Note: This is giving my support to my son's call to fight the negative phenomenon of online harassment. This article was taken from his site.
Online harassment
A couple of weeks ago, I started receiving threats and defamatory remarks on this blog from a person who hides under the name Micah. This person comes to my blog everyday just to give derogatory comments. Moderation can only do so much, and the time spent reading threats can eventually take a toll on the enthusiasm of the blogger. It's a tough call.. I don't know who this person is, and judging by the things he says, he doesn't know me either. He hates my blog and feels the need to bring my morale down every single day.
I once promised my friend Thad that in a situation like this I will be the bigger person. Ignoring the comments worked for a while, but as of three days ago, my worst fear happened -- I started getting grave threats: "I can't wait to come to Dumaguete and have you nailed on the cross!", he announced. It's scary because my home address and my sister's cellphone number were once posted on this blog for business purposes.
Online harassment is real.
I am not alone in receiving hate and violence directed against himself through blogs. Countless bloggers throughout the world fall victim to online bullying everyday. Comments are usually anonymous with no urls or working emails. These perpetrators take advantage of the fact that they think they know you, but you don't know them. This gives them a sense of power.
This is especially true here in the Philippines, where the emergence of rascals with little regard for online civility is rampant. When I started blogging, I intended it to be a journal, an online diary. I, as a blogger, have the right to talk about my life. If you don't believe in veganism or have preconceived notions about me, you don't have to come here at all.
The bigotry is not necessary.
I never approved any of the comments. My blog is a celebration of life and health, and how veganism made me a better person. I also made a lot of friends in the blogging world -- a fact he does not like. In fact it led him to start posting rude comments on Ian's and my mom's blogs as well. This guy has some very serious problems.
What can one do? Today, Ian told me that it's time to act. He sent me a link to an article about online harassment that we can use. We need to save everything from now on. And then we can report to the proper authorities. I also texted my friend, ABS-CBN reporter RG Cruz, just in case I'm going to need his help or advice.
I am hoping that this article will help someone else. If no one writes about the reality of online harassment, more and more innocent bloggers will be victimized.
Get the word out. Blog about my story.
I once promised my friend Thad that in a situation like this I will be the bigger person. Ignoring the comments worked for a while, but as of three days ago, my worst fear happened -- I started getting grave threats: "I can't wait to come to Dumaguete and have you nailed on the cross!", he announced. It's scary because my home address and my sister's cellphone number were once posted on this blog for business purposes.
Online harassment is real.
I am not alone in receiving hate and violence directed against himself through blogs. Countless bloggers throughout the world fall victim to online bullying everyday. Comments are usually anonymous with no urls or working emails. These perpetrators take advantage of the fact that they think they know you, but you don't know them. This gives them a sense of power.
This is especially true here in the Philippines, where the emergence of rascals with little regard for online civility is rampant. When I started blogging, I intended it to be a journal, an online diary. I, as a blogger, have the right to talk about my life. If you don't believe in veganism or have preconceived notions about me, you don't have to come here at all.
The bigotry is not necessary.
I never approved any of the comments. My blog is a celebration of life and health, and how veganism made me a better person. I also made a lot of friends in the blogging world -- a fact he does not like. In fact it led him to start posting rude comments on Ian's and my mom's blogs as well. This guy has some very serious problems.
What can one do? Today, Ian told me that it's time to act. He sent me a link to an article about online harassment that we can use. We need to save everything from now on. And then we can report to the proper authorities. I also texted my friend, ABS-CBN reporter RG Cruz, just in case I'm going to need his help or advice.
I am hoping that this article will help someone else. If no one writes about the reality of online harassment, more and more innocent bloggers will be victimized.
Get the word out. Blog about my story.
Posts
2 comments:
I have posted a similar message on your son's site. I am going through exactly the same thing as him. I've been receiving online threats and have been victim to character assassinations for months now.
I run an online forum as a hobby and one of my members was obnoxious, rude and inflammatory so I banned him. Ever since he has been blogging about me online with all manner of mistruths, libellous statements, sexual remarks and basically bullying me. It is very upsetting and I do know how depressing it can be.
I hope others will find solace in my words and that my experience may somehow help them. I'm not sure what can be done, but it was great to find someone has gone through what I am suffering with. I've been working on documenting sources (newspaper reports, video, psychology of the internet and my own experiences) on a blog to help others in the same situation - you might be interested - http://defamatoryblogs.blogspot.com
Thanks for dropping by. It helps to create awareness of this kind of harassment online. We need to crack down on these jealous monsters. Thanks for the link.
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