Civility in the Digital Age! Can’t We Learn to Be Nice to Each Other?

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We hear about bullets that kill people. Gun control is a topic that is not going away. However there is another type of bullet that can ruin lives in a different form–and can be just as deadly. Cyber-bullets.

Sadly, hearing about online attacks by and between kids has become almost commonplace these days. But attacks against adults are an epidemic onto themselves. As someone who was a target, I know this first-hand, but it’s amazing that far too few people understand the extent to which online hostility and attacks impacts adults as well.

Andrea Weckerle, both through CiviliNation, the non-profit she founded, and her new book Civility in the Digital Age: How Companies and People can Triumph Over Haters, Trolls, Bullies, and Other Jerks is trying to change that. (Disclosure: I serve as an Advisor to CiviliNation.)

Her book outlines the problems we see online (the real-life examples she provides are often raw and hard-hitting), and also offers solutions in the form of best practices and techniques.

She starts by explaining why measuring and monitoring one’s online reputation is important, and breaks down how to do that. She also goes into considerable detail about what types of conflict we’re likely to encounter online (these can range from one-on-one interpersonal conflict to conflict with people who are pseudonymous or anonymous, to online lynch mobs), as well as who the most common troublemakers are (cyberbullies, online harassers and defamers, trolls, sockpuppets, and a host of difficult people). Of particular interest is the information about anger management, which includes insights into how to manage one’s own anger online and how to deal with those who are aggressively spouting off, both which are super important in the hyper-intense online environment. The chapter on conflict resolution skills and strategies get into nitty-gritty how-tos.

But it’s the chapter “30-Day Pan for better Conflict Management Online” that provides detailed information on how to put knowledge into action. Day 1, for example, explains how to start your conflict inventory and assessment, while Day 11 and Day 12 discuss choosing an online monitoring tool and setting up an online conflict tracking system, Meanwhile, Day 17, covers how to determine whether you need to bury or remove negative information about you online, and Day 29 talks about how to simulate an online conflict crisis.

“Civility in the Digital Age” is a serious book, but it’s also very hopeful. In the last chapter, Weckerle quotes serial entrepreneur and environmentalist Paul Hawken who says “If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.” Weckerle writes, “Hawken’s words are relevant to the online world, where you see both the best and the worst of humanity expressed. But if you’ve read this book, it’s clear you’re not willing to turn a blind eye to the egregious behavior found online—you want to make things better!”

And don’t we all want to do that?

In my opinion, if you are online today, you need to read this book.

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Sue Scheff: CyberTipline – Keeping Your Teens and Kids Safe On and Offline

Just about everyone is aware of the dangers that can lurk online, but does everyone know there is help if you determine there has been a crime committed online or your child is being harassed?

Broward County Sheriff’s department has an Internet Safety page on their website which can help you learn more about online safety. Within this page you will learn about the CyberTipline which is available to everyone.

What is the CyberTipline?

The Congressionally-mandated CyberTipline is a means for reporting crimes against children including:

• Possession, manufacture, and distribution of child pornography
• Online enticement of children for sexual acts
• Child prostitution
• Sex Tourism Involving Children
• Extrafamilial Child Sexual Molestation
• Unsolicited Obscene Material Sent to a Child
• Misleading Domain Names
• Misleading Words or Digital Images on the Internet

Part of the campaign to help keep your teens and kids safe virtually is THINK! Before You Post.

Did you know:

Webcam sessions and photos can be easily captured, and users can continue to circulate those images online. In some cases people believed they were interacting with trusted friends but later found their images were distributed to others or posted on web sites.

Be an educated parent, you will have safer teens and children.

Must watch video and read more.

Dozier Internet Law: $11.3 Million Sue Scheff Defamation Judgment Confirmed on Appeal

Dozier Internet Law is constantly battling the scofflaws of the web. On the one hand, the Internet as a whole opens up the world to everyone. On the other hand, it opens up the world to, well…to everyone. Defamation laws and related judicial interpretations evolved historically at a time, and in an environment, in which there were inherent protections that served as a filter of sorts. Today those protections are lost to the ability to distribute attacks to millions overnight. Want to physically picket a business? You have to invest time and disclose your identity if you are going to coordinate and show up at a business. Want to print and distribute flyers, or take out an advertisement or run a commercial? Expensive, of course. And newspapers and television wouldn’t print, even as ads or commercials, alot of the outrageous claims and statements being readily distributed online.

Once in a while, Dozier Internet Law sees comments encouraging such illegality from what might seem to be credible sources. But the application and interpretation of laws dealing with disparagement and defamation and other lawlessness will eventually catch up with the online scofflaws, and defending misconduct by claiming you saw a blog by a lawyer saying it was legal is not a defense. 

