Youth Suicide: A Sensational Media Story

[rootX]

It's tragic that a teenager committed suicide. What's more sad is that how her death has become a sensational media story and attracted attention of people who are making jokes on her suicide.

I believe it's people like these who pick on vulnerable children on the internet. These people should be behind the bars. This is the reason I applaud the arrest overs April Jones case.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...-memorial-pages-targeted-by-negative-messages

Besides all this negative attraction, I also found broadcasting the teenage video in the news distasteful.

 

[Yayfordoritos]

I agree, and it's not just this story, it's a lot of stories that are on the news recently. Sometimes I think the comments section on places like yahoo, youtube, and msn bring out the idiots.

I've also read how vicious some people have been to the mom of Jessica Ridgeway, seriously she just lost her daughter in a horrific way.

 

[leroyjenkens]

This is the reason I applaud the arrest overs April Jones case.

I don't, but I'm from America where we have freedom of speech.
People should be allowed to be jerks. It's a slippery slope when you arrest people for being offensive.

 

[rootX]

I don't, but I'm from America where we have freedom of speech.
People should be allowed to be jerks. It's a slippery slope when you arrest people for being offensive.

It depends where you are from .. in other countries, jerks who mock teenage deaths see consequences for their actions.

 

[leroyjenkens]

It depends where you are from .. in other countries, jerks who mock teenage deaths see consequences for their actions.

It's their countries, so they can have whatever rules they want. But I don't think it's right. You arrest someone for being offensive, then where does it end? Do you arrest jerks for drawing Muhammed? That's extremely offensive to some people. You start doing that then you might as well convert to Sharia.

 

[SHISHKABOB]

I think there's a difference between saying offensive things and harassing someone.

If you see someone being offensive on the internet, then you can block them. If they actively try to make you see these offensive things, then that's harassment.

I think that there needs to be more education in regards to handling online trolls. A simple guideline that I follow is that if someone is saying things that are simply offensive and have no other purpose, then that person is probably a troll. The best thing to do in that situation is block them.

If someone is harassing you, and simply blocking them doesn't stop them, then you need to report them. This is pretty much the same thing as "call the teacher when you are being bullied". However if someone is hacking your stuff... then I'm pretty sure that can be illegal depending on what's going on. Then you can even call the police on them.

 

[rootX]

I think there's a difference between saying offensive things and harassing someone.

If you see someone being offensive on the internet, then you can block them. If they actively try to make you see these offensive things, then that's harassment.

I think that there needs to be more education in regards to handling online trolls. A simple guideline that I follow is that if someone is saying things that are simply offensive and have no other purpose, then that person is probably a troll. The best thing to do in that situation is block them.

If someone is harassing you, and simply blocking them doesn't stop them, then you need to report them. This is pretty much the same thing as "call the teacher when you are being bullied". However if someone is hacking your stuff... then I'm pretty sure that can be illegal depending on what's going on. Then you can even call the police on them.

It's parents responsibilities not to let your 12-16 years old talk to random strangers on the internet. There have been so many cases of people on the internet actively targeting young people. Going back to Amanda Todd, she shouldn't have been abused by others for so long.

But I wouldn't expect 12-16 years to handle these situations by themselves. Educating them is important but not all that needed.

 

[russ_watters]

Why didn't her parents get her off of facebook?

 

[rootX]

Why didn't her parents get her off of facebook?

I was bit surprised how it went so far yet the teenager did not received proper help. Most of the blame goes to parents but I believe it's also the teachers and classmates responsibility not to let these things happen. It's scary what kind of things some teenagers go through and end up destroying their lives.

 

[Evo]

I was bit surprised how it went so far yet the teenager did not received proper help. Most of the blame goes to parents but I believe it's also the teachers and classmates responsibility not to let these things happen. It's scary what kind of things some teenagers go through and end up destroying their lives.

Where were her parents?

 

[rootX]

Where were her parents?

