blogger death threats? What?

[trixie]

Hi, all,

I'm scared, sad, and mainly, just scared. I came across a link to this post via the YA Highway about a female blogger who has received death threats. http://ittybiz.com/death-threats-online/.

I then read her follow-up post from 8/31, here http://ittybiz.com/sometimes-the-bad-guys-win/.

My initial knee-jerk reaction is that clearly, this is a hoax and there's no way the blog is real. BUT IT IS.

Has anyone read this? I feel creeped out, scared, and yeah... scared. That poor girl.

Thoughts?
Reassurances?
Anything?

[Sommer Leigh]

I've been reading about this. I also read John Scalzi's comments about how he believes it has a lot to do with being a woman, as male bloggers do not tend to get targeted by anything more than your run of the mill trolls.

I personally have never had any serious problems as a blogger since I began in earnest in 2000. I have had a lot of nasty encounters though. None of them left me scared, but they have been upsetting. Most of them have taken aim at my body or my political views, even taking aim at books I like or don't like, or my personal favorite - that as a woman I think I'm smarter than everyone else and don't I know that's not possible?

Since having Tell Great Stories, I've only had a couple of bad comments, all of which I've deleted and don't think about too much. For all the bad encounters I've ever experienced in my blogging life, I've had thousands of really excellent ones. When you decide to have a public persona, you've got to be prepared for some of the bad. Obviously, not THIS bad, as some of these women have experienced, that's a whole different level of bad, but some bad. Sure. It doesn't make it right, but it's not something you can easily get away from.

I think these truly horrific encounters are few and far between, thank god. We can take steps to keep ourselves safe.

[maybegenius]

This is terrifying, and I ache in the pit of my stomach for that woman, her family, and her friend, but I do think this is an isolated case. It seems clear that this particular individual had a personal bone to pick with the blogger and it escalated into something awful. She's also a very popular blogger, and being well-known made her a target. It makes me sick that people who met her or worked with her friend supported this vitriol.

I suppose my reassurance is this: yes, we absolutely have to be careful on the internet. You never know which troll is going to escalate. At the same time, you do have a support system in place. You have family, friends, and police. If you ever feel remotely afraid or threatened, keep a paper trail and report it as soon as there's something to report. It's unlikely that someone this violent would ever target you, but on the off chance that they do, you can remain safe. Just be smart, be careful, and keep meticulous records of anything untoward.

[Guardian]

My initial thought on this... I'm honestly wondering on human stupidity. The blogger get death threats and instead of doing something against it, the gal write another blog entry and whine about it. Just a question from these so called scared bloggers. If the threat is so real and not they invented it just to hype their blogs (Because this scenario is also possible.), why don't they pick up the phone and call the local law enforcement or write to the F.B.I. and ask for help? Death threats are death threats and punishable by the law, regardless they were made verbally or via electronic form. And both the police and the F.B.I. guys love to handle situations like this. We’re also handling similar situations in my country on the very same way. i.e.: my sis' and her colleagues got a death threat from a psychopath few days ago and the guy left the area in handcuffs and ended up in the psychiatry 30 minutes later, special thanks to our law enforcement. And in the U.S. you have better law enforcement what we have.

So, if some of you are facing with a similar event, call your local police or F.B.I. office or fill a complaint here; http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx (This is your F.B.I.s internet division. They’re very helpful. I know this from first hand.).

My second thought in this matter; bloggers became biassed and they directly provoke the readers many times just to get a greater audience. Personally I also would knock some of them into face as they treat people, they lie many times and provoke others in their blogs (Same goes for forums, where the owners and the moderators are directly provoking the users and defame them if you have a different opinion. AbsoluteWrite is a perfect example for this.). So if they get threats, some of them presumably deserve it, regardless it's against the law. In many cases it's the fault of the blogger and in this case I can't feel sorrow for these people at all. They should learn how to behave.

[maybegenius]

Dude. Guardian. One of the first things that happens in situations like this is exactly what you're doing: people call the victim a big manipulative liar who's probably doing this for attention. Her posts both alluded to the fact that she has contacted the authorities and taken action to protect herself. She just refuses to be frightened into silence while she does so.

