13 year old girl kills herself over online bullying??

woodoo

I came across this on facebook, there is a link to the story on http://www.independent.ie/national-news/online-bullying-claims-life-of-tragic-erin-13-3277171.html http://www.donegaldaily.com/2012/10/28/tragedy-as-13-year-old-dies-by-suicide-amidst-claims-of-on-line-bullying/

A 13 year old girl took her own life up in Donegal due to online bullying. This sort of thing seems to be getting more and more common. I don't know what can be done about it but its very worrying. 13 is so so young.

RIP Erin Gallagher.

Geekness1234

woodoo wrote: »

I came across this on facebook, there is a link to the story on http://www.donegaldaily.com/2012/10/28/tragedy-as-13-year-old-dies-by-suicide-amidst-claims-of-on-line-bullying/

A 13 year old girl took her own life up in Donegal due to online bullying. This sort of thing seems to be getting more and more common. I don't know what can be done about it but its very worrying. 13 is so so young.

RIP Erin Gallagher.

That's horrific.

girl2

Good God, there is terribly sad for these children and their families. And it seems to be becoming so prevalent lately.

God bless her

frozenfrozen

These stories always really upset me and bring me back to when Phoebe Prince suffered the same fate...
Condolences to her family and friends..

My name is URL

RIP to her regardless of what the cause was.

The media are too quick to sensationalise these stories. Aren't there some guidelines for the reporting of suicides?

Donegal Daily wrote:

Tragic Erin Gallagher

Why do newspapers do that? Of course it's tragic.. are people dumb enough that it needs to be pointed out in the opening sentence?

nbar12

ah for the love of God I hate these stories. Poor girl and her family and friends. Seriously, when will action be taken to close down this askfm site? RIP beautiful angel

gozunda

girl2 wrote: »

Good God, there is terribly sad for these children and their families. And it seems to be becoming so prevalent lately.

God bless her

Until bullying behaviour is classified in this country under criminal legislation there is little or nothing that can be done with such cases of psychological abuse

The sooner this happens the better imo.

Skylinehead

woodoo wrote: »

I came across this on facebook, there is a link to the story on http://www.donegaldaily.com/2012/10/28/tragedy-as-13-year-old-dies-by-suicide-amidst-claims-of-on-line-bullying/

A 13 year old girl took her own life up in Donegal due to online bullying. This sort of thing seems to be getting more and more common. I don't know what can be done about it but its very worrying. 13 is so so young.

RIP Erin Gallagher.

And there's usually an underlying issue that's the root cause, not the bullying. But the media won't tell you that.

girl2

Just had a look at that article and it mentions the site ask.fm (I haven't hot a clue what it is to be honest - but I see that a few of my teenage relatives on it on FB). Anyway, a lot of weeks ago one of my colleagues said that she had heard there was a lot of online bullying going on in that place. Anyone else hear that??

kevin12345

girl2 wrote: »

Just had a look at that article and it mentions the site ask.fm (I haven't hot a clue what it is to be honest - but I see that a few of my teenage relatives on it on FB). Anyway, a lot of weeks ago one of my colleagues said that she had heard there was a lot of online bullying going on in that place. Anyone else hear that??

Yes, someone I'm friends with on fb just shared her link. An example of the abuse (she gets alot it seem) she gets would be this.

"your a ****ing weirdo all the makeup on ur face use a shovel take it off .. you look like a clown how can ***** stand sight of you ugly bitch"

There's worse...

Absolutely awful that people are given the anonymity to say horrible things such as the above.

Corkfeen

Skylinehead wrote: »

And there's usually an underlying issue that's the root cause, not the bullying. But the media won't tell you that.

That is utterly absurd to discount bullying as being a root cause for a suicide. In fact it can act as the root cause for many issues for the victim. Have you experienced bullying or can you backup your claim for bullying not acting as a key causative factor? If not(Granted the former is more to see if you have any chance of empathising with the victims), I feel obliged to call bull****.

af_thefragile

What's it with such stories becoming really common lately.
Its really sad for someone as young as 13yrs to be pushed this far.