It appears her parents are separated:

In her video, telling her story through phrases she held up on cards for the camera, Todd told of living with her father, who she said rescued her when she was lying in a ditch after being beaten by a number of students. She said then moved to another school and was with her mom.

 

[SHISHKABOB]

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Amanda+Todd+speaks+about+daughter+death/7384521/story.html

apparently she was being stalked on the internet by some guy who would use facebook to spread rumors about her that would result in her being ostracized from the school

I am very concerned about how the article talks about how "exhibitionism" in young teens is "not unusual".

And I'm pretty sure that the actions of this guy who has stalked her are illegal. Or at the very least, they should have informed the authorities about what was happening. I think that people need to be more aware of how to protect themselves on the internet. This applies to both kids and parents. I don't think there should ever be a situation where a young girl is able to send pictures of herself like that to strangers on the internet. It just shouldn't happen. I think that it's a matter of making sure that parents watch their children's internet activities closely.

 

[Yayfordoritos]

Why didn't her parents get her off of facebook?

Good point, or keep her completely away from the internet, unless it had to do with school work. Also they should have put her in some sort of support group.

I think kids today have it a lot harder than kids of previous years, just cause of the internet.

 

[Yayfordoritos]

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Amanda+Todd+speaks+about+daughter+death/7384521/story.html

apparently she was being stalked on the internet by some guy who would use facebook to spread rumors about her that would result in her being ostracized from the school

I am very concerned about how the article talks about how "exhibitionism" in young teens is "not unusual".

And I'm pretty sure that the actions of this guy who has stalked her are illegal. Or at the very least, they should have informed the authorities about what was happening.


I think that people need to be more aware of how to protect themselves on the internet. This applies to both kids and parents. I don't think there should ever be a situation where a young girl is able to send pictures of herself like that to strangers on the internet. It just shouldn't happen. I think that it's a matter of making sure that parents watch their children's internet activities closely.

Was the guy that stalked her an ex boyfriend?

 

[SHISHKABOB]

Was the guy that stalked her an ex boyfriend?

no, apparently it was a complete stranger that she met on the internet

probably via one of those chat sites

 

[rootX]

I think that people need to be more aware of how to protect themselves on the internet. This applies to both kids and parents. I don't think there should ever be a situation where a young girl is able to send pictures of herself like that to strangers on the internet. It just shouldn't happen. I think that it's a matter of making sure that parents watch their children's internet activities closely.

It appears to be a widespread problem. I recall reading a while ago about people on internet luring girls into pornography or prostitution: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12597245

Also as of present, many parents are not even enough computer literate to know what their children are doing on the computer.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

I don't, but I'm from America where we have freedom of speech.
People should be allowed to be jerks. It's a slippery slope when you arrest people for being offensive.

Déjà vu much. The idea that harassment and non-verbal assault laws are a threat to freedom of speech baffle me. The right to be found offensive is not synonymous with the right to vindictively harass someone to the point of suicide.

 

[cobalt124]

The first responsibility lies with parents. Ignorance of technology is not an excuse. If a parent has the slightest doubt, they should say no. Non-exposure to something (however fashionable) is never harmful, where exposure may be potentially harmful. Where parental responsibility fails, and Facebook and ISPs and the rest are found wanting, I am happy for the law (U.K.) to step in and look after our vulnerable people.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

The first responsibility lies with parents.

I'd expand that a bit to include teachers and any other adults in her life that are meant to recognise and step in when bullying occurs. However I don't think we should be so quick to judge those adults yet without knowing more. It's very easy for a child to hide bullying, depression and self harm for adults even if they are seeking help on public sites online.

PZ Myers has an interesting blog piece on freedom of speech partially inspired by this case
http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyng...ee-speech-is-not-freedom-from-responsibility/

 

[leroyjenkens]

Déjà vu much. The idea that harassment and non-verbal assault laws are a threat to freedom of speech baffle me. The right to be found offensive is not synonymous with the right to vindictively harass someone to the point of suicide.

