Police Investigating Viewers of Streamed Web Suicide
Last week, we brought news of the sad story of Abraham K. Biggs, who streamed his own suicide online using Justin.tv while a number of members from a bodybuilding forum watched and, in some cases, egged him on. Now, police in Biggs' home town are investigating what role, if any, the members and moderators of that forum played in his death. Law enforcement officials are also investigating the site that streamed his the death live.Many, including Biggs's father, believe that the members of the forum acted irresponsibly and shamefully in not calling for help earlier. But it's tough to point fingers in that direction because apparently Biggs had made many similar claims about killing himself, and many believed this was simply another meaningless threat.
The operators of justin.tv, meanwhile, were likely completely unaware of what was happening. The site relies largely on its membership to identify offensive content that violates the site's terms of service. In other words, it's unlikely anyone could or should really be held responsible for this, other than Biggs himself, but we hope it will at least open the eyes of future "viewers" when confronted with such situations, perhaps leading people to call police a little earlier. [From: Information Week]
_thumbnail.jpg "Vintage Keyboards")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Simzee said 8:35AM on 11-25-2008
Legally, you do not have to help anyone. Morally, yes you should help someone else.
Reply
DotheRightThing said 9:52AM on 11-25-2008
In Florida it is illegal to to aid, or encourage someone to commit suicide and is what they are probably investigating who if anyone encouraged him to commit suicide.
angel said 11:50AM on 11-26-2008
i disagree. there are laws about witnessing accidents and not (or failure to) administer first aid.
that being said, this particular case might not fall under those circumstances, seeing as how it was a suicide.
however, anyone who would egg someone on to carry out the deed, so to speak, no matter how many times he may have threatened it in the past, are just as much to blame, i feel. and i hope they do not ever get 1 more night's peaceful sleep again, and carry this burden and guilt with them for the rest of their days. this is just shameful, would it have taken that much effort, just to be kind and talk to the dude and try and convince him to get help, and that maybe tomorrow will be a brighter day...???!!!! what a bunch of sick ass ppl.
i hope the law has a loop hole that can be found somehow, to bring these ppl, if not to justice, then at least to their senses, he was a part of someone's family, and somebody, somewhere, loved, and will miss this guy and they're hurting now. this makes me sick.
some ppl are alot more fragile than others, and some ppl cannot distinguish, real, from cyber and think that the ppl over this "box" are real and that they matter, when in fact, they DON'T. poor kid. may he finally find some peace now, but i doubt it.
love and peace always,
^i^ angel ^i^