What's wrong with kids these days. Can't they just be happy and accept people as friends any more? Everyone seems to be a lot more violent and abusive now...

moneymad

af_thefragile wrote: »

What's it with such stories becoming really common lately.
Its really sad for someone as young as 13yrs to be pushed this far.

What's wrong with kids these days. Can't they just be happy and accept people as friends any more? Everyone seems to be a lot more violent and abusive now...

The entertainment industry are doing a wonderful job. Pressuring young girls to be perfect. It's big money.

Richard tea

kevin12345 wrote: »

Yes, someone I'm friends with on fb just shared her link. An example of the abuse (she gets alot it seem) she gets would be this.

"your a ****ing weirdo all the makeup on ur face use a shovel take it off .. you look like a clown how can ***** stand sight of you ugly bitch"

There's worse...

Absolutely awful that people are given the anonymity to say horrible things such as the above.

Cop onto yourself and dont start this internet anonymity ****e. There is hardly a day goes by without someone trying to censor the internet. And using these bullying cases to achieve this is low.

NIMAN

Very sad. May she RIP.

Overheal

Richard tea wrote: »

Cop onto yourself and dont start this internet anonymity ****e. There is hardly a day goes by without someone trying to censor the internet. And using these bullying cases to achieve this is low.

Anonymity is censorship in it's own right.

kevin12345

Richard tea wrote: »

Cop onto yourself and dont start this internet anonymity ****e. There is hardly a day goes by without someone trying to censor the internet. And using these bullying cases to achieve this is low.

Shutting down this ridiculous website is hardly censoring the f*cking internet. Already 3 girls have killed themselves over this particular website. Is that not reason enough to shut down the website?

af_thefragile

moneymad wrote: »

The entertainment industry are doing a wonderful job. Pressuring young girls to be perfect. It's big money.

It can't just be that.

When I was around 12-13, all my class mates were really cool and we would have lots of fun times. There were some kids who were the "bad kids" but even they never bullied anyone to the point of committing suicide.

Now kids seem to have been becoming a lot more vicious. Its like they don't know when to pull the line and don't hesitate pushing things as far as they can push it often to the point where the victim ends up committing suicide. There was always social and peer pressure among kids, although its probably more now because of the prevalence of media, cell phones and internet but its also something with kids who lack the understanding of where to pull lines and the conciousness that they may be destroying someone's life.

areyawell

13 is too young to be using social networking or even the internet to communicate with people in general. All computers should have key-loggers installed on them, and parents can then monitor what there children are doing but a lot of parents are not computer savvy. Unfortunatly with the way phones are now you can gain access to any sites on them so dont know what could be done there. Maybe keylogging on phones as well would help.

Richard tea

kevin12345 wrote: »

Shutting down this ridiculous website is hardly censoring the f*cking internet. Already 3 girls have killed themselves over this particular website. Is that not reason enough to shut down the website?

But where does it end. Shut down facebook twitter. Shut down schools? my issue was more to do with your anonymity comment rather than the web site.

woodoo

girl2 wrote: »

Just had a look at that article and it mentions the site ask.fm??

I'm the same i never heard of it. i tried to go into it but it seems you have to join up.

Sam Kade

Skylinehead wrote: »

And there's usually an underlying issue that's the root cause, not the bullying. But the media won't tell you that.

I agree, surely if someone is being bullied on an internet site all they need do is stop using that site.

themadchef

kevin12345 wrote: »

Yes, someone I'm friends with on fb just shared her link. An example of the abuse (she gets alot it seem) she gets would be this.

"your a ****ing weirdo all the makeup on ur face use a shovel take it off .. you look like a clown how can ***** stand sight of you ugly bitch"

There's worse...

Absolutely awful that people are given the anonymity to say horrible things such as the above.

My Good God, she was beautiful.

Why do these young people put themselves on there willingingly. Allowing these jealous, vicious, disgusting people tear them down like that.

