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Teen who was relentlessly bullied kills herself in front of her family

I think it's very difficult for anyone who grew up before "the internet" to not think that.
As I said, it's a modern problem for sure.

Other issues is absolutely correct.

I can sort of understand this situation to a degree. I when I was a freshman at high school, there was this app called Yik Yak, which is sort like an anonymous social media app.

When it blew up, the only thing that it was used for was to talk **** about everybody at the school. And you would have no idea who said what because it's completely anonymous. But the AP's got onto it and blocked it from the school's Wi-Fi not too long after that.
 
I can sort of understand this situation to a degree. I when I was a freshman at high school, there was this app called Yik Yak, which is sort like an anonymous social media app.

When it blew up, the only thing that it was used for was to talk **** about everybody at the school. And you would have no idea who said what because it's completely anonymous. But the AP's got onto it and blocked it from the school's Wi-Fi not too long after that.

That didn't alter people using the app over mobile service, though. It might have cut down the drama, but I doubt it ended it.
 
I can sort of understand this situation to a degree. I when I was a freshman at high school, there was this app called Yik Yak, which is sort like an anonymous social media app.

When it blew up, the only thing that it was used for was to talk **** about everybody at the school. And you would have no idea who said what because it's completely anonymous. But the AP's got onto it and blocked it from the school's Wi-Fi not too long after that.

Why do you think kids today feel some "need" to cyber-bully?

Entertainment? Power? What is it? Any clue?
 
No, I completely understand it's an irrational act. Doesn't change the fact that it was still a cruel act to do so in front of her family. Those two things are not mutually exclusive.
Cruelty infers intent and motive though. Nothing here suggests she was trying to be cruel. It’s undeniable that witnessing her death would have been massively damaging to her family but it was only an act of cruelty if she’d wanted to hurt them in that way. In my experience of situations like this, her intentions (however misguided) would have been the exact opposite.
 
Cruelty infers intent and motive though. Nothing here suggests she was trying to be cruel. It’s undeniable that witnessing her death would have been massively damaging to her family but it was only an act of cruelty if she’d wanted to hurt them in that way. In my experience of situations like this, her intentions (however misguided) would have been the exact opposite.

I do not agree that cruelty always infers intent. I do not believe that her intent was to be cruel to her family in doing what she did, but it was a cruel act, nonetheless.
 
That didn't alter people using the app over mobile service, though. It might have cut down the drama, but I doubt it ended it.

It didn't die down immediately, but it did end soon after the school addressed it. And apparently, it's been banned at more schools because of the exact same reason.
 
Uy
No, I was quite clear on ONE specific issue.

And I didn't say nothing needed to be said even on that issue.

I did say that if something WAS said, they should be prepared for what happens next. Next time, try actually READING what someone writes rather than making up what you wanted them to have written.

So, tell me. Do you have anything that you'd want to add to the actual topic, or are you just here to try (and fail) to attack me?

You didnt have to say those exact words

They were fully implied by what you did say
 
Why do you think kids today feel some "need" to cyber-bully?

Entertainment? Power? What is it? Any clue?

I'm not expert but I think they are to some degree sociopaths.
 
Btw... here's a preemptive strike. Most of you know what I do for a living. I'll go further than that. My graduate school final thesis was on suicidality.
Hmmm...and then you complain that people "attack" you.

Anyone who says something like "killing yourself is a sign of weakness" or the like, be prepared to be laughed at and humiliated for being completely ignorant on the topic.
I"ll bite. What are the dominant factors that increase the chances of suicide among teens in cases of online/irl bullying?.


Fallen.
 
Why do you think kids today feel some "need" to cyber-bully?

Entertainment? Power? What is it? Any clue?

For the same reason kids have bullied weaker kids since the dawn of kids. All of the above.
 
Uy

You didnt have to say those exact words

They were fully implied by what you did say

Don't quit your day job. Your attempts at mind reading have yielded a batting average of .000.
 
Hmmm...and then you complain that people "attack" you.

I'd like to prevent people from saying stupid things in threads like this. Apparently, people will STILL say stupid things even if advise them not to.


I"ll bite. What are the dominant factors that increase the chances of suicide among teens in cases of online/irl bullying?.


Fallen.

Other mental health issues such as depression. Self-esteem issues. Social isolation/difficulty making friends. Estrangement from family or one or both parents. Some sort of social or interactive trauma. Those are some major ones.
 
Don't quit your day job.

Your attempts at mind reading have yielded a batting average of .000.

I wont

When it comes to divining the emotions of a person you have never met and then telling everyone else what to think I couldnt hold a candle to you
 
Anger and resentment towards bullies I get. High school and middle school can be hell.

At the end of the day though, these are words being typed, not fists. You can hold someone liable for the physical harm they inflict.

You cannot reasonably hold them liable for the physical harm someone else chooses to inflict on themselves. She gave their words power and she acted on an external locus of control, in this case a highly negative one.

But those are still just words and thoughts expressed. Freedom of speech, of thought, of expression are paramount; this is not a matter for law.
 