On October 15, 2008 the District Court of Appeal of the State of Florida just rejected an appeal from the Defendant and confirmed a JURY judgment on behalf of Susan Scheff in the sum of $11.3 Million, of which $5 Million was for punitive damages (on behalf of Susan Scheff and her very small business), against an individual who took it upon herself to publish allegedly defamatory statements online. Read the plaintiff’s comments by Sue Scheff about “free speech”.

Online defamation and product disparagement is a huge issue, of course, and businesses are under attack. This judgment is just another example of the legal system catching up with online misconduct. And instead of a real attempt to establish standards and self police and self regulate, one blogger organization has started selling insurance to bloggers. It strikes me that insurance coverage is a wonderful thing for the businesses under attack. At Dozier Internet Law we hear from dozens of victims of online blog attacks each week, it seems. The possibility of insurance coverage is great. Online defamation promises to be a growth industry for trial lawyers. Another example, I surmise, of an unanticipated and unintended consequence…but this time of mammoth proportions. 

Dozier Internet Law: Wikipedia’s Death Is Greatly Exaggerated

I am always fascinated by what one of the leading Internet Lawyer, John Dozier, Blogs about. I have to share it on my Blog – hoping that more and more people will see that there will be positive changes eventually online – the wild, wild web is growing. What is fact and what is fiction? It can be hard to determine with a click of a mouse!

 

Source: Dozier Internet Law

 
Eric Goldman blogged yesterday on “why Wikipedia will fail“. This the same day Wikipedia’s plans to start policing its content more aggressively was widely publicized in the wake of some quack editing biographies to reflect the death of prominent politicians. The reports of their deaths were greatly exaggerated…borrowing for a moment from Mark Twain. The Dozier Internet Law blog entry on Wikipedia and Section 230 yesterday pointed out the admirable intent and the inherent risks involved. It’s a good example of why the immunity provisions of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act need to be changed.

 
So the response from the other side, through Eric Goldman, a law professor and one of the group of online legal warriors intent on trying to protect netizens so they can say whatever they want, when they want, where they want, seemingly without regard to how uncivil, inappropriate, defamatory and damaging the comments might be, is unfortunately not unexpected. This type of attack journalism comes with the support of a small ring of lawyers online who try to protect free speech by constantly attacking the speech of those who disagree. The irony does not escape us at Dozier Internet Law .

 
Wikipedia wants to edit. A more civil environment is a noble cause, to be sure. Instead of debating the issue of Section 230’s application and how it prevents self policing and self regulation by those legitimately concerned about creating a more civil online society, attack journalism 101 begins.

 
These free speech expansionists, under the guise of “legal scholars”, know that as major players in the online world begin to realize the wayward nature of online scofflaws and the need to do something about it, like amend Section 230 to empower self governance, the dialogue moves to a place they don’t want to be. Sanity will eventually be restored once this path is pursued, and their constituencies will lose. In the name of free speech, they say, if you disagree with our position, we will not respond.

 
Except to attack the speaker…put into question the viability of a business that dares to offend their notions of how the web should be governed. Come on, can’t you come up with something a bit more original? Free speechers are all for free speech, until they don’t agree with it. Then they abandon the notion of a engaging robustly in the “marketplace of ideas”, and go on the attack.

Sue Scheff: Cyberbullying Prevention

Vanessa Van Petten continues to bring valuable information for parents with today’s teens.  This week she has dedicated to helping prevent cyberbullying.

Partners for CyberBully Awareness Campaign:

Thank you to everyone who is already offered to join and spread the word about our anti-cyberbullying campaign here at On Teens Today:

Angeline of MomStyleNews

Vivien Bruss of Cool Moms Rule

 

Brenda Preston of Safewave

Sue Scheff of Help Your Teens

Myrna of TangerineTimes.com

Tara Paterson of the Mom’s Choice Awards and Just for Mom

Karen Pease

 

Sue Scheff: ReputationDefender Grows as Internet Abuse Increases

As a victim and survivor of the wicked web (at times), I was vindicated at a jury trial for damages when I was awarded over $11M for the defamatory comments posted about me.

I credit my attorney, David Pollack, for successfully proving to the jury how I was damaged (defamed) online.  Remember, free speech does not condone defamation.

What happens after the jury goes home and I have my $11.3M judgment? Well, you get a lot of media attention, new stalkers arrive, you become a Limited Public Figure (something I was not prior this major victory), and before you know it – you are the face of Internet Defamation Survivor. However what it doesn’t do is erase the ugliness the perpetrator did to you online.

For that, I sought out the services of Reputation Defender. O-kay, so you can’t literally erase all the unflattering online statements – but you can start filling the web with who you really are – and what you believe in.

I used ReputationDefender MyEdge – which is a priceless service for anyone that owns a business or has a reputation to protect. You can have a 20 year old reputable company literally destroyed within 20 minutes with a few keystrokes!