Condolences to the family, it must be a very difficult time for the. Cant possibly imagine.

af_thefragile

Well kids shouldn't be on the internet in the first place and when they're on it, it needs to be for a very restricted and monitored time. Not until they're around 16yrs anyway.

You wouldn't leave your kid alone in front of the TV to watch and get influenced by whatever crap is on the TV then why would parent's leave their kids alone on the internet which is far more dangerous than the TV? Its mostly lazy parenting. Parent's who don't have enough time or commitment to look after their kids all the time. Its much easier just leaving the kid in front of the TV or in front of the computer so the parents can go away and do whatever they have to do while the kid is left to being looked after by the internet.

Forest Demon

I think the risks outweigh the benefits of social media for children / teenagers. There is no escape for some kids from this bullying. I have a girl approaching the teenage years. I don't let her have a phone and I am not letting her have a page on social media until I am sure she can handle it and only on the condition that I will also be monitoring her page. She may resent me for it in the future but I can live with that.

People can be so cruel and this can lead to the ultimate overreaction by a vulnerable teenager.

Fishooks12

Awful tragedy.

I often question the suitability of these threads for AH's. It's nice to pay respects but there's always the inevitable troll who comes in and says something disgusting

girl2

Forest Demon wrote: »

I think the risks outweigh the benefits of social media for children / teenagers. There is no escape for some kids from this bullying. I have a girl approaching the teenage years. I don't let he have a phone and I am not letting her have a page on social media until I am sure she can handle it and only on the condition that I will also be monitoring her page. She may resent me for it in the future but I can live with that.

People can be so cruel and this can lead to the ultimate overreaction by a vulnerable teenager.

I think you are totally right. We done some training at work - it was a safeguarding event and it was in relation to Facebook and the risks that kids are faced with online. I was really really shocked at it all to be honest - I thought I was Internet savvy, but I got some shock. Parents have no idea, sometimes, what their kids and at online and just how much access they have to these social media sites on their phones and the likes. So, in totally with you on what you're doing - it's a pity a more parents weren't the same.

storker

Personally, I'd have no problem with the death penalty for those vicious scumbags. The world doesn't need them. They serve no useful purpose.

On a more realistic level, however, I think some form of manslaughter charge wouldn't be inappropriate. Assuming, of course, that their identities can be traced.

Stork

K-9

Richard tea wrote: »

Cop onto yourself and dont start this internet anonymity ****e. There is hardly a day goes by without someone trying to censor the internet. And using these bullying cases to achieve this is low.

In fairness its a pretty low standard of argument to support freedom on the net.

kevin12345 wrote: »

Shutting down this ridiculous website is hardly censoring the f*cking internet. Already 3 girls have killed themselves over this particular website. Is that not reason enough to shut down the website?

I thought it was some type of music sharing site, I assume there are ways to make the account private and limit it to just people you know.

Geekness1234

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Awful tragedy.

I often question the suitability of these threads for AH's. It's nice to pay respects but there's always the inevitable troll who comes in and says something disgusting

But that's the case with every thread on every site like boards.

moneymad

af_thefragile wrote: »

It can't just be that.

When I was around 12-13, all my class mates were really cool and we would have lots of fun times. There were some kids who were the "bad kids" but even they never bullied anyone to the point of committing suicide.

Now kids seem to have been becoming a lot more vicious. Its like they don't know when to pull the line and don't hesitate pushing things as far as they can push it often to the point where the victim ends up committing suicide. There was always social and peer pressure among kids, although its probably more now because of the prevalence of media, cell phones and internet but its also something with kids who lack the understanding of where to pull lines and the conciousness that they may be destroying someone's life.

It's part of it.
But mostly i think it is the availability and ease at which you can contact someone now. They're more vicious because they can be. It's easy.

BobbyPropane

Just one look at http://ask.fm/ and I can tell that site is nothing but trouble. Just look at the people who use the service on the bottom. It's clear that image is a big issue.

Gee_G

woodoo wrote: »

I'm the same i never heard of it. i tried to go into it but it seems you have to join up.

