Poll: Schools stalking students; Does this seem right to you?

[crudus]

Yeah, that is over stepping a few boundaries. Who's up for porn?!

It's a terrible and flawed solution to a terrible and sickening problem.

Just how to solve the issue of cyber-bullying is beyond me, however.

That is easy. Most sites call it the "ignore" button.

Simple solution to this: Don't use facebook at school.

Besides, cyber bullying is overblown. I'd rather take cyber bullying than normal bullying any day.

Real bullying: fuck, I am trapped. Ow, my spleen!

cyber bullying: Ow, my self-esteem! O wait, I can totally walk away from this.

 

[Hashime]

besides the fact I could get around their ability to monitor me in 5 minutes, it seems clear the person who made this decision needs a harsh "Talking to".
My suggestion, don't use the laptop provided by the school, or boot it with a live cd/usb stick. Running ubuntu or DLS will give you the functionality you need for web browsing while getting around any software that monitors you.

 

[Hashime]

Yeah, that is over stepping a few boundaries. Who's up for porn?!

It's a terrible and flawed solution to a terrible and sickening problem.

Just how to solve the issue of cyber-bullying is beyond me, however.

That is easy. Most sites call it the "ignore" button.

Simple solution to this: Don't use facebook at school.

Besides, cyber bullying is overblown. I'd rather take cyber bullying than normal bullying any day.

Real bullying: fuck, I am trapped. Ow, my spleen!

cyber bullying: Ow, my self-esteem! O wait, I can totally walk away from this.

Is it so hard to just "walk away"? And because you are on a computer that means closing the tab in a browser. Bullying does not feel good, as one of many people who have experienced it, but at least on the computer it is VERY easy to walk away. (Conversely you can't pop them in the head when you've had enough).

 

[thingymuwatsit]

SNIP

I am not sure how this happens but it has become apparent that they can do this after a friend of mine had received an Email from the head of this Cyber Bullying 'crush campaign' after insulting the school musical over the long weekend
That was enough information for me.

Your friend made the comment in too public a spot. Any comment made in public (even on the internet) about the school is their business.

No matter how paranoid you get, your school still isn't hacking every account of yours on every website you go to in order to keep tabs on everything you say.

Sorry that you can't reply, but:
Today the school openly admitted to monitoring all forums that we visit if there is any evidence that the searched person has ties to another called up on cyber stalking/bullying.

 

[Durgiun]

Here's a solution to this, get a few of your buddies, and create the sickest, most depraved groups on the internet: The tree screwing satanist goat murderers, or something tot hat effect, and hope to hell that they will get enough of a stick up their ass so they try to incarcerate you, or expell you, THEN you complain that they monitor you. Easy as that. Unless they're protected by law, in which case destroy their shit.

Vandalism, the answer to all of life's problems.

 

[ClassicJokester]

Yeah, that is over stepping a few boundaries. Who's up for porn?!

It's a terrible and flawed solution to a terrible and sickening problem.

Just how to solve the issue of cyber-bullying is beyond me, however.

That is easy. Most sites call it the "ignore" button.

Simple solution to this: Don't use facebook at school.

Besides, cyber bullying is overblown. I'd rather take cyber bullying than normal bullying any day.

Real bullying: fuck, I am trapped. Ow, my spleen!

cyber bullying: Ow, my self-esteem! O wait, I can totally walk away from this.

Is it so hard to just "walk away"? And because you are on a computer that means closing the tab in a browser. Bullying does not feel good, as one of many people who have experienced it, but at least on the computer it is VERY easy to walk away. (Conversely you can't pop them in the head when you've had enough).

Listen, one of my friends is always being harassed because she is quiet and shy, so people see her as an easy target for letting out their own feelings of inadequacy. She hasn't been bullied at school (that I know of), but every time she goes online, she has new messages from these jerks, telling her how she is [all manner of terrible things]. She even gets texts like that from people she doesn't know.

This isn't about "closing the tab in a browser," or something like that. You have to realize that for some people, this sort of thing is near-constant, and can inflict lots of psychological damage. You might have been able to brush it off if it happened to you, but that does not mean that everyone can.

Pirate Kitty, you've done well in informing people this is a horrible thing for people to do, and it can cause a lot of grief in the victims. Also, I'm terribly sorry about your friend, and sincerly hope you never have to see that happen to anyone else.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

I try not to make people choose between extremes but I have to wonder your opinion:
(short for TL;DR people) It has recently come to my attention that after a decision to 'crack down' on cyber-bullying my school's authorities have decided to monitor each and every one of students' contributions to anything that can be accessed with a computer and a modem; this means that they have full access to private messages and posts on anything from Facebook to Deviantart, removing any illusion of privacy we have on the internet.
So I ask you a question: does this (the removal of internet privacy) seem like a fair way to deal with cyber bullying in schools?

