02 December 2007

Putting it plainly - continued

Pauline Laybourn, of Minnesota, responded to my last post with commentary which included a Seattle Times article link concerning possible legal developments spurred by the Megan Meier suicide case.

Thank you, Pauline.

It contains, as she says, some interesting thoughts on the cyberbullying issue. The difficulties in proving a causal link between action and consequence are a difficulty in bringing existing law to bear on such situations - whether internet borne or not. And I'm no more keen than the next person on seeing proliferation of new law if it can possibly be avoided. In principle, I prefer to see existing law examined, applied if possible, revised if necessary, left alone if nothing can be done.

Before we get to law, however, I repeat: we have to make it clear what we think of behaviour which we find repugnant. I am very glad to see a groundswell expressing such repugnance. Unpleasant people will, no doubt, be forever with us ... but indifference to their actions needs to be resisted.

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