When the Internet Gets Mean...

...there's only one thing left to do: Sue.

Most people who spend their time online know about flames and trolls. It's a part of the Internet, something unpleasant that happens to people - a little like getting hit by bird shit. There are no words to describe the horrors when it happens to you, but it's a little funny when it happens to someone else, and there's always something distasteful about it either way. Some people have no trouble shrugging off flamers and batting away trolls; it's just a part of their online routine. For others, however, there is a very thin line between flaming and libel - and they're not afraid to show when they're offended.

A teenager in Oceanside is suing former high school classmates, their parents, and Facebook for their (the classmates') creation of a password-protected Facebook group which she claims they used to ridicule and disgrace her. According to the article, the teenager is accusing the others of using the group to say that she had AIDS, and that she "participated in bestiality." Somewhat short story even shorter: four people talked shit about a fifth person in a group on Facebook, and said fifth person did not see this as merely another aspect of the Internet. She saw it as bullying, a way of making her life miserable, and decided to sue them, their parents, as well as Facebook for allowing the four to use their site in such a way.

In Clarksville, a small town in Texas, a couple was accused of sexually assaulting a woman, and their story was posted on Topix.net, a site that categorizes news by topic and geography (so that you can get news stories from your town only, etc.). Immediately, there were people posting anonymous comments on this article, linking the accused couple to drugs, rape, perversion, etc. Which, as it turned out, was a big mistake, as the couple was cleared of all charges, then proceeded to turn around and file their own lawsuit: against the 178 anonymous commenters who posted defamatory comments about them online. Despite the fact that the couple had not yet gone to trial, people commenting on their story (where they were accused of the assault) assumed that they were guilty and posted flames. The couple saw this as attacks on their character, which made it very difficult for them in already difficult times, ruining their reputations and killing their businesses.

So, when is a flame a flame and when is it an attack on some one's character? Is it okay to sue someone for attacking your character online? Should Topix unveil the identities of the 178 anonymous commenters in the pursuit of justice, or should those commenters remain anonymous in the interests of freedom of speech?

And is Reputation Defender for real? (Amazingly enough, this is the first I've heard of something like this...and, yes, it does seem to be real.)

-95803458

stereotypes in cyberspace

Hi, I just wanted to comment on a discussion we had last week in class about boundaries online. It is interesting how impressions on people are different in both inside and outside cyberspace, but stereotypes are always made. For example, in "real life" it is easy to assume stereotypes through looks and talking styles, but online it is only possible through avatar designs and typing styles. Expression differs in both worlds, but how the expressions are presented always seem to cause stereotypes among users online.

-Heidi Felder

The End of MySpace?

I was interviewing a couple about using Facebook as a way to communicate in a long distance relationship, and they mentioned how they used to use MySpace a lot more, and how in some ways they prefer MySpace over Facebook. Then I thought, "Oh yeah...MySpace!" Wow. It has only been less than a decade, and Facebook has completely overshadowed MySpace to many, which is a true testament to how fast the evolution of the internet has progressed. So I researched how MySpace has been doing a little more and I found this article about how MySpace is trying to counter the growing popularity of Facebook and Twitter by adding new applications that make a similarity to microblogging with more "user engagement".

To me, the initial reason I have abandoned my MySpace for Facebook was because I felt it was much simpler to deal with Facebook, because of all of the hacking that was going through MySpace and difficulty to deal with editing the profile. I also thought that tagging photos on Facebook was great, and MySpace did not offer. But now, MySpace has a lot of the same options that Facebook has to offer- but I still much rather use Facebook. The main thing I think MySpace is used for now is to find new musical artists- and I feel like if it weren't for that, I would completely stop using MySpace. So what do you think? Will MySpace see its end soon?

So facebook is being attacked by hackers. This article came out just today on bbc news. I always felt facebook was doing great. I've never been annoyed at it like I have with myspace, and their spam and advertisements. But in this case, its not facebook's fault. This article ties in well to our discussion of griefers. These particular griefers create misleading applications and attempt to steal your information. I'm a bit confused on how the thieves would find any facebook-member information to be valuable though... to sell to companies? If anyone knows, I'd appreciate some answers.

Another interesting thing that came to my mind, was that I have 142 unchecked messages. I know some others have more, but people who see my inbox are slightly taken aback. They wonder why I never check my messages. I tell them I'm probably either an asshole, or that I have a sixth sense for skipping over club events and mass mails I find unworthy. I'm sure other people have similar experiences, or maybe they just get actual messages from their friends; I don't so much. Anyway, I'd love to hear other peoples experiences.

The Guild

In 2007, Felicia Day created a mini online series called The Guild. The story follow a girl who goes by the name Codex in the fantasy MMORPG that she plays. Her addiction to the game and the odd cast of characters whom are part of her guild, play out many of the negative stereotypes and beliefs about the gaming community. There is the idea that online social groups are not "real" friends or social supports. It touches on online romance, although in this case it was one sided. The whole humor of Day's hit series plays on the new culture that sprung online, specifically with games. Even from the first episode, you get a huge dose of "gamer culture." Watch one episode or all of them. What kinds of themes or culture references do you see?

Watch.

Or read more about The Guild here:
The Official Guild Website
Wiki

-Patricia Chan

Ways to prevent trolling

Link: http://www.cracked.com/article_16765_5-ways-stop-trolls-from-killing-internet.html

During my research for my project, which concerns trolling (intentionally harassing and disrupting online communities), I stumbled across an article that provided some interesting ways inhibit trolls.

The article begins by presenting the issue at hand: trolling. Media in the past few decades have changed for better or worse. In the past, broadcasting information was a luxury that only a handful of television, radio and book publishing companies could enjoy. However, with the Internet, there are just as many "speakers" as there are "audiences." Anyone can say anything they want and they can do so completely unregulated.

In many ways, that is a great thing; however, at the same time, that can cause many problems, and one of the problems that this artcle (and my paper) focuses on is trolling. Unlike my project, which will provide no "solutions" to the problem, this essay gave some humorous and effective ways to prevent cyber-bullying.

- Khuyen Lam

Facebook and College Applicants

In my research group (and even within my other groups of friends), we have recently been talking about how Facebook profiles are no longer visible to just "friends". Many of my friends have actually chosen to hide their photos because admissions officers, job interviewers, or anyone involved in hiring you for a job may go to your Facebook or Myspace profile page and check out your qualifications. According to the article College Applicants, Beware: Your Facebook Page is Showing, admissions officers do admit to looking at social-networking sites and photos on students' profile pages to evaluate applicants. In fact, many of the admissions offers say that what they saw on the profile pages have negatively affected their view of the student.

Our research project partly focuses on how first-year students form their expectations of their college experience by looking at the Facebook profile pictures of their hallmates (especially prior to move-in). We felt that this field of study can also apply because colleges are forming expectations of their applicants around profiles on social-networking sites. However, many college or job applicants can argue that their profiles are not an accurate representation of themselves as an individual and that it may only be a "partial view" of any student. Still, admissions officers believe that students should be held accountable for their actions and that to a certain extent, a profile page does accurately reflect the individual.