And no, someone threatening to kill you on the internet is not always something that can be pursued by our legal system. In the US, there are many cases where a person has to be physically threatened in person before the authorities can take decisive action. That woman is a well-known businesswoman and feminist blogger who already had a very large readership. I sincerely doubt she "needed the publicity."

[Guardian]

Dude. Guardian. One of the first things that happens in situations like this is exactly what you're doing: people call the victim a big manipulative liar who's probably doing this for attention. Her posts both alluded to the fact that she has contacted the authorities and taken action to protect herself. She just refuses to be frightened into silence while she does so.

You misunderstood something here greatly. If you read back I never said that this particular blogger is a liar. If I would want to write this down; you would read that word by word. I written this in general. The people in the 21st century are attention-wh*res. That's the sad fact. And they do everything just to listen to them. As it's an existing scenario you always must take this possibility into account. Actually as I've seen plenty bloggers to do this as they can't take responsibility for their actions and they always present themselves a victims when someone says; enough, so, I also capable to believe this anytime about people. Is it making me a bad guy because I think outside the box and always meditate in alternatives and possibilites? Okay. I'm a bad guy. Be it. But as nowadays people do everything for fame, including creating false threats (What is also illegal by the way) I can believe this too about people anytime. But do I believe this blogger is a liar? Nope. If I would believe that I wouldn't suggest the police, nor the F.B.I.

And no, someone threatening to kill you on the internet is not always something that can be pursued by our legal system. In the US, there are many cases where a person has to be physically threatened in person before the authorities can take decisive action.

Everything can be pursued. The question is do you want it to be pursued or not. If you tell to a police officer your life has been threated, it's their duty to protect you. And your blogger did this (Somehow I missed that line that she take actions. So that's my fault.). But in general, people rather whine about their problems and creating sensation instead of asking for help. Sad fact.

That woman is a well-known businesswoman and feminist blogger who already had a very large readership. I sincerely doubt she "needed the publicity."

In this case I doubt this too... but as always... politicians also has a large audience, yet they also lie day by day. So these elements never eliminate the possibility of lies.

[Margo]

Everything can be pursued. The question is do you want it to be pursued or not. If you tell to a police officer your life has been threated, it's their duty to protect you.

Sorry, Guardian, but as someone who has worked for the police, I have to tell you this is not true. The law has not completely caught up with the issues of free speech and harassment on the internet or with issues of hate speech. In many cases, the only action the police can take is to write a report until something happens in a physical and immediate sense, until someone comes after another person and does personal injury or property damage. I have taken calls myself from people who were being threatened and had to tell them there was nothing we could do unless the aggressor was right there right then trying to hurt them. I got in trouble for trying to dispatch police to the victim's home, because the aggressor was down the street, not at their door.

And restraining orders (also mentioned in this blogger's posts) are a joke. One of my closest friends got one against a stalker who turned around in court to tell her he was going to kill her. He was not arrested for this because he was going to jail on unrelated charges and the officers reasoned it would be months before he could make good on the threat, so it was not considered a real threat. She had to change her phone number and move while he was in jail. Lucky for her, he started stalking someone else. Law enforcement doesn't really know what to do about stalking, either.

American law enforcement might be better equiped and funded than it is in your country, but we have different legal issues than you do.

[Guardian]

Sorry, Guardian, but as someone who has worked for the police, I have to tell you this is not true... American law enforcement might be better equiped and funded than it is in your country, but we have different legal issues than you do.

Here it's true. And yeah, now I can see that that your legal system is a mess. Our justice system is partially based on the American and the Russian, which is a pretty nice combination as it's merging the true defense of the citizens with force. I thought this part is from yours (It's surely not from the ex-commie sector.). Here if we have trouble, even the counter-terrorist unit may join the party. Althought to me it seems your country's legal system is messed a little, where the criminal has more rights, than the victim. That's not good.

I got in trouble for trying to dispatch police to the victim's home, because the aggressor was down the street, not at their door.

Well, that's stupid. Here you may call the police for everything if you feel yourself threatened (And the police encourage citizens to do so.).

The law has not completely caught up with the issues of free speech and harassment on the internet or with issues of hate speech.

