Comments on: Blogging Shouldn’t Lead to Death Threats http://wordymouth.com/pr/blogging-shouldnt-lead-to-death-threats/ A bloviation on the practice of public relations. Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:51:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: wordymouth.com » Cyberbullying: Take Time Friday to Stop It http://wordymouth.com/pr/blogging-shouldnt-lead-to-death-threats/comment-page-1/#comment-5219 wordymouth.com » Cyberbullying: Take Time Friday to Stop It Thu, 29 Mar 2007 22:02:11 +0000 http://wordymouth.com/2007/03/26/blogging-shouldnt-lead-to-death-threats/#comment-5219 [...] Friday is Stop Cyberbullying Day.?Ç Andy Carvin suggested this day be set aside for thinking about cyberbullying, its impacts and how to stop it dead in its tracks.?Ç He offers some suggestions on how you can participate.?Ç This whole movement began Monday (March 26) with a posting by Kathy Sierra about how she had become the victim of a vicious round of hate speech.?Ç I commented about it, along with a large number of others.?Ç In her post about the impacts of cyberbullying on women, Lisa Stone writes: I have no idea how many women have emailed and telephoned me about attacks via IM, IRC chat, message boards, email and blog comments. These attacks use language that describes detailed rape, dismemberment, profanity and indescribably sick images. The goal? Abuse and humiliation of women. [...] [...] Friday is Stop Cyberbullying Day.?Ç Andy Carvin suggested this day be set aside for thinking about cyberbullying, its impacts and how to stop it dead in its tracks.?Ç He offers some suggestions on how you can participate.?Ç This whole movement began Monday (March 26) with a posting by Kathy Sierra about how she had become the victim of a vicious round of hate speech.?Ç I commented about it, along with a large number of others.?Ç In her post about the impacts of cyberbullying on women, Lisa Stone writes: I have no idea how many women have emailed and telephoned me about attacks via IM, IRC chat, message boards, email and blog comments. These attacks use language that describes detailed rape, dismemberment, profanity and indescribably sick images. The goal? Abuse and humiliation of women. [...]

]]> By: Michael Sommermeyer http://wordymouth.com/pr/blogging-shouldnt-lead-to-death-threats/comment-page-1/#comment-5146 Michael Sommermeyer Wed, 28 Mar 2007 04:52:01 +0000 http://wordymouth.com/2007/03/26/blogging-shouldnt-lead-to-death-threats/#comment-5146 Ike, I agree with your viewpoint yet still wonder if transparency needs to lead to hate. BTW, we share some similar experiences. Two of my friends got out of broadcasting because they couldn't take the constant intrusions into their privacy. I re-read Chris Locke's Essay One in Cluetrain tonight and found the discussion on flamers too close to the current situation for comfort. However, even when all I had was Usenet, I never got to the point where I was flaming someone just to see if I could force them under the bed shivering in fright. But I agree with you - we left the garden long ago and it's time most of us realized we're all naked. Ike, I agree with your viewpoint yet still wonder if transparency needs to lead to hate. BTW, we share some similar experiences. Two of my friends got out of broadcasting because they couldn’t take the constant intrusions into their privacy.

I re-read Chris Locke’s Essay One in Cluetrain tonight and found the discussion on flamers too close to the current situation for comfort. However, even when all I had was Usenet, I never got to the point where I was flaming someone just to see if I could force them under the bed shivering in fright.

But I agree with you – we left the garden long ago and it’s time most of us realized we’re all naked.

]]> By: Ike http://wordymouth.com/pr/blogging-shouldnt-lead-to-death-threats/comment-page-1/#comment-5138 Ike Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:04:44 +0000 http://wordymouth.com/2007/03/26/blogging-shouldnt-lead-to-death-threats/#comment-5138 Eden is broken. You can't go home again. I used to work in television news. I worked with many smart, attractive women who became the obsession of sick weirdos. I helped them cope as best I could, and offered to play bodyguard when needed. It was a hazard of the job. When a blogger reaches a certain size in audience, no matter how innocent the subject matter, there will be a deranged sicko in the community. It's statistics. I'm sorry for Kathy, I truly am. But there is a dark side to transparency, and the sooner we embrace it the stronger we'll be. Someone get her a copy of Gavin de Becker's "The Gift of Fear," and allow her to channel her human nature into something that will protect her instead of imprison her. Eden's broken. Let's not stop. Eden is broken. You can’t go home again.

I used to work in television news. I worked with many smart, attractive women who became the obsession of sick weirdos. I helped them cope as best I could, and offered to play bodyguard when needed. It was a hazard of the job.

When a blogger reaches a certain size in audience, no matter how innocent the subject matter, there will be a deranged sicko in the community. It’s statistics.

I’m sorry for Kathy, I truly am. But there is a dark side to transparency, and the sooner we embrace it the stronger we’ll be. Someone get her a copy of Gavin de Becker’s “The Gift of Fear,” and allow her to channel her human nature into something that will protect her instead of imprison her.

Eden’s broken. Let’s not stop.

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