Cyberbullies scare schoolgirls into stripping online

They find power in anonymity of spreading damaging information--like Webcam stripteases meant for a boyfriend's eyes only.

The story "Cyberbullies scare schoolgirls into stripping online" published March 29, 2007 at 5:41 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

Content from Reuters expires after 30 days.

[alen 923]

biased

This is a biased article and completely misses the fact that girls are encouraged to do the exact same thing to their ex boyfriends.

a simple google finds more that sufficient evidence of this.

But I forgot.. these guys deserve it, and/or like the attention.

[bemenaker]

Of course it's biased

You mean society wants to admit that many of these girls also send these pics of their own free will, and are sexually promiscuous?

[iced_t_canada]

Parents are still to blame

Ok, when a girl posts her pic to her boyfriend, why does she have access to a webcam in the first place? This again, like another million other scenarios, boils down to parents not keeping track and in touch with their kids enough. Disable or take away any digital photography equipment while you're away, how hard is that? Sure, they can sneak in their own, but you're still making it harder for them to be hurt like that in the end.

[soup_ignorant]

Misleading Title

I didn't see anything about cyberbullies scaring anyone in that story. Boyfriends asking and girlfriends 'might' take the pictures...Thanks for tricking me into clicking onto this link, Cnet.

[CommandHerTaco]

This story is an April Fool's joke!

The whole point is to spam as many people as possible with this titillating false headline.

[soup_ignorant]

Judging by your handle...

I can see why you were lured in.

[thedreaming]

What?

You're online, your boyfriend eggs you to strip in front of the webcam and then he shares this video with all his friends. Doesn't it make sense to leave him? What girl wants a boyfriend that shares their intimate moments with the internet?

This is a joke right? It's an april fool's joke?

[Victim of Cyberstalking]

Victims

Dont tell me we are back to the "the victim was asking for it" mentality. She was wearing a short skirt, so therefore she deserved it!

[computerlegalexperts.com]

Lack of education, common sense or a public panic?

Canadian researchers? The story resonates with a criteria for "bullying" to include "peer pressure."

I wish that a book on educating "end-users" on the uses and abuses of computer technology and was distributed to everybody who would buy or rent a computer. The issue is analogous to the statement, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink it" comes to mind.

Free advice from someone who has been around computers for more than juat "a few years"-

1. Educate your children as to what's out there. There is a lot of good material, but there is also some unsavory material as well. Just as in society, we have good and bad people.

2. Teach your youngster about "peer pressure" vs. bullying. In the computer forensics field, "email lasts forever." The same thing is true with pictures, which can last well into their professional careers.

3. If there is an issue, "pull the plug" and review your options.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, only in this case the cure weighs at least a ton. If you need an example of how bad it can get, Catherine Bosley is a former news television anchor (10 years at WKBN), in Youngstown, Ohio. What started out as a "Wet T-Shirt Contest," went a little further than expected, while vactioning with her husband in Key West, FL. Her pictures were spread all over the internet and as Paul Harvey would say, "You know the rest of the story."

Just my thoughts,

Steven Moshlak
President, Computerlegalexperts.com
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.computerlegalexperts.com" target="_newWindow">http://www.computerlegalexperts.com</a>

[hornplayer]

bullies

When are our 'so called' modern society going to realize that girls are just as promiscuous as young boys these days. Gone are the days of the 'so called' innocent little girls.. Its amazing in this sexually backwards nation where going topless (women), nude beaches etc. are frowned upon yet when it comes to advertising, sex is prevalent- its used to sell everything! Funny how we (society) comes down on programs that are considered to 'adult' for little children to watch, yet we have nothing to say about the 'soaps' eg.. days of our lives etc.. that are sooo sexual in content, and shown during day hours as though kids never take a day off or have holidays - lets not even talk about the whole summer off -.. The american society is so hypercritical when it comes to sex. The courts give a slap on the wrist to women that abuse boys (actually indulge in intercourse (several times)/having babies etc) yet if a girl/woman just 'mentions - true or not' that a man has touched her or even accidentally rubs against her, looks at her wrong (workplace) in some fashion he's in for a long sentence or possibly loses his job, and his reputation is destroyed whether the claim is true or false. And its perceived that boys just like that and we cheer him on and yet, if this young boy turns out to be an overly active young man, or abusive (sexually) we want to put him in jail! I read an interesting study the other day saying that women abuse children more than men do - on all levels, but it hardly gets reported. This shows up in the forms of drug abuse, sexually promiscuity, etc.. I have several friends that are rehabilitative counselors and they confirm this story from men and women. Here is the funniest thing to me.. We point to boys as doing everything wrong and yet the male species are born with prevalent amounts of testosterone - we give it to women (hormone shots) when they lose sexual desire (later in life)and its used in various ways to boost this and that.. and yet.. When t.v., radio, ads etc. push young ladies to wear the skimpiest of clothing and boys react they are considered as misbehaving and bad.. and if you watch these young women walking around with these articles of clothing you can tell its with intent that they are wearing it.. (I dare you to watch the unloading of ANY school bus as they are going to school and you'll be amazed that the parents allow the girls to walk out of the house with that stuff on!!) As if the boys told them what to wear that day!!! Its funny to me that in Europe and other places where topless beaches are normal you don't hear of such things because like anything else you become used to seeing it and its no big deal.. Yet in this greedy capitalistic society they tease you with it so that they can sell their products ie.. magazines, movies, clothing etc.. We are being so controlled here in the USA its not funny, and we don't even realize it half the time!! And NO I'm not a cyber bully I'm just making a obvious point!! Lets take these girls off the princess pedestal please its sickening or stop being a hypercritical society.