Its an absolutely ridiculous website. I had a look at it before when the last young girl took her own life.
I can basically go on and ask you Questions(anonymous or not, seems to be either or) and I can ask you anything and you answer(totally pointless I know) but the questions being asked to some of the young girls are asking why they are so ugly/spotty/fat and it's all shown on like a public wall I think.
That's just from a quick look at the site, but to me, it seems ridiculous that kids can post anonymously on this. If they are not going to take it down, it should be connected to their Facebook profile so that everybody can see who is asking these questions and guaranteed the little ****s wouldn't be as brave then!

shruikan2553

From what I know of ask.fm you can choose if people can comment anonymously and can block people. I dont understand why ask.fm should be banned because some teenage girls misuse it.
What happened was terrible but if you are receiving these types of comments on it why dont you delete your account?

Overheal

shruikan2553 wrote: »

From what I know of ask.fm you can choose if people can comment anonymously and can block people. I dont understand why ask.fm should be banned because some teenage girls misuse it.
What happened was terrible but if you are receiving these types of comments on it why dont you delete your account?

She was 13, not 23. There is a large chasm of difference in the level of maturity and experience. I don't disagree - it's pointless to shut one site down (another will take up it's spot, like any other bebo) but keep that in mind.

Stronger emphasis has to be placed on youth education about the internet and bullying in general. I think age verification will have to happen eventually.

Allyall

All of those sites need moderators. Proper Moderators.

Ask.Fm looks like it's looking for trouble, attract kids, wait until loads of them fcuk up, get the media attention, make a fortune from advertising.

Facebook and Twitter, The amount of bullying, and Stupidity that goes on in those sites is ridiculous. People going to jail, Professional sports people apologising every week, singers, actors.. Idiots forming vigilante groups, or Mobs, Rioters collaborating, People being offended by jokes, kids being bullied.. etc..

Facebook earns millions, honestly, could they not get mods, admin to properly monitor sh!t that goes on. They could nip it in the bud. Twitter could have some sort of idiot delay. If you're an idiot more then twice, your tweets are gonna be on a five minute delay, and will be published only if approved.

It's not rocket science, and in my opinion, it should be enforced. The Americans are so quick to force their crap on us, we should react.

I don't think the Internet should be monitored, and i realise it's a tender/dodgy subject, but FB/Twits/Bebo/Ask.. etc..

When they are "Social Networking" sites involving kids and making millions, and the amount of sh!t they create, then something has got to give.

Scruffles

moneymad wrote: »

It's part of it.
But mostly i think it is the availability and ease at which you can contact someone now. They're more vicious because they can be. It's easy.

they were always vicious,that type of oxygen wasting scrote has always taken advantage of peoples weaknesses.
,am twenty eight and due to being severely disabled had experienced severe bullying from infant age onwards,not only by students but by teachers as well-physicaly and verbaly.

the people who bullied her are indirectly to blame for her death and they will carry that for the rest of their lives.
they cant change the past but hopefuly they will learn from this and realise there is consequences from being bad to other people.
had personaly experienced years of cyber bullying from a pyschopathic piece of dirt which had triggered sectionable severe mental illness,can totaly understand the actions of kids who attempt suicide,long term targeted abuse and threats wears down the mental barriers,until eventualy there is no more wall between the person and bully.

kids are also more impulsive and even without a severe depresion for those whom are stressed through bullying they may impulsively turn to suicide without realising the consequences.
obviously suicide because of school bullying is more common now because the internet has beene integrated into every day life at school,it has been normalised whereas for us adults we never had internet [let alone fancy computers] to become another outlet for bullying.

and this ask.fm site doesnt need banning but they shoud sort their moderation out.

Kensington

Richard tea wrote: »

Cop onto yourself and dont start this internet anonymity ****e. There is hardly a day goes by without someone trying to censor the internet. And using these bullying cases to achieve this is low.

All very well to call it censorship but what if you're at the butt of some gob****e posting rubbish about you while hiding behind the cloak of anonymity?

