Am I missing something here?
Recently, a high-tech book author, Kathy Sierra, from
While it’s most unfortunate that Kathy has been receiving death threats, I can’t help but wonder why there has been so much media attention regarding this issue. Kathy reported on her blog that she is greatly distraught from receiving death threats and graphic, violent photo-manipulations of her posted onto her site. Because of which, Kathy has reported that she may be consider giving up blogging all together. This in my opinion, is the greatest tragedy of all.
I briefly looked through Kathy’s website and her various blog posts, just to get a sense of what her blog was all about. She’s definitely tech-savvy, having been the author of various high-tech books and creating various blogs to promote technical literacy and stir passion within users.
So then why is Kathy so upset about a death-threat? I know, I know… I understand that that sentence must sound ludicrous. But hear me out. By definition, a death-threat is upsetting, terrifying, and threatens one’s own life. Death-threats, I completely understand, are uncivilized and can be very harmful to individuals. They are not about “hurting someone’s feelings,” but unfortunately are a very dynamic issue. Death-threats can definitely be harmful to an individual and their psyche. I could also stem off about how Kathy’s violent photographed images threats portray women, not only in the tech world but society as a whole. The potential harm can affect the foundation of one’s own life. I realize this. However, this does not concern my main argument.
Here’s my main issue. Why is a highly intelligent, educated woman, who’s career is based around technology and its utilizations, thus refusing to blog to a (from what I gather) very large fan-base, because of a few anonymous posts? Kathy herself said on her blog, “I still do not know who made the unclebobism photo post, or why, or whether that person is a real threat.”
So where’s the problem?
I just can’t comprehend why a technical-savvy woman, who knows all about the Internet, its impact not only on people, but the community, society etc. is so worried over a few death-threats. I know that this must sound ridiculous since death-threats are such a serious issue… But she said herself; she doesn’t know “whether that person is a real threat.” In my humble opinion, anybody who uses the Internet must know the implications, the potential risks, it has. When somebody posts a personal video blog on YouTube, one has to expect that people will watch it. Just like how people will read your blog if you post it. It’s the Internet! People will read or look at your stuff, no matter what it is or how good, bad, or accredited it is. Thus is the true phenomenon – the true greatness – of the Internet. By being a user, one does not simply stare at the screen as they would a television. There is interaction between users and the Web itself. Yes, you can browse as many websites as you want and never have to make your own. You don’t even have to post anything on a forum if you choose not to. That’s perfectly fine. But the true beauty, the real importance of the Internet is the interaction between users. And unfortunately, because so many diverse groups are involved, there will be conflict.
The Internet has basically sped up the living process. For example, people with similar interests, goals, aspirations, etc. don’t have to meet each other the “old fashioned way” anymore. What would have normally taken years to accomplish can now take place in seconds. This is what truly has made the Internet an amazing, world-changing phenomenon.
For example. I’ve personally found the Internet to be greatly helpful when dealing with difficult times in my life. My fiancée is currently in
The answer is the Internet. But more importantly, the blogs, forums, and groups that can help alleviate this problem.
Thank God for the Internet. No, thank Al Gore (lol). Seriously though, I know I wouldn’t have been able to come this far in my life if it wasn’t for the Internet. Right now I’m only talking about one aspect of my life that the Internet has affected – my emotions concerning the Iraqi war – but the Internet and its users have had a far greater impact that I will unfortunately not discuss. Anyway, thanks to various blogs and support groups, I was able to take refuge in my monitor then my own community that I physically live in. Through the Internet, I was able to connect to thousands of women who are in my exact same living situation. The anxiety of having a loved-one serve for the military, having to deal with all the hate and political affiliation, the constraints and violence of the media, are all quite unsettling to deal with. So basically… the Internet was able to speed up the living process for me. It would have taken, quite possibly, years or even decades before I met another woman who is in my same emotional state.
And the men we trust in – those such as the creator of Wikipedia, Google, or whatever – are now thinking about making a guideline, a “code of conduct” to live by on the Internet? They’re trying to change the very foundation of what made the Internet not only successful, but changed the very face of the world?
Did I miss something here?
Isn’t the brilliance of the Internet because of the capability of being anonymous, but still being able to interact with people from every corner of the world? What shocks me most is Kathy’s response to this whole issue. And quite sadly, I know exactly where she’s coming from. I’ve been an avid user for many years now. Whether it’s posting my own videos on YouTube, groups on Myspace, or small forums on fan-based websites, I myself have experienced the so-called “death-threats” that Kathy speaks of. Mind you, I haven’t received any photo-manipulated images of me (yet), but should I expect to? Probably. Is this unsettling? Most definitely. However, I know that this is a risk I must take in order to reap the benefits of the Internet. It’s one we should all be aware of.
