Teen Gossip Site Shut Down
Cyber-bullying is nothing new. In fact almost as long as there has been an Internet, there have been people cold enough to use it for public mocking and abuse. Although it's one thing to post mean things on MySpace or harass someone via IM, it's yet another when there is a site that is essentially completely dedicated to anonymous cyber-bullying. PeoplesDirt.com has been shut down twice since December for various reasons, including misrepresentation to advertisers. But the bigger problem for PeoplesDirt.com (which is again offline) is the content of the site. The bulletin board is broken down by state, then by county, and then by high school, and encourages anonymous visitors to post gossip about anyone they wish, without fear of reprisal.
The most recent take down was the result of an investigation started by the Maryland Attorney General. A former student at Walt Whitman High School used the site to post death threats, and parents and school faculty have complained about it repeatedly. A quick Google search for the site turn up plenty of news coverage and blog posts about the racist, homophobic, and just plain mean things posted on it.
Walt Whitman Principal, Alan Goodwin, told the Maryland Gazette he was happy to hear the site had been shut down. But many are concerned that this is only a temporary calm and that PeoplesDirt or a site just like it will be back online in no time. [From: WCBD, Your4State, Gazette.Net]
10 Most Unfortunate E-mails
A Bit Much
While it's acceptable to flirt over e-mail, there's a limit, and Joseph Dobbie went flying past it. In 2006, Dobbie met a woman at a barbecue and sent her a message after to ask her out for coffee. But he continued on, saying things like "Your smile is the freshest of my special memories. I will keep it with me for moments when I need to find a smile of my own." She thought it was over the top, forwarded it to her sister, who sent it on, and you know the rest. Dobbie was unfazed however, telling the press he'd received hundreds of romantic proposals.
The Breakup
As we've said, ending a relationship over e-mail is a bad way to go, but in 2003, Paul Kelly Tripplehorn, Jr. took it to another level. An intern for Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Tripplehorn sent a vicious breakup letter to his now ex-girlfriend Michele, capping it with a signature that read, "your intellectual, moral, social, and emotional superior." The e-mail was sent all over, and Tripplehorn was fired. He later expressed deep regret over the incident and tragically committed suicide last fall.
CHUNG
In 2001, Peter Chung, a young Princeton grad who recently started a banking job in South Korea, sent an email to some former coworkers that ended up getting forwarded to millions. Rather than just let them know how he was doing, the banker, who referred to himself in the third person as CHUNG, bragged about going to clubs, getting phone numbers, and needing more condoms because he'd sleep with every woman in the country. The e-mail was forwarded around Wall Street, got back to his bosses, and he got canned.
The Dish
This e-mail from a woman describing her date in completely materialistic terms should strike a chord with anyone who's frustrated with the upper crust these days. Jacqueline Kim's e-mail to friends grading most parts of her date with Casey O'Brien, which she titled "The Dish," hit the Internet because of its emphasis on his money and looks. It's difficult to pinpoint the most vapid moment, but we'll go with her describing his boat, which only sat six people. Kim's phone number was included in the email, subjecting her to a bevy of fun calls.
Insensitive Much?
Revenge against a crappy boss is a joy few of us ever get to experience, but secretary Jenny Amner did just that by CC'ing a few coworkers in a mean exchange. Her boss, Richard Phillips, a high-salaried senior associate at the world's biggest law firm, Baker & McKenzie, e-mailed Amner to ask for £4 for dry cleaning costs after she accidentally spilled ketchup on his pants -- while she was away at her mother's funeral. She replied to the e-mail, copying 250 other employees on it, and said "I must apologise for not getting back to you straight away but due to my mother's sudden illness, death and funeral I have more pressing issues than your £4." The e-mail was forwarded out from there, and Phillips ended up leaving his job. Beautiful.
Layoffs
One of the worst parts about working for a struggling company is not knowing if your job is safe. Even worse is when an HR exec accidentally sends out a company-wide e-mail sends that was supposed to tell senior management how to handle impending layoffs, so not only did people know there would be firings, they knew how they would happen. This all happened last September at media agency Carat. As AdAge published portions of the email, it was clear that this was definitely not for the common worker's eyes. Oops.