Frankly, I don't consider an anonymous entity to have any claim to free speech to which you can claim any form of censorship against. A person yes, but an anonymous entity no.

wendell borton

What a ****ed up site, just had a quick look and most of what i saw was wrong. Kids putting their personal details on a open site like that is just asking for trouble. Most of the relpies are insulting or inappropriate.

NIMAN

Perhaps time YouTube was taken down too, nearly every video's comments descend into racial or personal abuse after a few posts!

KyussBishop

Overheal wrote:

Anonymity is censorship in it's own right.

How?

In fairness, while this is very sad indeed, you can't go attacking the website; that would be like shutting down the postal service for delivering messages that prompted someone to commit suicide.

It's not practically possible to moderate everything on the Internet, and if you try to make it law that this must be done, you're (unwittingly) pushing for the creation of legal tools that are so arbitrary, that they can be used to censor anything on the Internet.

Internet censorship is a far more dangerous thing than anyone realizes to be honest; once introduced (in any form), it can become completely unaccountable in no time at all, and must keep expanding in scope to make censorship effective (because there are innumerable ways to bypass censorship); there's no going back once it's introduced (far easier to lose freedom from censorship, than to regain or keep that freedom).

Halloran springs

These bullies can easily be traced from their IP if the Gardai get a warrant for records. I say try them as adults for manslaughter, give them jail sentences (1-5 years) and make a public example of someone convicted of online bullying. If people realised how "anonymous" they actually were (and I highly doubt these bullying teenager spas are familiar with IP spoofing, tor browsers, etc) then it might put an end to this.

mikemac1

storker wrote: »

Personally, I'd have no problem with the death penalty for those vicious scumbags. The world doesn't need them. They serve no useful purpose.

You've no problem with taking children from Donegal to Castlerea and executing them?


Are we in 2012 or 1812?

They are children, probably the same age as the girl, 13
Well since nobody has been charged we don't know the exact ages but likely to be in school anyway

gozunda

Halloran springs wrote: »

These bullies can easily be traced from their IP if the Gardai get a warrant for records. I say try them as adults for manslaughter, give them jail sentences (1-5 years) and make a public example of someone convicted of online bullying. If people realised how "anonymous" they actually were (and I highly doubt these bullying teenager spas are familiar with IP spoofing, tor browsers, etc) then it might put an end to this.

I agree however the problem with those who bully or psychologically abuse others is that there is no provision under Irish law to pursue a criminal conviction for such acts

This a huge flaw in our legislation. Those who are bullied really only have the benefit of civil prosecution at best. Individuals bullied in work or school environment must rely on taking the organisation to task with the individual committinh such crimes getting away with direct convictions or prosecution

Taking on company/ organisations to seek justice is a mammoth task for an individual who has been abused in this way

Like child abuse - psychological abuse is hidden and is insidious with the perpetrators often being cosseted and protected by organisations that employ them etc

It is about time that psychological abuse bullying is changed to a criminal act.

Bullying like other forms of abuse have not been dealt with properly it's about time that this type of behaviour is blown out of the water and bullying is no longer tolerated.

The US has already taking this on with some states already criminalising bullying.
The Phoebe Prince case being one of the most recent case...about time Ireland grew a pair and took on bullies and prosecuted them for their actions.

Madam_X

I love the "If you're being bullied on a site, stop using it" comment - oh what a black and white world it would be if it were so simple. Kids get involved in these things because all their peers do; they're not going to just stop and become left out.
As for kids being more vicious these days, nah, kids were vicious too when I was her age - 20 years ago - and would have been as bad if the net were around. That said, the net brings out the worst in some because of the anonymity. I don't think kids are worse though, I just think having the net at their disposal makes it appear so.
There's censorship all over the net, there has to be - why this notion it's not right? I don't think Askfm should be shut down (it's the little cuntts who are responsible not the site) but Jesus it should be heavily moderated.
And really... blaming the parents like. They can control their kid's online use at home but they can't keep the child at home all the time.

Kensington

KyussBishop wrote: »

How?

