cyber-bullies

Throughout these few past years cyerbullying has taken a turn for the worst. It is a shame that it is happening, but it is more of a shame that children are committing suicide over this issue. Though cyberbullying is very unethical, there is no law against it, just as there is no law against ‘face-to-face’ bullying. However, bullying is controlled in schools, so cyber-bullying can also be somewhat controlled. To control cyber-bullying: parents, teachers, administrators, and even other students have to keep their eyes and ears open to it. And because cyber-bullying is low key and a newer “trend” it will take time to get it under control.

Now based on the course readings, I feel that social networks do have the ethical obligation to intervene in cases of cyber-bullying because it is needed. Consider Facebook as a “boys and girls” club, if there was bullying going on in the club’s building it would be handled by a counselor. The same thing applies with Facebook and cyber-bullying.

But before I stream too far off topic, I will move on to the article, A hoax, a suicide- a journalistic nightmare written by Roy Malone. In this particular case on cyber-bullying, journalist Steve Pokin, his publisher and their lawyer, refused to identify the culprits behind a cyber-bullying scandal that ultimately led to the suicide of a young Megan Meier.

Now this is the part where I am supposed to make a case for the Journal and Polkin, and how they were ethically justified to maintaining the privacy of the neighbors. That is bullshit! There is no justification, they (the mom, the girl, and the employee) are the reason why this young girl is dead, and their names have the right to be aired. It is true journalism to announce their names, with that I agree with what the woman from New Orleans said, “thanks for killing journalism.” Because that is what Pokin and the Journal did. In conclusion, if the victim is revealed the perpetrator should be revealed also.