"Happy slapping" & other bullying - advice web

Bebi

Rather than paraphrase websites which already hold adequate information regarding what steps to take if you're being bullied, or know someone who is, I'll simply list the URL's underneath. Please feel free to add your own links on the subject too.

http://www.antibullying.net/

http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/index.asp

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying/

http://www.bullying.co.uk/

I was sickened watching Panorama's program regarding the phenomenon of uploading violent bullying-based videos to Youtube and similar sites. The most shocking is that none of the companies behind these websites seem all that bothered that these clips not only show assaults, but cause embarrassment for the victims.

A Panorama reporter signed up to Youtube and reported ten videos which he felt were offensive. For a start Youtube only removed two of the videos. After being contacted by Panorama they agreed to remove all but three of the videos. Those deemed to be "suitable for public consumption" by Youtube showed scenes of deliberate violence against police vehicles and blatant scenes of illegal handguns/gang activity. Another website (that I've forgotten the name of) refused point blank to remove any videos, no matter what the content is.

Apparantly the way the law stands now means that it's difficult to gain prosecutions in cases like this and it's going to be revised (something to do with websites registered in other countries that can bypass the prosecution laws in the UK) - as far as I'm concerned it can't come soon enough. Many of the victims in the clips they reviewed for the program were knocked unconcious, and one girl suffered a detached retina. When you bear in mind that 80% of these victims are teenagers who haven't asked for it it makes it all the more alarming.

The program also held interviews with one of the people who regularly upload violent clips. Surprise surprise he's a teenager. He and his friends have competitions to see how many hits they can get on their videos/profile, which involves them having to find new content so keep the hit rate up. When questioned on this regarding the fairness to other people his response was a shrug...

I'm not asking much, but please, if you're a Youtube member (or a member of any other similar site) if you see a video like this, don't just ignore it, report it. Maybe if we all take a pro-active stance the websites will realise that this sort of thing isn't wanted by the majority of internet users, especially by the parents who don't want it to happen to their own children.

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It is those who are perfectly sane who are driven the maddest by an insane world...

There is method behind my madness