Well, if the removal of privacy only applies to when you are in school, then I'd say it's fair. Don't want teachers invading your privacy, then don't use facebook or private messages at the school. Going without internet chatting or whatever for a few hours at school isn't going to kill anyone.

This does not apply at school (a PROXY server prevents it) They actually have access to what we write at any time, anywhere.

So they've hacked your internet to monitor you? That's kinda illegal. Either that or your not explaining this particularly well.

 

[crudus]

SNIP

Please do not belittle the effects cyber-bullying can have on someone.

A friend of mine took his own life as a result of such abuse.

You would be best advised to not speak for others - especially when hundreds of people have their lives taken as a result of what you trivialize.

Is it so hard to just "walk away"? And because you are on a computer that means closing the tab in a browser. Bullying does not feel good, as one of many people who have experienced it, but at least on the computer it is VERY easy to walk away. (Conversely you can't pop them in the head when you've had enough).

I have both been bullied and cyber-bullied for years. Both suck pretty hard. However, I can sure as hell tell you I preferred being cyber-bullied because I could just walk away.

 

[Washboard]

I try not to make people choose between extremes but I have to wonder your opinion:
(short for TL;DR people) It has recently come to my attention that after a decision to 'crack down' on cyber-bullying my school's authorities have decided to monitor each and every one of students' contributions to anything that can be accessed with a computer and a modem; this means that they have full access to private messages and posts on anything from Facebook to Deviantart, removing any illusion of privacy we have on the internet.
So I ask you a question: does this (the removal of internet privacy) seem like a fair way to deal with cyber bullying in schools?
EDIT: I want to make it clear that this applies all the time, not only at school this is prevented by the school's PROXY server and each student operates off an independant laptop used for schoolwork.

Jenkins! Shut your mouth or its denetion on monday! your mother will hear of this...

signed your school

(im terribly sorry about this attempt at humour but it seemed right to write )

 

[delanofilms]

Just how to solve the issue of cyber-bullying is beyond me, however.

Take a peek at the news post about the troll going to jail. That seems like a pretty good idea.

 

[Radelaide]

The DET (Department of Education in Australia) already have a system like this. You'd log on with a user name and depending on the level of schooling you're getting, your access was restricted.

Quite effective until I was doing research on Nazi Germany and couldn't access any information. So I used my TAFE login instead of my High school log in.

Cyber bullying is a little over hyped from my perspective as the first thing anyone should learn about the internet is to not take people seriously and so I disagree with the school.

Stupidest thing I've heard all day.

It doesn't matter if you know not to take people on the internet too seriously. When those people who are sending you threatening messages know where you live and go to your school, it's not as simple as just ignoring them. The intention of cyber bullying is to scare the crap out of the person who is being bullied with physical, verbal and psychological abuse and because a lot of people don't take kindly to being bullied, the trauma is successful. Just think about the LGBT kids who killed themselves. All because of bullying.

 

[superbatranger]

OK, I'm confused. Is the school monitoring the students' computer usage on school computers or personal computers? If it's the former, that's perfectly normal. Most schools nowadays have systems in place that monitor your usage so you don't visit any unauthorized sites or do anything else that's frowned upon. But, if it's on the students' personal computers as well, I'm sure that's illegal in 10 different ways. If it's not, at the very least it's a clear violation of privacy.

As for the people who say cyber-bullying is easy to handle and whatnot, things might not be so simple as blocking that email, or deleting that number. The bully could easily have multiple emails, several accounts, various back ups in case you block and/or delete one. You think it's done when you deleted that email, only to realize it has started again because the bully made a new email. I'd imagine it would be much worse if the person who was bullying you and the one who was cyber-bullying you were one and the same. It would make you feel like you were trapped, that nowhere was safe anymore.

 

[Merkavar]

cyber bullying? what a bunch of little pansies. how do you get bullied online? oh no the big bad bully is calling me names. what do cyber bullies do?

try getting punched kicked, hit with a giant stick, repeatedly hit with a metal ruler, whipped with a metal wire, pushed, tripped, corked in the leg, things stolen from you or broken aswell as being insulted and teased by people in PERSON and not on a computer.

sticks and stones and all that.

but i dont think the school has the right to monitor all messages on computers. it might be a school resource and all that but the use of it should be private.

