MySpace ruins lives.

[Not_Punny]

I have "spy" software on the computer that my kids use so that I can see everything.

 

[Jovial]

The parents let her have a myspace account even though she was supposed to be at least 14. She was only 13.

The parents seem to have problems...breaking up the foosball table...driving through the neighbor's yard. I can only imagine what other types of behavior went on in that house. If the parents are emotionally fucked up like that, then the child is most likely going to be screwed up also. It doesn't sound like the parents really deal with things in a rational manner...they blame others for their problems. And their divorce just lends to this theory. Whatever the case, it sounds like she didn't have much self esteem.

Yes, what the other parents did was messed up, but I think a lot of factors played into the suicide. I tend to put most blame on her parents since they raised her. We can't arrest and prosecute the other people that created the fake account. It wouldn't be fair. The actual parents probably did many things that contributed to the suicide also.

I believe even if the internet didn't exist she still would have killed herself over some other situation.

 

[Principessa]

I would not let my child join RMB until they were like 16 and even then I would make it a point to see who she is all talking to if not guess what im kicking her ass off the PC lol

What is RMB?

The parents let her have a myspace account even though she was supposed to be at least 14. She was only 13. So what . . .my parents told me I couldn't get my ears pierced or have a phone in my room until I was 16. I had my ears pierced at 7 and received a pink princess phonem, out of the blue when I was 14. It wasn't even my birthday. :smile: T

he parents seem to have problems...breaking up the foosball table...driving through the neighbor's yard. I can only imagine what other types of behavior went on in that house. I attribute that to overwhelming grief and anger, not a true mental illness on their parts. If the parents are emotionally fucked up like that, then the child is most likely going to be screwed up also. It doesn't sound like the parents really deal with things in a rational manner...they blame others for their problems. And their divorce just lends to this theory. It is not uncommon for people to divorce after the death or serious illness of a child. Actually it is incredibly common for the husband to leave a wife with cancer, especially if she has to have a mastectomy. Whatever the case, it sounds like she didn't have much self esteem. True, that cannot be disputed. Yes, what the other parents did was messed up, but I think a lot of factors played into the suicide. I tend to put most blame on her parents since they raised her. You gotta be kidding me, right!?! We can't arrest and prosecute the other people that created the fake account. Yes we can. :biggrin1: It wouldn't be fair. Yes, it would! They intentionally conspired to make a teenage girl, (whom they knew had mental health issues as well as a learning disability) feel demoralized. The actual parents probably did many things that contributed to the suicide also. mmm, maybe, maybe not. Megan was obese, which means she was an easy target for bullies. Short of forcing her to go to a fat camp or have gastric bypass, there isn't much they could have done in that regard to help. I believe even if the internet didn't exist she still would have killed herself over some other situation.

Maybe, but she probably would have lived to see her 14th birthday, graduate high school, maybe even go onto college, marry and have a family.

 

[rob_just_rob]

That's about the saddest thing I've read all week.

To all those who are blaming Megan's parents - yes, children should be supervised on the internet. And yes, there's some good reasons why you should be 14 before you get an account on Myspace.

But for fucks sake, Megan didn't kill herself because she had a Myspace account. She killed herself - by all accounts - because she was being tormented by adults who deliberately created a fake persona to attract her, spy on her and ultimately torment her, knowing of her medical condition (ADD and depression). Adults. Not kids, adults who ought to have known a whole hell of a lot better. Creating fake internet personas to attract kids is the modus operandi of child molestors - I suspect we'd be seeing a lot more sympathy for Megan's parents if she had been kidnapped or raped. Given Megan's medical condition, this was practically the same thing.

Sure, Megan's parents should have been more careful. But parents can't be there all the time, watching their child every second. Kids walk home from school or over to the store all the time. Kids also go on the internet unsupervised, all the time. Bad things can happen to an unaccompanied child on the street, in the schoolyard, or on the internet. That's doesn't mean that when such things happen, 100% of the blame goes to the parents.

 

[Jovial]

Even Megan and the other girl created a fake account. Who knows what effect that had on the boys that they tricked? (I'm not saying she deserved to die because of that, I just thought it was interesting.) So she certainly must have known that people fake accounts.

I just tend to believe that the groundwork had been laid long before Megan ever saw the fake account. She was not capable of handling these situations correctly. So she either inherently had a problem or she learn that along the way.

There's a certain amount of torment that people should be able to handle without committing suicide. I don't think we can hold the fakers legally accountable. It would set a bad precedent.

It reminds me (but I realize it's not exactly the same) of back a few years ago when a kid got drunk on his dad's beer and shot himself with his dad's gun after listening to Ozzy Osborne's song Suicide Solution, then the dad sued Ozzy. It was thrown out of court.

 

[rob_just_rob]

It reminds me (but I realize it's not exactly the same) of back a few years ago when a kid got drunk on his dad's beer and shot himself with his dad's gun after listening to Ozzy Osborne's song Suicide Solution, then the dad sued Ozzy. It was thrown out of court.

