The Digital Human

• Cyberbully

Cyber bullying refers to any harassment that occurs via the internet, cell phones or other devices. Communication technology is used to intentionally harm others through hostile behavior such as sending text messages and posting ugly comments on the internet.

The National Crime Prevention Council defines cyber-bullying as “the process of using the Internet, cell phones or other devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person.”

Cyber-bullying could be limited to posting rumors or gossips about a person in the internet bringing about hatred in other’s minds; or it may go to the extent of personally identifying victims and publishing materials severely defaming and humiliating them.

http://definitions.uslegal.com/c/cyber-bullying/

• Hacker

A person who breaks into computers and computer networks with or without criminal intent. 

The term originally denoted a skilled programmer, particularly one skilled in machine code and with a good knowledge of the machine and its operating system.

During the 1990s, the term "hacker" became synonymous with "cracker," which is a person who performs some form of computer sabotage. To be an effective cracker, one had to be a good hacker, thus the terms got intertwined.

http://definitions.uslegal.com/h/hacker

• TROLL

In Internet slang, a troll (pron.: /ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as a forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion. 

The noun troll may also refer to the provocative message itself, as in: "That was an excellent troll you posted."

While the word troll and its associated verb trolling are associated with Internet discourse, media attention in recent years has made such labels subjective, with trolling describing intentionally provocative actions and harassment outside of an online context. For example, mass media has used troll to describe "a person who defaces Internet tribute sites with the aim of causing grief to families."

The media has not followed the evolution of the Digital Human.  

• Flamer
  
  Flaming, also known as bashing, is hostile and insulting interaction between Internet users, often involving the use of profanity.

Flaming usually occurs in the social context of an Internet forum, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), Usenet, by e-mail, game servers such as Xbox Live or PlayStation Network, and on video-sharing websites. It is frequently the result of the discussion of heated real-world issues such as politics,religion, and philosophy, or of issues that polarise subpopulations, but can also be provoked by seemingly trivial differences.

Deliberate flaming, as opposed to flaming as a result of emotional discussions, is carried out by individuals known as flamers, who are specifically motivated to incite flaming. These users specialize in flaming and target specific aspects of a controversial conversation, and are usually more subtle than their counterparts. Their counterparts are known as trolls who are less "professional" and write obvious and blunt remarks to incite a flame war, as opposed to the more subtle, yet precise flamers.Some websites even cater to flamers and trolls, by allowing them a free environment, such as Flame-Wars forum.

~ ~ ~

In MY experience, a true "Troll" (or snot nosed egotistical rude twit, a S.N.E.R.T) is "primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion". They are mostly teens and young adults, and most can be found trolling on x-Box.  It's nothing more than a game in which the goal is to get the "LOLZ".  

Hackers are the kids sitting around playing with their mouse because they are bored.  They've taken all the naked bathroom pictures they could while they spent hours on end unsupervised on the porn highway.  Accidentally right clicking on the mouse showed them the page properties.  The hackers are the ones who could read it.  They call them "Developers" these days.  They work for corporations and governments testing electronic data security systems.  

Flamers are those who use their troll skills with a dark side.  Flamers will compete with each other.  Trolls, SNERTS and Flamers, are all annoying, smart...and harmless.


Cyberbullies differ greatly from Trolls, Snerts, Flamers and Hackers.  They come in all ages, sexes, races, time lines and area codes.  You have two types, the Bully and the Stalker. They have no concern for the person(s) on the other side of the monitor screen. They have no idea if that person is a child, a disturbed teen, a grieving parent, someone with a physical disability, etc. and they could care less.They will spend hours googling after data that they hope can be used to defame you.  Cyberbullies will group up and attack as a pack.

"We have the right to anonymity", we'll yes you do Bubba, but when you abuse that right and post irresponsibly, causing harm to others with brutal words and actions, you have violated, not only the terms of service of your Internet Service provider and the TOS (Terms of Service) of the social network you utilize, but also the right of other individual(s) to enjoy the service that they pay for.

Cyberbullies are just people who have no power in their lives and the only place they feel they have power is online abusing OUR right to privacy.

Internet Service Providers and those responsible for operating Social networks, blogs, etc are the front line. They accept responsibility for what occurs on their servers when they allow access. What prevents them from acting on reports of cyberbullying is the money they make from the services they offer. That is a tough demon to fight.

I could go on and on about this subject. I've been online since 1997, and I have seen more than my share of the atrocities committed by alleged "responsible adults" and the unsupervised children logging in from the privacy of their bedrooms and electrical devices. I never allowed my kids to surf without parental supervision. I have taught them that the best way to deal with a situation that makes them uncomfortable is to simply use the best invention ever made by man...the "Off" switch.

One more thing (NOTHING to do with Steubenville):

ANONYMOUS:

Who they are is defined very well here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_(group)


If someone is "ANONYMOUS", you won't know it until you go Tangodown.


They are not masked crusaders running amok defending the weak or demanding justice with arms flailing. Their turf is the digital highway.

There are MANY factions and NO LEADER.  (Ergo the headless man in the suit)

You will not find them up on facebook trying to get into your account to steal your game coins.  

You won't find them lurking on Wordpress so they can take over someones personal blog.

You will find them behind their computers taking down jihad websites, porn sites, etc.  

For the ANONS I have met, it's all about the digital transfer of data.  Thats what they DO.  They are people from ALL walks of life.  There is no racism, sexism or social predjudice.


"Can't stop the signal Mal!"

• How to be safe online
  
  Utilized your security protocols.
  
  Never give out your personal email address (your bank login), age/DOB, Land Line number, etc.
  
  Never post a minor childs image anywhere that someone who doesn't know the child personally can see it.  (Hide your friends because they might have their grandkids all up for the public to see.  Insert "Child Endangerment" legal definition and reason nobody can whine when a Cyberbully threatens to post them to Pedo sites.)
• 
  

http://onlinepredatorreport.blogspot.com/2012/07/welcome-to-online-predator-report.html