In this case my country is in better condition from this perspective. Here we also have free speech, but you may ask investigation for hate speeches, death threats or even lies anytime, regardless from which side are you on (As in many countries the hunt for hate speech is only one sided. Here, it's not. Right now one of our award winning writer and journalist may loose all his national awards and may go to jail for three years because he made a hate speech against the citizens of my country and against the country itself a week ago.). We love to use this law. We're paying the police and the government to protect us after all. If here someone says; "I kill you. I'm the reincarnation of death." You may call the police and the ambulance and tell them the magic word; "Delusional" or "Delusional who threats me". In this case the police is out within 5 minutes along with the ambulace who might bring the nice straitjacket for the guy to calm him down. Here this simple magic word is helping in every case as every "I kill you" can be considered as a dangerous delusional element. Even the police member of my family and some police friend also suggest this to people. Say delisional and they'll be there instant to take the guy down. Maybe your country should apply this "delusional" rule too.

Law enforcement doesn't really know what to do about stalking, either... One of my closest friends got one against a stalker who turned around in court to tell her he was going to kill her.

Here the guy would be already into prison for that what you mentioned. Threats are threats, especially in front of a jury. And truly confirmed stalkers usually usually goes to their survivor show, to a maximum security prison. There, the prisoners hate stalkers.

And restraining orders (also mentioned in this blogger's posts) are a joke.

Here we don't have restriction. We simply put the guy to trial as threats are threats. We also have a nice independent media investigation agency, where we can report bloggers for lies or biassed, distorted and one-sided reports which is against the law. They can pay a pretty great sum if they really lie, so here people restrict themselves instead as they don't want to pay max. $125,000 for a lie, defaming others and biassed stories. It's working very well. People lying less and less and media reports are usually balanced too (As some media channels paid already millions, just to violate this law.). And people also may ask the police to monitor certain web activity, where the I.P. may trace back to the suspect and sometimes they create nice traps for them. If the suspect is in the crosshair, the police handle the rest. These are really fun things and we love to use them.

Well, sometimes we used to complain for our legal system, but it seems ours is true heaven comparing to yours. Sorry to hear.

[Hillsy]

Is it making me a bad guy because I think outside the box and always meditate in alternatives and possibilites?

Oh right!! So there's every possibility that you're deliberately being hyper-cynical, callous and dismissive in order to raise you're own profile and drive traffic to your own website! I get it now!! By taking a perverse and inflamatory contrary stance against a rather serious and loathsome situation, you're actually partaking in a publicity stunt to increase your notoriety and promote your own work.

What a quite brilliant idea!

*Applauds*

[Guardian]

Oh right!! So there's every possibility that you're deliberately being hyper-cynical, callous and dismissive in order to raise you're own profile and drive traffic to your own website! I get it now!! By taking a perverse and inflamatory contrary stance against a rather serious and loathsome situation, you're actually partaking in a publicity stunt to increase your notoriety and promote your own work.

Please tell me where did I use my profile or any of my answers to drive to traffic to my website? Please point me that line or a word or a sentence. I'm really curious for this. Right now if my site get any sort of hits, it's only because you mentioned this (In this case I can't say anything else, but thank you.). But seriously; I'm not using cheap methods to drive traffic as it's too morganatic to humble me (I'm snob in this matter. I'm a proud guy who love to do everything straight and honest. That's the challenge what I love.). If I would want to promote my work, you would see that as I never use any sort of stealth maneuver to drive traffic, but I present the advertisment what it is; an advertisement. Maybe this is why my marketing used to work comparing to many others.

And just to make this clear... if I'm a bad guy in your eyes or the eyes of others, because I have a different, non-mainstream opinion, be it. I'm not that type of guy who says what others want to hear, but I say what I think, especially if the opinion was being asked. I know it's considered as bad habit in this damned oversensitive and joke 21st century, but I don't care about it. If different thoughts and opinions are making me to a bad guy in your eyes or the eyes of others, I'm happily, but foremost proudly accept the title. It's that simple.