Not the same at all, actually. Musicians don't write songs directed at one particular listener, for the most part. There's a question of intent and/or recklessness as to the consequences of one's actions that's largely absent from the heavy-metal-made-my-child-do-x cases.

Anyway you can "tend to believe" whatever you like - I prefer to look at this based on what we know, and not based on whatever justifications we can make up to excuse adults who knew, or ought to have known, fully well what they were doing.

There is legal precedent in tort to the effect that you "take your victim as you find them" - in other words, it's no defense that the victim had an unusual vulnerability that made the actions of the perpetrator(s) have a much more damaging effect. This is why you couldn't get away with punching haemophiliacs.

In the situation at hand, it's more like giving peanut butter cups to a child you know is anaphylactic, though.

 

[Not_Punny]

Thank you, rob-the-rob. You just saved me a lot of typing. I agree with you 100%

 

[Principessa]

Thank you, rob-just-rob. You just saved me a lot of typing. I agree with you 100% <---- Ditto, what she said.

Jovial are you playing devil's advocate on this topic? Good thing you arent a lawyer; because your arguments don't hold water.

Even Megan and the other girl created a fake account. Who knows what effect that had on the boys that they tricked? Oh Please! That's not the same and you know it. (I'm not saying she deserved to die because of that, I just thought it was interesting.) So she certainly must have known that people fake accounts. Knowing that people fake myspace accounts and knowing who is faking a myspace account are two very different things.

I just tend to believe that the groundwork had been laid long before Megan ever saw the fake account. She was not capable of handling these situations correctly. Neither would most young people in her situation. So she either inherently had a problem or she learn that along the way.

There's a certain amount of torment that people should be able to handle without committing suicide. Interesting concept, stupid but interesting. Just how much torment would you allow? Does it vary by person? It should. Who gets to decide how much torment is permissable? What happens when someone intentionally or even accidentally crosses that line? I don't think we can hold the fakers legally accountable. It would set a bad precedent. I disagree. At some point people must learn that they are responsiblefor their own actions.

It reminds me (but I realize it's not exactly the same) of back a few years ago when a kid got drunk on his dad's beer and shot himself with his dad's gun after listening to Ozzy Osborne's song Suicide Solution, then the dad sued Ozzy. It was thrown out of court. I remember this as well; but you are right there is no comparison.

 

[whatireallywant]

Not surprisingly, put me in agreement here with njqt466, rob_just_rob, and hotmilf.

My mind is still boggling that adults created a fake profile specifically in order to entice and then bully a girl they knew had emotional problems! I would've expected that kind of behavior from possibly the girl's classmates (doesn't make that right either though - bullying has devastating consequences), but adults?! Completely shameful, and they should be held accountable.

 

[B_Think_Kink]

Wow... that is horrible. Totally tragic.

 

[Willy_the_Wonka]

The case of Megan is an example of bad parenting gone riot. Yeah, that bitch that created that account needs to be brought out into the light, and while I am not sue-happy in the least, if the courts won't prosecute, at least a civil case would make their lives even more miserable.

I'm a live and let live kind of guy, but that family has yet to face the consequences of their actions.

When I mention "bad parenting" I was referring to the woman who was harassing Megan....the mother of Megan's "friend". sorry for any confusion there. :redface:

 

[findfirefox]

And the dumb ass parents who let a teen child on the internet without supervision.

exactly

As it has already pointed out, it was the "dumbass parents" that caused this issue...

Megan's mother seemed to have Myspace quite locked down.

Even Megan and the other girl created a fake account. Who knows what effect that had on the boys that they tricked? (I'm not saying she deserved to die because of that, I just thought it was interesting.) So she certainly must have known that people fake accounts.

Megan had self esteem issues, she created an account of someone more attractive, most likely what she wished to be. I doubt she went around with the intent of spying on the guys she was talking to.

I just tend to believe that the groundwork had been laid long before Megan ever saw the fake account. She was not capable of handling these situations correctly. So she either inherently had a problem or she learn that along the way.

She's young and shes had issues in the past, she was getting better and that takes a long time, its not something you just suddenly do overnight or in some cases ever get over. Chances are your right that she didn't know how to handle it so she found a way on her own...

There's a certain amount of torment that people should be able to handle without committing suicide. I don't think we can hold the fakers legally accountable. It would set a bad precedent.

You don't know how much torment or how many problems she had, for you all you know she may have had a helish school life and no friends, you make it sound as if this was the first time she ever got hurt/attacked.

I think that the parents were harassing her and putting a minor at risk.

and Yes, holding people accountable for their stupid actions is a horrible idea.

 

[Gillette]

Ask me again about our multiple accounts rule.

If this worst case scenario doesn't clarify the need for it nothing ever will.

 

[Jovial]

The whole story is very confusing and it makes it hard for us to understand exactly what happened. But after reading it again, it seems like the other parents created the fake account to see what Megan was saying about their daughter. They claimed that other people got a hold of the password and started sending messages to Megan. Also it said the daughter of the single mom send the last message to Megan before she killed herself.