I was responding to the comment he made about the guy who was arrested for posting "offensive comments" about April Jones, the girl who disappeared.

 

[AlephZero]

Also as of present, many parents are not even enough computer literate to know what their children are doing on the computer.

New technology doesn't make that a new problem. Arguably "growing up" has been about breaking free from parental control one way or another, ever since there have been parents.

For most kids, that's a normal and healthy state of affairs, but for some it goes horribly wrong.

You could argue that there is far too much "control" over kid's lives these days. When I was a kid, it was perfectly normal and acceptable for 8 year olds to be away from home on their own for most of the day, without any communication options available (and I don't mean "away from home but safe inside a school"). Sure, we sometimes scared ourselves witless, but that was just part of the learning processes. Nobody was bothered that we might kill ourselves, or get abducted, or whatever.

 

[snorkack]

Most common law jurisdictions stick to the principle that dead cannot be defamed. Whatever may be said about Amanda Todd now, howsoever offensive, hurtful, or malicious lie, cannot harm her corpse. (Not even if they manage to persuade her family to smash her gravestone, as happened to sir James Savile... even if Todd family were persuaded to harm Amanda´s yet unburied corpse, it is not a kind of legal harm her accusers should answer for.)

 

[rootX]

Most common law jurisdictions stick to the principle that dead cannot be defamed. Whatever may be said about Amanda Todd now, howsoever offensive, hurtful, or malicious lie, cannot harm her corpse. (Not even if they manage to persuade her family to smash her gravestone, as happened to sir James Savile... even if Todd family were persuaded to harm Amanda´s yet unburied corpse, it is not a kind of legal harm her accusers should answer for.)

It doesn't hurt corposes but it's just uncivil to defame someone dead regardless of what a person did when he was alive. It's disturbing how many people would go joke about dead teenagers when given anonymity.

 

[WannabeNewton]

This girl deserves everything that happened to her including her death. She was 15 years old and flashed her breasts, did sexual things on webcam with strangers, and acted like a complete *you know what* so it is no one's fault but her own. She was foolish and idiotic. I don't see any reason to vilify those who are mocking her.

 

[snorkack]

This girl deserves everything that happened to her including her death. She was 15 years old and flashed her breasts, did sexual things on webcam with strangers, and acted like a complete *you know what* so it is no one's fault but her own.

It is. She deserved something, but some of the treatment she suffered was worse than she deserved, and that is the fault of people who treated her so.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

This girl deserves everything that happened to her including her death. She was 15 years old and flashed her breasts, did sexual things on webcam with strangers, and acted like a complete *you know what* so it is no one's fault but her own. She was foolish and idiotic. I don't see any reason to vilify those who are mocking her.

Flashing breasts deserves a death sentence? Wow. Hello Taliban. There isn't one teenager that hasn't done something stupid. Most are lucky enough not to have it broadcast to the entire world.

 

[WannabeNewton]

Flashing breasts deserves a death sentence? Wow. Hello Taliban. There isn't one teenager that hasn't done something stupid.

Well no one killed her. She took her own life because she couldn't handle invectives thrown at her for something stupid that SHE did. Whose fault is that but her own? She was disgusting enough to flash to strangers on the internet. I see no reason to sympathize and shift all the blame to those who ridiculed her. It is the internet and that is what the internet does - this isn't a mystery to a teenager; if she willingly put her body out to the public like that then she had it coming.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Well no one killed her. She took her own life because she couldn't handle invectives thrown at her for something stupid that SHE did. Whose fault is that but her own? She was disgusting enough to flash to strangers on the internet.

Good God, just have a little understanding and compassion. She's 15, parents split, signs of mental illness, stalked and blackmailed by a stranger. Yes she made mistakes, but she is 15! I for one can tell you as a teenager, I made a lot of mistakes and I am thankful they haven't been broadcasted to the world. There have been countless studies that confirm teenagers have trouble considering consequences and instead act on impulse. She deserves to still be alive today. There is no question of that.