As Margo told me, what I believed was wrong. I also told that why I believed what I believed (I thought that your justice system is more advanced than ours. But in this case it seems ours is much-much better.). And I rather mistaken now in a conversation and learn the truth instead of never ask and never learn that my knowledge about certain things was false. I won't feel shame because I knew something wrong. I would feel shame only if I wouldn't listen to those ones, Margo in this case, who know certain things better than humble me. This is what conversations and opinions are all about; to share and to learn.

[Hillsy]

#facepalm
Irony isn't your strongest suit then?

Tell you what - best talk to yourself about this - in fact...I'll do it for you

But seriously; I'm not using cheap methods to drive traffic as it's too morganatic to humble me (I'm snob in this matter. I'm a proud guy who love to do everything straight and honest. That's the challenge what I love.). If I would want to promote my work, you would see that as I never use any sort of stealth maneuver to drive traffic, but I present the advertisment what it is; an advertisement. Maybe this is why my marketing used to work comparing to many others.

You said about someone not needing to use gimmicks to generate their own publicity

In this case I doubt this too... but as always... politicians also has a large audience, yet they also lie day by day. So these elements never eliminate the possibility of lies.

And just to make this clear... if I'm a bad guy in your eyes or the eyes of others, because I have a different, non-mainstream opinion, be it. I'm not that type of guy who says what others want to hear, but I say what I think, especially if the opinion was being asked. I know it's considered as bad habit in this damned oversensitive and joke 21st century, but I don't care about it. If different thoughts and opinions are making me to a bad guy in your eyes or the eyes of others, I'm happily, but foremost proudly accept the title. It's that simple.

Hmm...If only someone had already said something about this.....OH Yeah!!!!

The people in the 21st century are attention-wh*res. That's the sad fact. And they do everything just to listen to them. As it's an existing scenario you always must take this possibility into account. Actually as I've seen plenty bloggers to do this as they can't take responsibility for their actions and they always present themselves a victims when someone says; enough.

As Margo told me, what I believed was wrong. I also told that why I believed what I believed (I thought that your justice system is more advanced than ours. But in this case it seems ours is much-much better.).

Who could possibly answer such a comment???
(Caveat: I've not editted the quote but, please ignore the accusations of "lies" as I couldn't possible say for certain which country as a much-much better justice system as I think this would be rather provocational)

bloggers became biassed and they directly provoke the readers many times just to get a greater audience. Personally I also would knock some of them into face as they treat people, they lie many times and provoke others in their blogs (Same goes for forums, where the owners and the moderators are directly provoking the users and defame them if you have a different opinion. AbsoluteWrite is a perfect example for this.). So if they get threats, some of them presumably deserve it, regardless it's against the law. In many cases it's the fault of the blogger and in this case I can't feel sorrow for these people at all. They should learn how to behave.

Guardian rests his case. Fabulous put, Sir.

[Guardian]

Sorry, but I won't argue with you as I have better things to do today.

Some friendly advice;
#1; If you use irony, try to use irony properly. This wasn't irony what you did, or at least it didn't came through at all. I suggest you to use [IRONY] tag before sentences like that one otherwise others may misunderstand them, just as I did. Sometimes I also use similar tags as irony, cynism, sarcasm sometimes requires a tone too, what you can't give via forums as no one is using d-tags and the words has no tone either.
#2; Saying that we have a better justice system wasn't provocational, but it seems it's the truth in this matter as we have solutions for cases what for unfortunately you don't have a solution yet. If you read back, you'll see that I believed you also have these solutions, which seems evident to me, but then Margo told me, this is where I mistaken as your justice system don't apply these things what we have. So if in a system you don't have a solution, while in another system that solution exists and works properly, in this case that another system is better from this point of view. I'm sure other elements are better in yours than in ours. But it's not a damned kindegarten race where children are racing each other whose father is stronger.
#3; If you're intending to piss me up with your provocative style, as it seems to be provocative on this side, I must tell you; please, don't waste your time as it won't work.

So yes, I rest my case. As I said, I have better things to do today.

P.S.: If your previous post was also full of irony and I misunderstood it once more, as it's also a possibility... --> friendly advice #1 - please use Irony tags. Thank you for your cooperation.

[CharleeVale]

This is why I use a pen. Name. THIS RIGHT HERE.

That is all.

CV