I wont

When it comes to divining the emotions of a person you have never met and then telling everyone else what to think I couldnt hold a candle to you

This demonstrates that you have no clue. It is not hard to understand the emotions of someone you've never met if you've TREATED hundreds of people like them. As far as telling others what to think, I didn't do that, so you are still batting .000 in being correct. I'll let you know when you get your first hit.
 
For the same reason kids have bullied weaker kids since the dawn of kids. All of the above.

I get that from a 10,000 foot view, but cyber-bullying is a different beast isn't it?

Anyone can cyber-bully. Girls can be far more vicious over the internet than they can in physical form. Right?

There's instant gratification from physically bullying somebody.

When you do it over the internet and can't watch your victim react directly it's different.
 
I get that from a 10,000 foot view, but cyber-bullying is a different beast isn't it?

Anyone can cyber-bully. Girls can be far more vicious over the internet than they can in physical form. Right?

There's instant gratification from physically bullying somebody.

When you do it over the internet and can't watch your victim react directly it's different.

It's the power of anonymity that makes it different. If you punch someone in the face, the possibility of consequences exists... consequences at school, consequences at home, consequences legally. Bullying on the internet, anonymously yields few if any consequences. That's power and freedom to do and say things without concern for risk.
 
It's the power of anonymity that makes it different. If you punch someone in the face, the possibility of consequences exists... consequences at school, consequences at home, consequences legally. Bullying on the internet, anonymously yields few if any consequences. That's power and freedom to do and say things without concern for risk.

Right. So one of my questions is, should there be legal consequences? Especially when it leads to a persons death?
 
Bullied teen kills herself in front of her family - CNN.com





Cyber bullying. A modern day issue. Awful. Disgusting. Tragic.

Can we, or should we hold people accountable when something of this nature happens?
Can assault charges be levied if it's just words on the internet?

Flip side of that is people don't have to be "on" the internet. You can turn off Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

I'm torn between anger at the kids who mercilessly tortured this girl, and just outright sadness that she felt her only way out was suicide.
Her family must be absolutely devastated having watched her pull the trigger.

Rather a cyber version of Lord Of The Flies?
 
Right. So one of my questions is, should there be legal consequences? Especially when it leads to a persons death?

It's a difficult question. Morally is there culpability? I would say yes. The likelihood of the individual committing suicide without the bullying from the actor is extremely low if nonexistent. The bullies behavior leads directly to a mood and self-perception shift that affects future behavior. But legally? Accessory to murder? Incitement? I'm really not sure if any of those would apply. I know you are asking a "should" question, rather than a "is there legal recourse" question, but it's hard not to consider the latter.

I'm going to think about this some more.
 
It's the power of anonymity that makes it different. If you punch someone in the face, the possibility of consequences exists... consequences at school, consequences at home, consequences legally. Bullying on the internet, anonymously yields few if any consequences. That's power and freedom to do and say things without concern for risk.

That freedom that comes with anonymity on the internet is clearly seen here on DP where people have the freedom to present themselves a little bit larger in life than they are in reality.
 
It's a difficult question. Morally is there culpability? I would say yes. The likelihood of the individual committing suicide without the bullying from the actor is extremely low if nonexistent. The bullies behavior leads directly to a mood and self-perception shift that affects future behavior. But legally? Accessory to murder? Incitement? I'm really not sure if any of those would apply. I know you are asking a "should" question, rather than a "is there legal recourse" question, but it's hard not to consider the latter.

I'm going to think about this some more.

Maybe not murder charges. What about assault?
Or something that sticks with a permanent record that would have to be disclosed on job applications, or something?

A cyber scarlet letter.
 
I'd like to prevent people from saying stupid things in threads like this. Apparently, people will STILL say stupid things even if advise them not to.
Your "advice" is meaningless, as it is an online forum, people can and will say a lot of things, even if you consider them stupid. Imo it seemed more like some cheap chest-beating attempt.

Other mental health issues such as depression. Self-esteem issues. Social isolation/difficulty making friends. Estrangement from family or one or both parents. Some sort of social or interactive trauma. Those are some major ones.

Cool. Now lets get back to your previous statement i.e. "Anyone who says something like "killing yourself is a sign of weakness" or the like, be prepared to be laughed at and humiliated for being completely ignorant on the topic." and more specifically to the weakness part. Isn't having issues with social interactions or a low self esteem due to various factors is a form of "social weakness" of some sort, especially in the current era of social-media and supposed openness?



Fallen.
 
Cool. Now lets get back to your previous statement i.e. "Anyone who says something like "killing yourself is a sign of weakness" or the like, be prepared to be laughed at and humiliated for being completely ignorant on the topic." and more specifically to the weakness part. Isn't having issues with social interactions or a low self esteem due to various factors is a form of "social weakness" of some sort, especially in the current era of social-media and supposed openness?



Fallen.

Do you consider mental illness an actual "illness"?

Or, to put it another way, is cancer a "weakness"?

Would you say a person who dies from breast cancer, or liver cancer was "weak"?
 
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