The Hollywood Madam
Last August, the head of a high class prostitution ring in Los Angeles accidentally CC'd almost 50 clients in an e-mail that was supposed to go to only one client. While the names have never been released, Scandalist alleged that the list included a movie producer, club owners, a politician, a major sports team owner, and a prince. We imagine it must have been a nervous few weeks for them.
Best Party Ever
In 2006, Lucy Gao, a Citigroup intern, sent out an e-mail to 39 friends regarding her upcoming 21st birthday at a fancy hotel. That's usually fine, except Gao felt the need to detail her guests' behavior down to what they could wear, what exactly they should say to hotel staff, and when she would be accepting presents. Her coworkers forwarded it and it hit the press, which led Gao to say it was a joke that had gotten out of control. Her coworkers thought otherwise, but she kept her job.
The Worst
22-year-old banking clerk Trevor Luxton sent an e-mail to friends about having an encounter with a woman while talking to his girlfriend on the phone. He braggingly recounted the tale and asked whether he was the "worst boyfriend in the world or what?" At least one of the friends decided to share it with others and it seemed most people thought he was the worst. One person who didn't, however, was the girlfriend, who apparently accepted his marriage proposal.
Yummy?
An exchange between Claire Swire and her boyfriend became one of the first repeatedly forwarded e-mail blunders. What happened was the boyfriend sent Swire a joke about oral sex, to which she replied that his semen was particularly "yum" and made for great hair conditioner. The boyfriend proudly forwarded the exchange to some colleagues, who then did the same, resulting in a public shaming for both. There's some question to the validity of the whole thing, probably raised by Swire and the boyfriend themselves, but it seems legit.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Natalie said 8:16PM on 6-12-2009
There have been too many tragedies within the last 5 years or so due to cyberbullying, sexting, etc. Teens now days need to be educated about the consequences of their actions and realize how detrimental it can be to someone the victim of mean spirited comments and harassment over the internet. If this site is up and running again, I certainly hope the gossip board is permanently removed.
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bkwormsjv said 3:46PM on 6-12-2009
I agree, but let's remember that teens are not the only people misusing blogs and post opportunities. Adults gossip and insult people just as often as teens, and they are quite capable of being as vicious.
... although to be honest, sometimes they're really funny. They're obviously trying to be insulting, and yet they are so incoherent I can barely tell which side they're on!
theunrealaccount said 8:24AM on 6-23-2009
damn thought police strike again
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Janeyre said 2:39PM on 6-12-2009
Considering what some Adults post. I am sure these young people are thinking... What, they have their nerve... Try some of the message boards on AOL for instance... Hate, crap, etc...
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xten said 3:25PM on 6-12-2009
If you had read the hateful comments on Peoples Dirt and the lies you would not make ignorant comments here about "the thought police". Nobody has the right to say whatever they want. When you lie it is called slander and you are responsible for that action. Like it or not sometimes people have to do whats right and not always what feels good. It doesnt matter what adults have to say on a message board that was geared towards teenagers and asked questions like what teacher would you like to see killed or raped. Thats not freedom of speech that just immature behaviour going unchecked. Hopefully "the thought police" can keep some of you people from breeding.
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x-ten said 9:26AM on 9-17-2009
If you had read the hateful comments on Peoples Dirt and the lies you would not make ignorant comments here about "the thought police". Nobody has the right to say whatever they want. When you lie it is called slander and you are responsible for that action. Like it or not sometimes people have to do whats right and not always what feels good. It doesnt matter what adults have to say on a message board that was geared towards teenagers and asked questions like what teacher would you like to see killed or raped. Thats not freedom of speech that just immature behaviour going unchecked. Hopefully "the thought police" can keep some of you people from breeding.
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Rebecca said 3:51PM on 6-12-2009
What about thedirty.com??? That site is HORRIBLE.......I have personally seen the damage site like that can do to a person. That site needs to be taken down as well!
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Katya said 3:51PM on 6-12-2009
This has nothing to do with stifling thought. It was out and out slander, and a lot of young girls reputations were at stake. Since the site was completely anonymous, people were allowed to make up random user names, sometimes using other people's real names to impersonate them. They would then name people at the particular school using both first and last name, and print any type of grotesque story they wanted about them. In essence there was no way to combat or prove the veracity of the poster. These were still minority dependents lets not forget, the kids hurt were someones children, NOT adults.
