As reported by Reid Epstein in Newsday, a New York teenager has sued Fb. After all there will likely be a variety of furor over whether or not Fb is accountable for its content material on this case. However, I need to give attention to two associated areas that I believe are extra vital in the long term than any deserves on this particular cyber bullying lawsuit.The primary space that I believe is extra vital in the long term is the continued effort to make new legal guidelines in response to new crimes, particularly utilizing new expertise. The pure manner that we make new legal guidelines begins when some folks commit acts not particularly coated below the outdated legal guidelines which have horrible penalties. We reply by particularly labeling these new actions as crimes, and fasten what we really feel are acceptable legal penalties. Then we see, by trial-and-error, the place to attract higher traces. The authorized system is inevitably sluggish, inefficient and by no means good.Given the rising variety of lives ruined by cyber bullying, emotional harassment and abuse, particularly in faculties, and the variety of suicides stimulated by cyber bullying, I believe that our society will make legal guidelines particularly stating that false and malicious statements and postings, along with pornography, are unlawful. I do not assume we’ll maintain carriers like Fb, MySpace, and so forth. liable for his or her postings. However I believe we’ll maintain them accountable for ignoring complaints about particular discussion groups and postings that they proceed to hold.
Many states and college districts, together with Kansas, Oregon and California are contemplating such legal guidelines to guard youngsters and youngsters from cyber bullying.One stumbling block in making such legal guidelines is the place to attract the traces and the hidden assumption that cyberbullying legal guidelines can and ought to be made “just right” for all conditions – by no means too lax, by no means too harsh. However the letter of the legal guidelines can by no means cowl all conditions with “just right” justice. We at all times rely on human knowledge within the legislation’s utility to particular conditions. That is simply the way in which it’s – for higher or for worse.And I believe that on this space, security ought to overcome cyber freedom.The second space that I believe is extra vital in the long term is parenting for the particular conditions involving our youngsters and youngsters. Our job is to observe our youngsters:1. Do they seem like they’re having a tough time (possibly being attacked by cyberbullies)? How can we assist them cease bullying on their very own or do we have to intervene?2. Are they witnessing cyber bullying and are they struggling to know whether or not or methods to intervene?three. Are they cyber bullies? How can we cease them and assist them develop the character to make amends and do higher subsequent time?four. Ought to they even be on MySpace or Fb or any social networking websites? What else can be a greater use of their time and power?
And naturally there aren’t any simple solutions. Nobody is de facto dumb sufficient to assume there are simple options.There aren’t any secure environments. Faculties and the true world have by no means been secure. Faculties and social networks are testing grounds for the true world. And the true world just isn’t and shouldn’t be secure. Going through dangers and hazard helps us develop good sense, good character and the qualities essential to survive. Think about rising up on a farm, in a wilderness village or within the center ages. Not secure. I grew up in New York Metropolis. Not secure. Millennia in the past we needed to study what a saber-toothed tiger’s foot prints seemed like and the way way back they had been left. The world nonetheless requires survival expertise, even when totally different ones.Our job as mother and father is to show our youngsters the abilities and grit to outlive in whichever jungle or battleground they reside, and to guard them once they’re over-matched.
