http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/02/06/the-story-of-a-suicide
While reading this piece, keep in mind how new media played a crucial role in allowing events to happen (consider not just hardware/devices, and platforms, but also the mindset that prevailed when it came to *using* new media).
Do you have a solution to cyber-bullying? Is the New Yorker piece an example of it? Is cyber-bullying something that concerns you?
The New Yorker story about Ravi and Clementi is an unfortunate, modern tale regarding new-age bullying and new media’s influence. The article made light of some new, new media platforms that allow for a different brand of bullying in which many of the said bullying is completed anonymously, such as Formspring, in which users put themselves out there to get asked questions and commented on without a name behind the statement. The increased development of such online forums and sites is a prime example of a bad set up for online gossip, while bloggers in pajamas post mean things online without the guilt of being called out for it, and without the consequences.
The New Yorker piece: was it an instance of cyber-bullying? Maybe, but where is the line that crosses between gossip and hurtful attacking? Was it an instance of two ignorant roommates who couldn’t communicate with each other?
The Webcam instance might have been the key part in the case that broke that line. The fact that Ravi had the webcam suspiciously already set to face his roommate and open when someone called indicated that perhaps Ravi had premeditated spying on Clementi. That is so creepy!
CO-320 New Media 2015 