INTERNATIONAL

When Words Kill

Suicide spurs bid to regulate the net in South Korea.

By B. J. Lee | Newsweek Web Exclusive

Oct 15, 2008 | Updated: 11:24 a.m. ET Oct 15, 2008

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Discuss

Posted By: whiteelephant @ 10/26/2008 10:55:39 PM

Comment: Their proposal to regulate the internet reveals from which generation they hail from. They're used to controlling things which they anticipate to be hostile. Consider talking to them instead. Monitor the chat rooms and shoot down weak or false arguments. Young people aren't sheep. Talk to them rationally and they will listen. The whole point behind forums is to have intelligent dialogue . Both sides can talk. Adults are so used to imposing their authority whereas everyone knows that good management entails people choosing to do what is right because they believe in it.
Posted By: emykinz01 @ 10/26/2008 3:34:36 PM

Comment: The internet can be an in formation highway, giving people knowledge that they could never come by on their own. But, it can also be a tool of destruction among those who are vulnerable to the people who write in chat rooms. It can cause a persons reputation to become nothing using slander and blackmail. The internet can be use as a weapon to give out information that should never be seen by the public eye.
This weapon of mass destruction can have one very potent stimulus. This can only be known as the chat rooms where all of the public writes what they think, where freedom of speech is pushed to its limits. this seemingly innocent place is the breeding ground of false rumors and words that attack like daggers. These "innocent" words that people view as harmless are the most devastating way to take a blow at someone. It is a proven fact that many suicides have been caused by these words. One very famous actress in South Korea, Choi Jin Sil, was one victim that went from rising star to suicidal. She had killed herself because of the false accusations of "harmless" bloggers. If we are to get rid of this heinous crime then we must place harsher laws on those who enter internet chat rooms, only then can those faced with cruel words find justice.
Posted By: chayidian @ 10/18/2008 11:25:32 AM

Comment: I think we should draw some conclusion from this phenomena and regulate the internet.
Posted By: Young Hickory @ 10/17/2008 3:50:47 PM

Comment: When will people learn that the internet is not a reliable source of information? The internet has the potential to improve society through the sharing of information but unfortunately there is much more inaccurate information than accurate information. This can lead to mass hysteria over silliness such as mad cow disease. Instead of liberating the masses, the internet has made them more prone to manipulation.
Posted By: ACooke108 @ 10/17/2008 3:10:49 PM

Comment: When the Koreians figure out that your self esteem comes from within, and not from what others think of you, maybe they won't kill themselves so easily
Posted By: sieg6529 @ 10/16/2008 2:38:09 PM

Comment: You think that the USA will not eventually have this kind of censorship? That's optimistic. It doesn't matter who is in charge, either. Democrats tend towards big government because they're softies and want everyone to be happy, while the Republicans will cram morality and so-called decency down our throats. Both will lead to censorship of the internet. This is an eventuality, people.
Posted By: Ron Paul For Pope @ 10/16/2008 8:09:30 AM

Comment: "The death of Korea's "national star" has tipped public opinion in favor of instituting tougher regulations against cyberviolence and libel."

That last sentence is why the government will push the regulations through. "Libel" will be used as a legal tactic to silence any criticism about him coming from the web. This solution will be worse than the problem.

May such a thing never happen here in the United States.
Posted By: driversafety @ 10/16/2008 3:19:05 AM

Comment: TO Virgil,

I think that people do have some lack of self-confidence but really the root of this problem comes from the anonymity factor. Usually, when people talk trash, they are eventually confronted with it with their accuser. In cyberspace, anyone can post vicious and obscene posts with little regard of repercussions or backlash. So it might be help dial down some of the vitriol and unfounded accusations when people have to post their real name with their message.
Posted By: kshortSD @ 10/15/2008 2:49:39 PM

Comment: It's a terrible story, and shockingly different from how celebrities in the US have handled rumors. They have had to put up with the most awful gossip on the covers of tabloids for decades, and have learned to simply ignore the trumped up stories and lies. I don't think we can imagine a scenario in which some of our own celebrities would have reacted the same way.
- Posted By: vpucsekberman @ 10/17/2008 6:44:20 PM
  
  Comment: It seems that their cultural is more collective in its structure. The degree of individual shame is just totally different than what we have in Canada and the US. I think they need to have an outreach program for people who are targeted. They need more than just using real names.
Posted By: TheVigil @ 10/15/2008 12:55:30 PM

Comment: It's pretty much becoming a proven fact of modern life that cyberspace enables people to communicate the most arrant nastinesses ever written. There are undoubtedly studies at this point. For those who prefer firsthand experience, check out the rest of the Newsweek boards.

I don't know if it comes out of a removal from the politeness and etiquette that society has developed over a few thousand years, before we learned not to kill each other and ourselves (or some of us did) over basic social interactions...or if it comes out of the fact that, over the Internet, you *can't* beat somebody's butt if they start trying to destroy your life online.

Then again, vicious gossip circles and social ostracisms based on popularity happened before the internet, have happened for thousands of years, are going on outside of the Internet as we speak, and may happen for the duration of the existence of humanity. People like to talk a lot of trash. It's a factor of human nature.

I think a lot of it stems from self-confidence issues...