In fairness, while this is very sad indeed, you can't go attacking the website; that would be like shutting down the postal service for delivering messages that prompted someone to commit suicide.

It's not practically possible to moderate everything on the Internet, and if you try to make it law that this must be done, you're (unwittingly) pushing for the creation of legal tools that are so arbitrary, that they can be used to censor anything on the Internet.

Internet censorship is a far more dangerous thing than anyone realizes to be honest; once introduced (in any form), it can become completely unaccountable in no time at all, and must keep expanding in scope to make censorship effective (because there are innumerable ways to bypass censorship); there's no going back once it's introduced (far easier to lose freedom from censorship, than to regain or keep that freedom).

Again, you logically cannot censor an anonymous entity since they have/had no claim to free speech to begin with.

One of the core terms right here on boards.ie is that you do not have any claim or right to free speech. Why? Because boards are legally liable for everything which is published on it's site.

The problem with the likes of ask.fm is that you have people posting behind the cloak of anonymity, fully OK'd by the very site publishing said content freely. No moderation, no filtering - no responsibility. Worse, it's very difficult to hold a site like this accountable for anything at present or to get them to remove anything which could be considered bullying, harassing or lible in nature. And you honestly think that's perfectly fine?

spurious

Madam_X wrote: »

<snip>
As for kids being more vicious these days, nah, kids were vicious too when I was her age - 20 years ago - and would have been as bad if the net were around. That said, the net brings out the worst in some because of the anonymity. I don't think kids are worse though, I just think having the net at their disposal makes it appear so.
<snip>

This.
In the old days, if there was someone bullying you at school, well at least once you were out of school you rarely had contact with them. Now, the bullying can follow a child 24 hours a day, wherever they go.

Instant access to the victim, combined with a larger dose of self-righteous 'well that's my opinion' and the same vicious streak that children have always had is a recipe for disaster.

Mind you, if the bullying is investigated, the bullies aren't quite as much the big I am when they are in tears in front of their parents confronted with their own vicious words.

MagicSean

Kensington wrote: »

Again, you logically cannot censor an anonymous entity since they have/had no claim to free speech to begin with.

One of the core terms right here on boards.ie is that you do not have any claim or right to free speech. Why? Because boards are legally liable for everything which is published on it's site.

The problem with the likes of ask.fm is that you have people posting behind the cloak of anonymity, fully OK'd by the very site publishing said content freely. No moderation, no filtering - no responsibility. Worse, it's very difficult to hold a site like this accountable for anything at present or to get them to remove anything which could be considered bullying, harassing or lible in nature. And you honestly think that's perfectly fine?

The site shouldn't leave the stuff up if it's not something they are prepared to have seen with their name. I bet if you started your own site and put a list of bullying comments from ask.fm or facebook on it followed by their logo they'd be quick to look for it to be taken down. Some of the pages Facebok leave up are nothing more than disgusting.

woodoo

spurious wrote: »

This.
In the old days, if there was someone bullying you at school, well at least once you were out of school you rarely had contact with them. Now, the bullying can follow a child 24 hours a day, wherever they go.

Instant access to the victim, combined with a larger dose of self-righteous 'well that's my opinion' and the same vicious streak that children have always had is a recipe for disaster.

Mind you, if the bullying is investigated, the bullies aren't quite as much the big I am when they are in tears in front of their parents confronted with their own vicious words.

And i think much more people get involved in bullying now it can be anonymous.

Madam_X

spurious wrote: »

self-righteous 'well that's my opinion'

Has become the buzz getout clause for the vilest of ****-ishness. That and "free speech".

Tasden

In all honesty I don't think the answer lies with the site itself- shutting it down or moderating it- I think that the issue needs to be tackled at the individual level. Parents need to not only teach their children about safety online but also how to cope with bullying, what to do if being bullied, who to talk to, to realise that its not personal and that ending your life is NEVER a solution. People are too quick to blame the sites, if parents gave children the tools to cope with bullying should it ever arise, online or in their daily lives then maybe they would not feel so isolated and distraught when it did happen and it would be dealt with long before suicide was even considered.