charged with illegally taping 18-year-old Tyler Clementi — even promoted the recording on Twitter. One of the defendants, Dharun Ravi, said this message: “Roommate asked for the room till midnight. I went into molly’s room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay.”
Two days later, he posted on Twitter: “Anyone with iChat, I dare you to video chat me between the hours of 9:30 and 12. Yes it’s happening again.”
I’m completely disgusted. Who does these kinds of things? Who thinks this is OK? What’s a matter with these two freshmen — obviously smart enough to get into Rutgers — to think doing something like isn’t just legal but acceptable behavior?
And it’s not like this is the first time this has happened.
Celebrities complain all the time about personal sex tapes getting leaked on the Internet. (Sure, you can argue that some purposely leak footage. But I can’t imagine they all do.) And there have been two recent cases where naked photos of teenage girls, sent to a single person, were e-mailed to classmates and strangers, leading both girls to take their lives.
And it won’t stop.
We’re armed with camera phones that can shoot and broad high-definition video within seconds. We are surrounded by computers and recording devices. We could be watched wherever we go, even in our own homes, even in our bathrooms
Is anyone else scared?
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To read all of Cat’s blogs, visit www.nonstophonolulu.com/thedailydish. Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@nonstophonolulu.com.
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