Is MySpace the Place for Harassment?

Is MySpace the place for Harassment?

News story after news story comes out about the online social networking site MySpace. Issues from harassment, to solicitation of underage members, to even death threats due to cyber bullying are popping up every day. Every time one of these stories comes out, MySpace insists that they are doing everything they can to keep these things from happening. Are the really doing enough?

In recent months MySpace has introduced a new feature on their site which allows users to create their own games and applications. With this feature, it also allows these users to create forums for their games and applications. What most don’t realize, is that these forums are not always moderated by MySpace, or the application creator. If the forum is not moderated, it is basically a free for all, where anything goes.

In these forums there have been complaints from users that they have received death threats from other users. These death threats are often made because of a different political or religious opinion between users. Sometimes these threats are made simply because someone told a joke that someone else did not like. Another very common occurrence is for users to be told to kill themselves, or inflict self harm on their body. One user even remarked that she was almost sent over the edge from these things being said to her.

Users have been harassed for just about everything on these application forums. The most common reason for harassment seems to be a person’s sexual orientation. One user who asked for his real name not to be identified, but is known on MySpace as “Kendall Dean”, reports that not only has he been harassed for months on the site, but now the users are working with MySpace and have gotten his account deleted several times.
“I go on there, and try to have a good time. But for months now I have been followed around by two individuals who continuously harass me. Every time I say something, they are calling me a fag, or calling me “AIDS boy”. They tell me that every fag has AIDS, and they tell me to hurry up and die of it.”, says “Kendall Dean”.

When asked if he has reported the harassment to MySpace, “Kendall Dean” responded, “I have e-mailed MySpace at least 10 times about this. I tell them how I am being harassed for being gay, and I even send them screen captures of the things my harassers are saying to me. MySpace does nothing about it, and my accounts are still getting deleted frequently. I have even called MySpace on several occasions about this issue, and no one has returned my phone calls.”

I saw several of the screen captures that “Kendall Dean” speaks of, and I even saw some photos where his harassers had edited his photos. His harassers even photo shopped a pink dresses and eye liner on him, to imply that he was a girl. His harassers then posted these pictures on the application forums for others to laugh at.

Another user who chose not to be identified, but goes by the name “KB”, reports that a user who goes by the name of “Russ” has been harassing her on there as well. “He made a joke about me being molested as a child. He laughed at me, as if it was some hilarious thing that I had been betrayed by my older brother. He would quote me, and re-write the things that I had said in the quote box. He made it seem like I said “my brother has the softest touch”, and he’d ask me if my brother sent me flowers after he violated me. I don’t find any humor in that at all, and it’s sick to think that he’s a parent and he’s laughing at the fact that a 5th grade girl was molested by her older brother.”

The user “Russ” has identified himself as a 35 year old male, and claims he lives in Chichester, NH. It should be noted that “KB” is a 17 year old female, whose location was not disclosed. “KB” would like to note in her case, that when she reported “Russ” to MySpace, she did get a response that his account would be deleted.
However, after being deleted, “Russ” appeared back on the application forums with a new account the very next day, and told her he was going to give her a “Cleveland Steamer” which is an act during sex of defecating on someone’s chest.

What can be done about this? Well, no one seems to have an answer. It is obvious, though, that MySpace is not doing all that it could. The users harassing “Kendall Dean” have bragged about calling MySpace with the intent of having his account deleted. Each time the account of “Kendall Dean” is deleted, within minutes there is a new post on the application forums from his harassers, laughing and joking about it. It seems they are making a mockery out of the ‘Report Abuse’ feature on MySpace.

If you are experiencing hate on MySpace and nothing is being done, please email us your story at StopSocialHate@gmail.com