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bob said 11:10AM on 6-17-2009
why is it if you dont agree with homosexualaity all of a sudden you have a mental problem instead of the homo./?
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Mary said 6:49PM on 6-12-2009
Saying that you don't agree with homosexuality is like saying you don't agree with blue eyes, it just is. Not up for a vote. Not your business.
ggreyspy said 1:55AM on 6-13-2009
You know how the teenagers are. They would reach to the point of threatening anyone. I think that those who put up websites like this one must observe every comment sent by all teenagers. If anyone sent a threatening email, shut down the account permanently as well as barring the URL address. That would solve the problem.
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david said 5:19PM on 6-12-2009
What is everyone saying... I mean if it was not for this website those people at Walt Whitmam High School would have been killed I think that this website is good because it could help catch the many people out in the world plotting to do tragic things
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Dave Long said 6:16PM on 6-12-2009
There is nothing anyone can do to stop teens from doing this. They just ignore ya.
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Mary said 6:48PM on 6-12-2009
I agree, no one can make anyone do anything. Hopefully, teens and everyone will search their conscience and find a bit of charity for others. A world without acceptance, caring and understanding is a real possibility if we all continue to judge and slander. There is a much higher plane that everyone should be on.
Tracy said 6:46PM on 6-12-2009
OK people I think that people, especially teenagers, have way to much time on their hands if they are out doing this kind of stuff. Idle hands make work for the devil and here is the proof. My child is very smart and quite and prefers to go off and draw pictures in the dirt or act out movies, plays, or books she has read rather than play with the other kids. I don't care about cyber bullying as no one in my family has or will ever join anything like my space, face book, or any of those places. Just too much personal information that people I don't know quite frankly shouldn't know. She won't be allowed to have a regular cell phone till she is 18. Till then she gets one that allows her to call 5 numbers and 911. It does not have web access either. She does not have a tv or computer in her room. She goes to a martial arts college that stresses discipline. Thankfully she has not really been picked on yet, but if that time comes I have no problem pulling her out for home schooling. I am not afraid of her getting beat up, on the contrary she can kick butt but there are some social things she does not need to learn.
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DANIELLE said 7:51PM on 6-12-2009
Sad but even death threats online can be the law if someone keeps making threats the law can track them and arrest them it's just bad as much as doing it in person & against the law I have a woman (adult) whos been posting death threats to one of my friends kids & I am fed up with it ! Almost all 50 states has laws as well as some countries & parents needs to start saying something to their kids !
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cathapyfran said 7:56PM on 6-12-2009
I think anyone who would bully a child, or anyone else for that matter, is a person that is insecure & unhappy with themselves. They can't or won't choose to do something positive with their lives, so they berate other people. We need to lift people up and about all we can do is, when we hear other people saying is to tell them you refuse to be in their company, and walk away from them. It may seem like a small thing, but to the person who is being bullied, it would make their day.
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metalicat8 said 12:27PM on 6-13-2009
me myself being a teen and having poeple write shit about me on there. i could care less, i actually liked hearing what people had to say. they didnt have to shut it down. god forbid a bunch of kids write crap about each other, we will find a way to do it one way or another.
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Ben Leichtling said 8:05PM on 6-19-2009
Thanks for the article.
What did it take to pressure GoDaddy to drop the site? A joint effort by parents, students, school administrators and the Maryland Attorney General brought sufficient pressure on the GoDaddy Group and the “People’s Dirt” advertisers.
Whether protecting kids from physical bullying or cyberbullying, that pressure grouping is always necessary to stop bullies at school or online.
Every society or community limits complete free speech because of a more important value: The balance necessary to maintain the strong sense of community that enables the people to live together peacefully. Neither end of the scale – complete free speech or complete censorship and repression – yields a society worth living in. Some form of compromise, some balancing of individual and communal desires and needs is always reached in communities that move ahead amicably. For example, we agree not to yell “fire” in a crowd and not to incite people to riot.
Stopping harassment, bullying and abuse; slander and defamation; public trash-talk, threats of killing, racial slurs and claims of promiscuity is more important that total free speech.
Disclosure: I’m the author of the books and CDs “How to Stop Bullies in Their Tracks,” and “Parenting Bully-Proof Kids.” See my web site and blog at BulliesBeGone (http://.BulliesBeGone.com). Or Twitter @BulliesBeGone.
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