These are the risks every user must take when doing anything on the Internet. I thought Kathy, above anybody because of her technical literacy, would realize this. This is exactly what makes the Internet amazing. No matter who you are, no matter your sex, race, income, or psychology, we all have access to the same resource. The problem is, yes, the Internet is (for the first time in history) a global community that can communicate together as one. But guess what? There will always be the “creepers”, the violent, the uncivil, the grotesque postings and hackers doing harmful things on the Net. But what’s the problem? These are the same people in our own society, whether it be domestic or global. The only difference now is that these disturbed individuals now have the capability, the access to voice their inner desires, whatever or however grotesque they may be, to a far larger population. This is the risk we take when we participate together on this vast medium.
Richard Silverstein, who advocates Israeli-Palestinian peace on his blog, seems to understand this. He stated, “I’ve been assaulted and harassed online for four years,” he said. “Most of it I can take in stride. But you just never get used to that level of hatred.”
I know exactly what Silverstein means. I’ve been harassed on the Internet before. I know others who have been too. Silverstein realizes that harassment is part of the online-game. Why? Because these are people acting behind the monitor. Most of the threats I receive I can take in stride, but it still shocks me how hateful our own neighbors, or individuals in society, can be sometimes. I can’t imagine what it must be like for Silverstein to advocate on such a hot political issue. Kathy thinks she has it bad? Give me a break. I bet Silverstein receives much more heated hate mail, threats, or whatever. Is it at all surprising? Not really, especially since Silverstein works on such a debatable political global issue. Unfortunately, this is how some people are.
Throughout all of history, people have been willing to die and kill for their beliefs. People are passionate about what they believe; unfortunately, we all don’t agree on the same things. But the constant debate and justification efforts that people have are what keep society strong. Without a constant flux and conglomerate of ideas, passions, or interests, how would the thinking process ever change? How would society change? It’s so important to keep this exchanging of ideas process alive, even if that means taking risks and receiving a few threats now and then. I fear that if a code of conduct were to arise on the Internet, the consequences would be far more devastating the we all realize.
Now, I don’t want you to get confused. I’m not saying that death-threats contribute to society. Well, I suppose they do in an abstract way. These threats are nothing more than a reflection of an individual’s own mutilated psychology. Yes, it’s a tragedy that a person is “sick” enough to willingly post threats and disturb another’s freedom of expression. However, if one looks at this in an appropriate way, I say these threats only reflect a hidden aspect of society; which, until now, hasn’t been possible without the Internet. Unfortunately, there will always be those individuals who pose a threat to society and utilize the Internet to carry out their plans. Whether it’s the Al-Qaida posting videos of hostages to gain support for their fanatical ideology, or the Virginia Tech gunman posting his death wishes to promote his own radicalism, there will always be those individuals who utilize the Internet for their own psychotic purposes. The Internet allows such people to express themselves; it is both a gift and a curse.
It’s a risk we all have to take. I realize that, even though I post videos on YouTube that can be seen all over the world, there are probably very disturbed individuals who use those videos for other purposes. Am I going to let them stop me from voicing my own opinion? No. Will they scare me into such a state that I refuse to post a blog ever again? Never. Which is why I’m disappointed that Kathy Sierra would even consider about never blogging again. Does she care that she would be disappointing thousands of devoted readers and fans? It seems to me that, in a sense, if she decides to stop posting blogs, she let this anonymous threat win. Because of a few posts and a few graphic images, the anonymous person has literally changed her way of life, upset thousands of fans, all the while without even fulfilling his threat. I say, fight back by living the exact same way you used to – don’t let their hate control your life.
Maybe I’m just stubborn.
Should there be a “code of conduct” for bloggers and forums? Possibly, but it should be taken with great consideration and delicacy. Just like other Internet veterans, I’m worried that a few scares here-and-there will start an entire movement for censoring the Internet. Honestly, if a user is so worried about receiving death threats from the Internet, there are a few alternatives they can do. Kathy herself stated some of these on her blog. First off, you don’t have to blog at all. Simple. I realize that that doesn’t really fix the problem at hand, so it isn’t the best alternative. However, there are some solutions that may appease some people. If a user owns their own blog, in that they made it and published it themselves, they should have the ability to delete certain comments they find undesirable. However, there is a problem with this. Many bloggers don’t use their own blog software, but rather use various blogging technologies that are sponsored and created by others, such as Google. Unfortunately, if this is the case, it’s up to the company themselves whether they want to allow such features into their software. There are many websites, including Myspace.com and Facebook.com, which allow the users to delete their own comments or the comments of others if they so desire. It’s not necessarily a restriction on users, but more of a feature for the website itself.
Other alternatives include ridding blogs of anonymity altogether. While this would provide some reassurance, who’s to say that a person couldn’t make a phony account and provide inaccurate personal information? In fact, who’s to say that Kathy’s anonymous person is really disturbed at all? What if it’s a 12-year-old who has nothing better to do with his time, and decided to pull a prank on a successful adult woman? The questions and possible solutions are endless.
Regardless of the direction we take, I think all Internet users should be wary of “legislation” control on the Internet. If we aren’t careful, the very foundation of the Internet is at stake.