Here are some articles to help you find out more about how Reputation Defender can help you.

As a parent advocate, I always recommend MyChild – which helps parents monitor where their child’s name is being used! Remember, kids think that applying for colleges and filling out employment applications is far away – in a child’s mind, 2-4 years seems like a lifetime – but in reality – what goes online today – can haunt them tomorrow and years from tomorrow.

My Good Name Protector ReputationDefender Raises $2.6M In 1st Round

VentureBeat on Reputation Defender

ReputationDefender Official Blog

Teacher Fired Over MySpace Photo

Mahalo on Reputation Defender

Reputation Defender Official MySpace

Wired.com – Delete Your Bad Web Rep

Mashable.com on Reputation Defender

Fast Company on Reputation Defender

CyberLaw – Stanford.edu – Reputation Defender Article

Reputation Defender Turnstile

WRAL – Local Tech Wire

TradeVibes – Reputation Defender

There are many more…. I receive many emails from people all over the country and world that are being harmed online – many cannot afford the high costs of litigation. I always recommend Reputation Defender as an alternative or in combination with the legal route.

I am not a spokesperson for Reputation Defender, nor do I receive money or referral fees from them – I simply am a very satisfied client and want others to know there is such a service out there as Internet Gossip can be viewed as FACT. In many cases, that can hurt a persons’ reputation.

Sue Scheff – Revenge is a dish best served … online

Vengeance websites are giving angry women the chance to expose their ex-partners as love rats. David Smith on the rising tide of ‘e-venge’

Click here for entire article.

As a victim of E-Venge (Sue Scheff) I know firsthand how deadly a few keystrokes can be to a person, a business and in life.  I fought back – and won an uprecedented jury verdict for damages of over $11M for malicious and defamatory online comments.

Free speech will not condone defamation – this is not about the first amendment.  I will continue to be a voice in promoting Internet Safety without infringing on free speech.  My meetings with my Senator and my Congresswoman are the beginning of a long journey towards positive change.

Sue Scheff Featured on the Rachael Ray Show

Sue Scheff continues to be a voice against CyberSlander.  As both a victim and survivor of Internet Defamation, she has become a leader in promoting Cyber Safety.

On April 17th Sue Scheff appeared on the Rachael Ray Show  talking about Cyber Slander and promoting her upcoming new book – Wit’s End!

Free Speech will never condone defamation.  In an unprecedented jury verdict for damages, Scheff was awarded over $11Mfor the malicious and defamatory online comments from a woman that wanted E-Venge.

For more articles on E-Venge – check out www.suescheffpodcasts.com.  Sue Scheff retained the priceless services of Reputation Defender.  If you are a victim of Internet Abuse, take a moment to review the services Reputation Defender has to offer.  If you are a parent, it is important to consider Reputation Defender MyChild  to help protect your child online.

Sue Scheff – A Voice Fighting Internet Abuse – Defamation and Slander

After I won an unprecedented jury verdict for damages done to me online of $11.3M – this has brought me into a new chapter of my advocacy. As a parent advocate, I educate parents on a loosely regulated industry some call – teen help residential programs and schools. After a horrific experience with my own teenager, I become a voice to create awareness to others so they didn’t make the same mistakes I did.

Now with this new chapter of Internet Abuse and Cybersafety – I have meet with my Florida Senator several times and we just meet with our Congresswoman. I am very confident positive changes will be made to create a safer cyberspace – help to make people accountable – and reduce cyberbullying through new legislation.

My new position has put me in a public light, and I plan on using it to help others. I am contacted on a regular basis from victims of the Internet harassment as well as many media outlets. This is now a topic that is not going away anytime soon.

Visit my Podcasts on E-Venge.

 My official website is http://www.suescheff.com/

(Sue Scheff) Internet Law: Understanding Internet Defamation

As a victim and survivor of being nearly destroyed on the Internet with libelous and slanderous statements, I have become a voice to help others that are being abused in Cyberspace.  Since my $11.3M jury verdict for damages of what was done to my organization, my family and myself by an angry and obsessed woman.  I fought back – I won.  I have received tons of emails from people all over the world that have become victims of malicious online attacks, which some are now calling Cyberbullying.I am working with a prominent Florida Senator and my Congresswoman to bring about change to protect people from this type of abuse.  The Internet can be entertaining, educational, informational  and in many instances – a necessary tool for many things we do today.

The dark side of the Internet can be frightening.  It can take a person years to build their reputation to have it literally destroyed with a few keystrokes.  A child can become victim to a predator by innocently chatting online in chat-rooms.

Internet Defamation is a silent weapon that can be used to ruin people.  In many cases, for not other reason than veagence. Read the article on Top Ten Blogger Personas: The Mobosphere Unveiled – this can give you an idea of why some people are stuck on harming others. 

Internet Law: Understanding Internet Defamation – Click here.