As I ponder what I am going to be writing about I click on the Fox News Icon on my Facebook Page and what story appears California allows minors to delete social media posts, with 'erase' law.
Teens using Social Media from Fox news |
I must say that I do not agree with this new law. I'm a true believer that everything you do shows your true character. I don't believe that teenagers should be able to put down someone on the internet through any form of media and then be able to take it back. I understand that it will help the victim in the case, but why help the reputation of the child that decided bashing someone online was a good thing to do in the first place. They should be able to feel the repercussions for their actions.
Besides this new form of legislation that begins in January 2015, a bullying outbreak in Instagram has begun in recent months. Have you ever heard of the Elimination game?
Did you know that there are Beauty Pageants on Instagram? That 'besties' are doing this to each other? Wow! I'm sickened by what I was reading on the internet after I typed in a few words about the Elimination Game!
See, right now, as I sit here typing this, there is a tween girl with an iPhone somewhere making a grid out of four pictures of her besties using Instacollage. When she's finished, she will post that grid on Instagram, and then write something along the lines of: BEAUTY CONTEST! VOTE SOMEONE OUT! Did you just throw up in your mouth a little?
But wait. That's not even the worst part. Because what happens next is this: People will actually vote for who they think is the least attractive in the comments, and whichever girl's name is written the most will be awarded a big fat X drawn across her face. Do you want me to repeat that last part? Of course you don't, but I'm going to anyway. Whichever girl's name is written the most will be awarded with a big fat X drawn across her face.
Then the question will be repeated two more times, until there is only one gorgeous X-free girl left standing, the fairest of them all!
Can you believe that teenager girls are doing this to their friends?!? I'm sorry, but a friend that is going to put you up on a 'contest' like this is no friend at all.
Some states are fighting back.. check out this investigation at Ladue Middle School in St. Louis.
With all of this happening on Social Networking sites today, I'm sure more laws about internet bullying with appear in a few years. Bullying has become more mainstream with the use of the internet, because students who are too afraid to say it to a person's face can hide behind a computer screen and say it there.
Teens need to remember that Beauty if Only Skin Deep and that whatever you say on the internet, even with a law, can never be erased from the person's mind that you wrote about. Think before you write.
As a middle school teacher, I feel that I should know about this.... but I don't. I will say that when I had my own teens and tweens at home, it was easier to be in the know. Unfortunately, if it isn't on NPR, I may not hear about it. ( yes, I'm that old...) We all know that those who do this elimination game know better. Bullying is well defined, so ignorance is no excuse. So, why do they do it? I guess putting others down to feel better about yourself never goes out of style.... sigh....
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