[Niamh.]

Oh God, that's horrible Mollie, were they people you know from real life?

[Maia]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Oh God, that's horrible Mollie, were they people you know from real life?

They were online friends, I had known them for years though and they were always good to me prior to that. This was just completely out of the blue :/

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by Mollie.

I have been seriously cyberbullied in the past. The worst was in 2008 when a group of people I really thought were my friends ganged up against me and plotted to have my online accounts hacked and destroyed. They used my best friend at the time to trick me into handing over my passwords, which, because I trusted him, I foolishly did. He locked me out of my accounts (bar one that I was able to talk to him on) and started blackmailing me telling me if I didn't do certain things I wouldn't get them back. I literally couldn't do anything and I felt powerless.

Thankfully he gave them back to me, against the other group members' wishes, and obviously as you'd expect I've never been stupid enough to give out my passwords ever since

That's terrible That's the thing Mollie: we give people our trust and this is how they repay that trust. It's worse when it's someone as you say, that you regarded as a best friend. You're better off without people like that around you.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Mollie.

They were online friends, I had known them for years though and they were always good to me prior to that. This was just completely out of the blue :/

That's horrible, that's why I worry about my daughter and younger people on the net. I'd say she'll be atleast 16 before I let her go on un supervised. It's scary all these kind of bullying stories you here, young teenagers even killing themselves over that kind of thing.

[GypsyGoth]

Jeeze Mollie that's awful

[Livia]

God, there are some scumbags in the world, aren't there?

[Dilligaf]

Originally Posted by Mollie.

I have been seriously cyberbullied in the past. The worst was in 2008 when a group of people I really thought were my friends ganged up against me and plotted to have my online accounts hacked and destroyed. They used my best friend at the time to trick me into handing over my passwords, which, because I trusted him, I foolishly did. He locked me out of my accounts (bar one that I was able to talk to him on) and started blackmailing me telling me if I didn't do certain things I wouldn't get them back. I literally couldn't do anything and I felt powerless.

Thankfully he gave them back to me, against the other group members' wishes, and obviously as you'd expect I've never been stupid enough to give out my passwords ever since

That is terrible.

This is why the internet as a whole could do with rules and laws set in place. If something like that had happened in the material world there would have been criminal charges made.

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

That's horrible, that's why I worry about my daughter and younger people on the net. I'd say she'll be atleast 16 before I let her go on un supervised. It's scary all these kind of bullying stories you here, young teenagers even killing themselves over that kind of thing.

The part that many /some people seem to miss in all of this is: online socialising has taken over what used to happen in days gone by: whereby people used to meet up in person, know each other in person and in real life.

A great deal of friendships arise from online conversations and online interraction regardless of age - but looking at it from 'youngsters' point of view in particular: they are very impressionable, they want to fit in and all it takes is that one bully to start rounding up their possy...... much going on elsewhere in the background - people being set up when they think these people are their friends - and before you know it: all sorts of thiings are posted online and then spread like wildfire - with much of it not being taken down, and remaining online for many years later.

Yes, it could be argued that 'similar' may happen in real life - people do get let down in real life - but it is far easier to bully, intimiate, harrass, badger and cause distress online, to a far wider audience with far less control over the end result.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Pyramid*

The part that many /some people seem to miss in all of this is: online socialising has taken over what used to happen in days gone by: whereby people used to meet up in person, know each other in person and in real life.

A great deal of friendships arise from online conversations and online interraction regardless of age - but looking at it from 'youngsters' point of view in particular: they are very impressionable, they want to fit in and all it takes is that one bully to start rounding up their possy...... much going on elsewhere in the background - people being set up when they think these people are their friends - and before you know it: all sorts of thiings are posted online and then spread like wildfire - with much of it not being taken down, and remaining online for many years later.

Yes, it could be argued that 'similar' may happen in real life - people do get let down in real life - but it is far easier to bully, intimiate, harrass, badger and cause distress online, to a far wider audience with far less control over the end result.

Absolutely, and it's becoming a serious problem too. I think it needs to be looked at and policed more tbh because people seem to think anything they do is fine because "It's not real life" when in fact it is very much real life, there are real people sitting behind all of those screens

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Absolutely, and it's becoming a serious problem too. I think it needs to be looked at and policed more tbh because people seem to think anything they do is fine because "It's not real life" when in fact it is very much real life, there are real people sitting behind all of those screens

You speak for yourself. I'm a hologram with upgraded facilities.!!


Kidding aside: that is the issue though. It is real live people, with real live emotions and feelings - and as I mentioned: you just have to use Tibb as an example of how many young people (and older it must be said) - sit at night, alone in their rooms, parents downstairs, spending hours online, in chat rooms, FB, forums etc: whereas when I was a kid/teen and older -- either my parents wanted me out of the house 'get some fresh air rather than being stuck in the house'....... we used to go to community centres, hang around the swing parks, go up the park, and be together.

these days:it doesn't happen daily like that - a heck of a lot is thumping on keyboards, webcams, chat rooms, skype etc. Much body language is lost which is (70% iirc) of communication is lost. signals that would have been picked up on previously by body lanuage, by tone of voice - are now lost. Signals that are highly important.

by the very nature of this type of medium - it is very easy to be abused (ie: the comm method as well as 'a person/s'.)

[arista]

Originally Posted by Shasown

PMSL That was amusing, seeing posts disappear.

Cant say i have been bullied in cyber space, have dealt with people who thought they could try bullying members on my own site but nah, got it sorted PDQ.

I suppose some people could be intimidated by my "gentle" nature every once in a while, its not intended though and for that in just this one thread I do apologise.

No you are to smart

And Not Twisted.


Feel The Force.

[arista]

"I'm a hologram with upgraded facilities.!!"



Yes Skpe Holograms
soon you can dance Naked over someone

[GypsyGoth]

Originally Posted by arista

"I'm a hologram with upgraded facilities.!!"



Yes Skpe Holograms
soon you can dance Naked over someone

[Sarah.]

Yes All because I met someone famous that she liked, and this girl would send me hateful messages and threaten to hurt me and tried to turn all my friends against me. It went on for about 2 years.

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by arista

"I'm a hologram with upgraded facilities.!!"



Yes Skpe Holograms
soon you can dance Naked over someone

I'm not so sure I'd want to inflict that on even my worst enemy Arista!!!

[Dilligaf]

Originally Posted by Sarah.

Yes All because I met someone famous that she liked, and this girl would send me hateful messages and threaten to hurt me and tried to turn all my friends against me. It went on for about 2 years.

Didn't you report it to the police? Bitching is one thing but when it comes to all out threats it turns in to something else altogether.