 

[SonicWaffle]

And there is a world of difference between thinking about stuff and actually doing it!
And hell, so he buys a weapon, youre telling me that only murderers in the states have weapons? And learning about bombs, I know how to make bombs and thermite and chloroform. I aint never shot up a school.

And I never said that the hypothetical kid was going to either. I merely pointed out that the school should be concerned at one of their pupils doing those three things in conjunction. Buying a weapon, fine. Reading up on bomb-making techniques, pretty weird but still fine. Obsessively researching school shootings, creepy as fuck but still fine. All three together, though? You'd have to be a real idiot for that not to set alarm bells ringing.

So tell me, what to you makes it so much different that someone who reads about school shootings is a warning point but those who actually shoot people in a game is okay? Because of the word game? I would be more worried about those enacting school shootings over those just reading articles about it. Else fuck, me reading about WW2 would then make me a nazi but playing a "game" where I did it would be fine right?

You're simplifying again, and ignoring what I said. It is not simply the act of reading about something, in our hypothetical it is the act of obsessively reasding about a subject while at the same time purchasing materials that would make re-enacting the incident possible. Once again, if that doesn't set off alarm bells for you, then maybe you have the problem here.

Is it OK to do these things in a game? Of course it is. A game is clearly seperated from real life, even when based on true events, whereas the Columbine massacre was very, very real. Obsessing over both is unhealthy, but not so much as attempting to re-enact either. You're trying to boil the point down to make it seem that I've claimed that simply reading about things is cause for concern, but you know that isn't what I said.

To use your nazi example - you reading about WW2 would not make you a nazi. You obsessing over WW2 while buying SS uniforms and lugers off the internet would be a definite cause for concern. I'm not saying that it definitely means you are a nazi, but the situatuion certainly warrants closer monitoring, no?

Oh and lets clear up one thing right here and now. Reading about violence means you are fantasizing about violence but playing a game means you are not? Worst. Argument. Ever.
Those who play violent games do indeed fantasize about violence. Otherwise they would not choose to play a game that involves violent content. I read WH40K because I want to read about dudes shooting shit, I play games because I want to play as a dude shooting shit.

That's....well, frankly, that's creepy as all hell. You're saying that the reason you read about Warhammer or play computer games is because you fantasize about violence? That isn't normal, buddy. The reason I read books where people fight and struggle and die is to enjoy the story, which is why I can equally enjoy a book in which nobody raises a finger towards another person. The reason I play video games with violence in them is to enjoy the game as a game, which is why I can have as much fun with Tetris as I can shooting dudes on Battlefield. My motivations are not underpinned by some seedy fantasy in which I actually yearn to carry out these acts, and I'm always fully aware that I'm playing a game rather than acting out my own sick desires.

This actually highlights a worry I have - that there really are people who can't seperate the fantasy from the reality, or who utilise the fantasy because they secretly want to do these things in reality.

The basis of your argument seems to boil down to "well everyone knows a game is just a game but reading... thats the real threat"...
And that type of thinking my friends is what makes the technophobes and media protestors of the future.

Whereas your whole argument appears to be "I didn't really understand what you said, so I'm going to simplify it to one ludicrous point and then base my entire rebuttal around it"

This may be worth a read, for next time this happens; [link]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reductio_ad_absurdum[/link]

 

[HotPocket]

Stupidest thing I've heard all day.

It doesn't matter if you know not to take people on the internet too seriously. When those people who are sending you threatening messages know where you live and go to your school, it's not as simple as just ignoring them. The intention of cyber bullying is to scare the crap out of the person who is being bullied with physical, verbal and psychological abuse and because a lot of people don't take kindly to being bullied, the trauma is successful. Just think about the LGBT kids who killed themselves. All because of bullying.

No you.

cyberbullying - A phrase to describe the use of such entities as myspace, youtube, or any form of chat/free online discussion for the purpose of trash-talking one's peers. Used often by ill-informed middle aged "experts" such as teachers, soccer moms, liberal politicians, social workers, and school administrators who seek to demonize and censor myspace or any other free web usage.
Cyberbullying is often played up as a major threat to youth, although only a very small percent of young internet users are actually offended by others' trash talk and take it to heart enough to actually consider it bullying. And, as so often happens, a few ruin it for the rest of us.

Copy pasted definition.

The fact is, cyberbullying is too large a definition to say it always leads in suicides. Cyberbullying is more the act of being tough over the internet than being an asshole... everywhere. What happened where the LGBT kids committed suicide is different as it was a very real form of bullying. The fact that it was committed online doesn't make it cyberbullying, what happened with those kids was just plain bullying in a different median. Cyberbullying is a separate entity and I stand by my previous argument that if he's anonymous, don't take them seriously.