The police report - without using the mother's name - states:

"(She) stated in the months leading up Meier's daughter's suicide, she instigated and monitored a 'my space' account which was created for the sole purpose of communicating with Meier's daughter.

"(She) said she, with the help of temporary employee named ------ constructed a profile of 'good looking' male on 'my space' in order to 'find out what Megan (Meier's daughter) was saying on-line' about her daughter. (She) explained the communication between the fake male profile and Megan was aimed at gaining Megan's confidence and finding out what Megan felt about her daughter and other people.

"(She) stated she, her daughter and (the temporary employee) all typed, read and monitored the communication between the fake male profile and Megan …..

"According to (her) 'somehow' other 'my space' users were able to access the fake male profile and Megan found out she had been duped. (She) stated she knew 'arguments' had broken out between Megan and others on 'my space.' (She) felt this incident contributed to Megan's suicide, but she did not feel 'as guilty' because at the funeral she found out 'Megan had tried to commit suicide before.'"
​

From this it doesn't sound like the parents were trying to torment Megan. I don't know. I don't like to make rash judgments. We don't and can't get all sides of the story, so it's hard for me to lay blame on someone.

 

[Freddie53]

Ask me again about our multiple accounts rule.

If this worst case scenario doesn't clarify the need for it nothing ever will.

Let me echo that sentiment that Gillette has expressed.

Let me add that same sentiment goes about users with multiple birthdays. (They are 18 here and 27 over here and 38 over here.) We have to take every step possible to see that a minor is not visiting with adults here. We don't care if the minors read every post. I wouldn't mind it if they were even able to post. But the private messages, e-mails etc can't be monitored by the moderators. I had we have to be so restrictive, but it it will save a life, it is worth it.

It bothers me that we get all upset because our minor child at age 15 saw a 35 year old person of the same gender in the showers one day at the local Y and want to take legal action and claim that the site of a 35 year old nude person will scar the life of their child the rest of his life, but have no problem allowing what happened to this girl saying freedom of speech and the girl knew better and the parents should have been on top of it.

 

[wellhung123]

:biggrin1:

While I'm sure some facts have been left out of this story. I see two very important issues here which some of you are glossing over.

1) The parents who created the faux account to intentionally torment the deceased teen are Guilty. They may as well have put a gun to that poor childs head. Basically what they did was to Gaslight a teenager. What kind of adult, what kind of human being does something so nefarious to a child?!? They should be charged with conspiracy to commit murder or at the very least manslaughter.

2) Megan, the deceased girl, was said to have ADHD and depression. I have no doubt she did not receive appropriate treatment for either of these two disorders. The state of mental healthcare in the USA is deplorable, and although there are thousands of child psychologists it seems this poor girl didn't have a good one. :frown1:

In addition, anti-depressants are only tested on adult males. It is not unusual for some anti-depressants to actually increase depression in adolescents and children and increase suicidal ideations.

Footnote:
Gaslight

The use of the phrase "to gaslight someone" seems to have fallen into disuse, as many folks my age aren't familiar with the meaning of "gaslighting."

Here's the best definition of gaslight as a verb.

---To "gaslight" someone is more than simply to create mischief. It means to manipulate a victim into questioning his or her own sanity and, if all goes well, to thereby actually drive the person insane. The term refers to the great 1944 suspense film "Gaslight" in which a greedy Victorian husband (Charles Boyer) conspires to convince his innocent wife (Ingrid Bergman) that she is going mad, the object being to make his planned murder of her (for her inheritance) appear to be suicide. Mysterious footsteps, "misplaced" objects, and inexplicably dimming gaslights (thus the title) are all part of his nefarious plan.

As a slang term for subtly trying to drive someone crazy, "gaslighting" was first noticed by lexicographers around 1956, though the term probably actually appeared as soon as the film (which was enormously popular) did.---

Re your first point:

While I agree that adults that do this sort of stuff should deserve to have their genitals mutilated or something similar, to prove manslaughter or conspiracy to commit murder would be tough. You first need to find out the rules that govern the state in which the incident took place since murder is not usually a federal crime and the rules can vary a lot from state to state.Then you would have to show that these adults reasonably foresaw the suicide of this girl as a result of their actions. Possible? Yes but, imo, opinion a hard case to make.

***** NOT LEGAL ADIVCE *******

 

[B_NineInchCock_160IQ]

Un-fucking-believable.

I concur. Don't believe it. Bullshit story.

 

[findfirefox]

I concur. Don't believe it. Bullshit story.

Well the story has run on multiple news outlets and the names of the parents who pulled the stunt have been outted so I think there may be a bit more to the story then just shit

 

[B_NineInchCock_160IQ]

Well the story has run on multiple news outlets and the names of the parents who pulled the stunt have been outted so I think there may be a bit more to the story then just shit

possibly.

Have a link to a credible news outlet that ran the story? Livejournal doesn't count. Show me the BBC coverage and I'll make a retraction.

 

[findfirefox]

possibly.

Have a link to a credible news outlet that ran the story? Livejournal doesn't count. Show me the BBC coverage and I'll make a retraction.

That's like saying "if the AP didnt run it, it is not news / did not happen"