Rumors Upgrade From Bathrooms To CellPhones
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Back when I was in middle school I found out all the gossip from the bathroom doors or by word of mouth. No matter what it is rumors are bad, but people still continue to spread them or talk about them.
Today rumors are spread easier and faster due to easy access of text messaging, e-mail, and other forms of social media like Facebook. One simple click of forward and the original message can be send to anyone on a contacts list.
In an article I read this is exactly what happened to a Duke student. She made a list about some one's sexual life and all their partners and sent it to only three people and before she knew it basically the entire campus knew about it.
She did not intend for it to spread at all and not that fast. She talks about how she regrets sending the message out. This is why you have to be careful what you say and who you tell things to.
When it comes to the Internet anything posted or submitted because it is that easy. Especially videos, pictures, and conversations. Anyone can post a video now a days to hurt some one's reputation.
It is starting younger and younger because kids ranging from 3rd-5th grade now have cell phones. It is crazy to think that little kids have this technology and who knows who well they are monitored with it.
Like the article says technology is not all bad. It is a good thing to be knowledgeable of it. However, people need to use it for the right things and not to bash other people's reputations.
3 comments:
This is a very relevant topic to our age group and most everyone else as well. Rumors are terrible but it's very easy to get caught up with what's being said.
One very popular show is "Gossip Girl" which is based around one thing, gossip. While the show is made around gossip and it's consequences it just goes to show what goes around comes around.
Online bullying is something that needs to be cracked down on. Yet, is something that is very hard to do. It's difficult to monitor children's actions on the internet, there are programs to set up to protect and monitor, but someone always finds a way around it. Like mom says, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."
I find it interesting that this girl did not "intend" for what she sent to be sent on to other people. She should have realized that most people enjoy gossiping about others, and that this would have gotten out eventually. And why was she sending it out in the first place?
It does seem as though there has recently been an increase in cyber-bullying, and it is sad no one seems able/willing to stop it. Hopefully the individual whose sexual experiences were shared about will not continue to fall victim to bullies.
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