April 30, 2007
Be angry! Be very angry!
First, if you are reading this early on Tuesday morning, May 1st, turn on your TV and watch Good Morning America. They’re doing a feature about cyberstalking. You may think you know how bad it can get, but maybe you don’t. Everyone knows about what happened to Kathy Sierra recently, but I wonder if most know how pervasive cyberstalking is. I’ve known for a while that one of my blogging friends has been harrassed and threatened by a stalker for years. I only found out this evening that her stalker is someone whose blog I visited a few weeks ago. His first few posts that day were full of racist filth, and he named specific people as targets of his bile and hatred. I closed his page in disgust and thougth that was the last I needed to ever hear or know about him. Now I know that he not only has targeted the one friend I was aware was being stalked, but also several other bloggers I’m associated with. He has caused some to quit blogging completely. He has threatened and stalked families of bloggers who appear on his radar. And he is not alone. This type of behavior seems to be becoming more prevalent, perhaps because many law enforcement agencies don’t consider it “real.”
Are we supposed to wait until someone carries out their threats to maim, rape and kill? What will it take for public officials and law enforcement agencies to put these bullying slimeballs out of business? The question is not rhetorical. I don’t know the answers, but I’m open to whatever ideas you may want to throw out there. How can we, as bloggers (and as women - most targets are women) combat this threat? We can talk about it. We can get the word out and raise awareness, but awareness without action is impotent. We are under attack and I think the time has come to go on the offensive.
Go. Read Kat’s post. Follow the link to her Washington Post interview. See what is going on in our blogosphere. Get angry. Join me in dialog and let’s talk about what we can do to put a stop to this meance.
Technorati Tags: blogs, bloggin, cyberstalking, cyber bullies, Kathy Sierra, stalkers, bullies
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April 30th, 2007 at 11:08 pm, kat Says:
Thank you so much for the support. It means a lot to know I’m not doing this alone.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:10 am, Mr. Fabulous Says:
Kat is so awesome for taking a stand like this. I wish I could watch it, but I’ll be at work.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:31 am, skeet Says:
No alone Kat. Never alone. But until we all make up our minds to work on this together the threat will continue. I’m just sorry that it’s taken me this long to realize just how threatening the problem is.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:33 am, skeet Says:
Blog it, Fab! Give it a quick post before you go to work so you can get your early morning readers watching Good Morning America and feeling the outrage!
May 1st, 2007 at 1:17 am, Jenn Says:
Thank you for posting this. We need as much light on this as possible.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:36 am, kate Says:
I am glad that you wrote this post. I missed the programme but will read Kat’s post. It is a scary world out there sometimes - and thank you for shedding light on this.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:43 am, Jules Says:
The actual video of the GMA is on YouTube. Let Mr. Fab know, so he can watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d35Q9nzOGw8
I don’t have the answers either.
May 1st, 2007 at 5:14 am, green tea Says:
Yes, the more exposure the better. Get the word out, this is scary stuff.
May 1st, 2007 at 8:58 am, JasonJ Says:
Thanks for the YouTube link…. this is a serious topic. Thanks for the attention, Skeet.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:05 am, Leigh Says:
Well said, Skeet! I know there’s something we can do, we just have to find it. Until then, though, taking a stand the way we are is a HUGE and important first step!
May 1st, 2007 at 9:08 am, Leigh Says:
Thank you for posting this.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:40 am, Whim Says:
Great post!
No we are not supposed to wait until someone is killed but you can be damn sure that the government won’t do a thing until someone is. Think about it, Amber Alerts and Megan’s Law did not come about before the fact.
May 1st, 2007 at 11:10 am, Sassy Says:
Hi Skeet. Great post. I gave you and Kat a link back to your post. If all us bloggers band together we can stop this.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:27 pm, jocelyn Says:
Hi Skeet,
I am speechless hearing that things could get that worse for these cyberstalking victims. This is indeed a serious topic and it should be given more exposure than it is now.
It is a good thing that found your blog while doing the TFX.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:44 pm, Angie Says:
I was in bed sick while the morning shows were on, but I’m looking for a transcript now.
I’ve been cyber stalked before, via sites I do on a professional level for a celebrity. It’s frightening in such an out of control way. And, I’ve gone to differnt police disctricts about e-mails from people that contain threats and you usually just get a shrug and “what can we do about it?” from them.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:53 pm, Joana Says:
I watched the GMA segment and I was sorely disappointed that they made it so short. This is an important matter that law enforcement really needs to step and address. I fear though that what Kat said at the end of her interview is the truth. It will take something serious, like a blogger being killed, to show that these threats are just as serious (if not more so) as those administered by people on the streets.
