PRINTCybercrime gets noticed
May 29, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
My first e-mail address and AOL Instant Messenger screen name originated when I was in seventh grade — a decade ago when dial-up was considered an acceptable way to reach the World Wide Web. After school, I’d use my family’s computer to chat with friends about nothing of importance. Even though my dad was often sitting in his recliner just a few feet away, he had no idea what messages were being exchanged.
At that time, when Internet dangers weren’t as recognized as they are today, this was probably the case in many homes. Even with an increased knowledge of the risks of connecting, new means of communication create different and even scarier potential dangers, especially for young users.
Megan Meier’s parents thought they had covered all their bases. But in 2006, the 13-year-old St. Louis-area girl committed suicide after receiving hateful messages via MySpace. Law enforcement officials say an adult neighbor, Lori Drew, was posing as a teenage boy. “Beware the digital playground” explores the threat that cyberbullying — harassment through online and digital communication — presents.
The Meier case has prompted those in power to work to establish new laws and amend old ones. On May 16, the Missouri General Assembly passed a bill expanding the definition of harassment to include online communication. And just a week ago, Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Mo., brought a bill in front of Congress that would criminalize cyberbullying.
But new change or developments in technology don’t have to be detrimental. For the members of the Bavarian CD Club, preserving the past through modern means is key. The group connects through the Internet to keep mix tapes alive in an age of iPod shuffling and burned CDs, and these mix-tape aficionados find value in the relationships they form online.