 

[WannabeNewton]

Good God, just have a little understanding and compassion. She's 15, parents split, signs of mental illness, stalked and blackmailed by a stranger. Yes she made mistakes, but she is 15! I for one can tell you as a teenager, I made a lot of mistakes and I am thankful they haven't been broadcasted to the world. There have been countless studies that confirm teenagers have trouble considering consequences and instead act on impulse. She deserves to still be alive today. There is no question of that.

I'm sorry but if a 15 year old doesn't have the mind to know that if she puts her breasts out on the internet then she will be ridiculed then there is no hope for my generation. Kids commiting suicide because they are bullied for being gay happens so much in this country but many of those stories go under the spot light and there are people in this country who even support such bullying but when this 15 year old "webcam actress" is bullied for doing something repulsive, the whole country comes down in tears. Hooray humanity!

 

[snorkack]

Flashing breasts deserves a death sentence? Wow. Hello Taliban. There isn't one teenager that hasn't done something stupid. Most are lucky enough not to have it broadcast to the entire world.

No, but under the laws of most US states, "possessing" or "making" child pornography is a felony punishable with lifetime registration on a public hit list and massive restrictions on places they are allowed to be present or work. It is immaterial to defence that the child pornography was made by the depicted child herself. It is also not a defence that the pornography was not broadcast to the entire world, or anyone at all - possessing child pornography which never left the cellphone or digital camera or computer of the child is fully as punishable if detected (e. g. on search of the computer or phone, or repairs thereof) nor is asubsequent deletion of the images a defence (the sex crime was committed when they were made, and traces of deleted files are evidence or items of child pornography).

Considering what the governments do to teenagers, it is unfair to blame the public of teenagers from following suit.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I'm sorry but if a 15 year old doesn't have the mind to know that if she puts her breasts out on the internet then she will be ridiculed then there is no hope for my generation.

Kids are generally very short sighted and ignorant. That has always been the case for every generation. It's just that within the last 15 years a powerful tool has been presented to them which can amplify any mistake they make. Mistakes that a lot kids make and most become forgotten. There is no denying she was foolish, but she was just being a kid while using a powerful tool. She doesn't "deserve" to die for that. She deserves a second change that early in life.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

No, but under the laws of most US states, "possessing" or "making" child pornography is a felony punishable with lifetime registration on a public hit list and massive restrictions on places they are allowed to be present or work.

Great... so arrest her if it is a pattern of behavior. That is no where near saying she deserved to die for flashing her breasts. Hordes of kids these days are sending body pics over cellphones. It's a huge problem, but this girl is not some anomaly.

 

[WannabeNewton]

There is no denying she was foolish, but she was just being a kid while using a powerful tool. She doesn't "deserve" to die for that. She deserves a second change that early in life.

While I don't deny your statement about the foolishness of teenagers (I've done my share of idiotic things these past few years), this wasn't her being a kid it was her being a prostitute. "Being a kid" is much too light a word and makes it seem like she was an innocent girl. She was far from innocent.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

While I don't deny your statement about the foolishness of teenagers (I've done my share of idiotic things these past few years), this isn't her being a kid it is her being a prostitute. "Being a kid" is much too light a word and makes it seem like she was an innocent girl. She was far from innocent.

I would never classify any 15 year old prostitute as anything but a victim. No matter, even prostitutes do not deserve to die. If anything, WE failed her.

 

[WannabeNewton]

I would never classify any 15 year old prostitute as anything but a victim. No matter, even prostitutes do not deserve to die. If anything, WE failed her.

Well to each his own as they say. You are more sympathetic and I admire that but I could never in my life hold an ounce of respect for a girl like this so I see no reason to feel remorse in any way.