I too know of this jerk who has been harassing Kat. I’ve seen him posting continuously on one person’s site. His comments were always rude and derogatory and just plain hate filled. I didn’t think much of it though because well the person whose blog he commented on (on friendly terms) is not a pillar of decorum either. I thought trash was attracting trash, and when he harassed other bloggers I knew of (like Jenn) I didn’t think much of it because I had not heard the most flattering of tales about them. I just wrongly assumed that it was an ongoing childish feud between them at shrugged my shoulders at it. Given the source though I should have known better, it didn’t take long to see who was the victim though.
It’s disturbing to see how far flung his hatred and bigotry is though. I would seriously love to see something done about this…I can’t even think of a proper word for him….he really needs to be stopped. Looking at his forum and blog, it’s disgusting.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:29 pm, skeet Says:
Yes, Jenn, we need to keep it in the spotlight by working together to make some changes.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:33 pm, skeet Says:
Kate, the video of the GMA segment is up on YouTube. You can catch it there if you havne’t seen it yet. It’s inadequate, but still may have opened some eyes.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:40 pm, skeet Says:
Mahalo for the link, Jules. I sent it to Mr. Fab before I dashed out the door this morning and I’ve shared it with a couple of others since then.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:56 pm, skeet Says:
We need to all work together to publicize this on our blogs, Green Tea. Hope you’ll help, too! You can copy the badge I’ve got in my post now and put up it if you like.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:59 pm, skeet Says:
Yes, Jason, sometimes the fun and games have to get shuttled aside while we deal with real life. Let’s all stay on top of this story and keep it in the public eye!
May 1st, 2007 at 10:02 pm, skeet Says:
What we can do, Leigh, is all stand together and shout with a mighty voice - the voice of thousands of bloggers who are mad as hell and aren’t going to take it anymore.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:03 pm, skeet Says:
You’re welcome, other Leigh! Let’s all keep this story alive?
May 1st, 2007 at 10:07 pm, skeet Says:
There’s reason to be concerned, Whim. I greatly fear something horrendous may happen before the powers that be will move to shut cyberbullies down.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:09 pm, skeet Says:
Mahalo for the link Sassy! I hope we’ve started a series of chains all linking to the story and keeping it in the spotlight.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:11 pm, skeet Says:
Blog it, Jocelyn, and encourage your readers tohelp it spread like a virus. It’s exposure these creeps can’t stand!
May 1st, 2007 at 10:15 pm, skeet Says:
Angie, the GMA piece is up on YouTube. The link is in the busy thread in marketing and in the comment thread beneath my post. You’ve probably already found it, but wanted to cover that base, just in case. There’s alsio some info that might get te police to recognize this as a crime, so ctch up with Kat’s thread if you haven’t yet.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:18 pm, skeet Says:
Joana, it wouldn’t surprise me if he starts targeting everyone who has joined the uproar, but we need to stand together against this, and keep bringing in the authorities until we get the response that’s needed.
May 2nd, 2007 at 7:34 am, Lisa Says:
It’s posts like these that made me nominate you as a “thinking blogger”
http://mythoughtsideasandramblings.com/2007/05/02/thinking-blogger-award/
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:25 pm, Ami-chan Says:
I just became aware of this story (although I’d heard of Kathy Sierra a while ago) today while I was doing the alexa rounds, and I’m appalled by what’s gone on.
I’m glad to see people sharing the information and passing links along so that we can all get together and do something about this.
It is sad that law enforcement doesn’t seem to care more about this. I think it might be in part because it’s so difficult for local police to deal with things which cross state lines. I know I hear from my husband how hard it is to deal with something that crosses out of their city line and into the county jurisdiction, on the one hand things like this are easily federal cases, but reporting them to local departments where they have to go through so much red tape and butted heads, and in some cases probably don’t care or think people are being hysterical…just makes it all the harder.
I am glad to read that states are recognizing these things and making legislation.
May 3rd, 2007 at 1:30 am, skeet Says:
Well, shoot, Lisa! I’m catching up on comments and realized that the reply I sent you must have been imaginary. Ooops! Sorry.
Mahalo nui loa for the high compliment, my friend. I’ve come to admire and respect you so your recognition is especially precious to me. I’ll try not to embarrass you by failing to meet the high standards you’ve set. ;0)
May 3rd, 2007 at 1:36 am, skeet Says:
It is a good thing that states are getting more involved, Ami-chan, but more is needed. Where laws exist (like in Florida) they are not being communicated to the people doing enforcement - like local police departments that don’t know that cyber-stalking is a crime and laugh off complaints because they “aren’t real.” More awareness is needed and we (bloggers) are in the position to help create it.I’m hoping that everyone who has read this has blogged it themselves and urged their readers to do the same.
May 3rd, 2007 at 9:55 am, *~Sleeping Princess~* » I am watching you. Says:
[…] do now is to bring to light and tell everybody that things like this happen. I found out this from Skeet’s blog and I hope that after you are done reading this you are aware of things like this happens. […]