Facebook, ally of the wicked?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/4092154/Facebook-won-t-shut-down-stalker

For those that read the above link it's easy to see again the phenomenon of the cyberworld developing without control and anticipatory thought of how cyberspace exists as a series of drinking taps of information switched on without thought of the water temperature, purity of the water or indeed how the water might be turned off. It's a situation where an idea is developed without any detailed thought of control or potential but where only the benefit to the provider is considered in depth.

The young mother in Sydney to which the article refers is, along with her daughter, a victim of a frightening crime by a stalker. On the face of it the stalker is the problem? I don't think so, the stalker is taking advantage of an opportunity where a giant network has developed a site that they have a reluctance to control, or to take ownership of problems that can easily occur on it's network. From reading the article Facebook doesn't have an Australian Office but instead has a Sydney 'Public Relations' firm that works for it. That firm directed the user to it's website that confirmed a 'usage policy' that users should be 13 years of age. The woman's daughter is in fact 12.

Hold on, is Facebook saying that because the child is only 12 and they need to be 13 before to use the site that therefore being stalked and sent pornography is okay, or something that Facebook have no inclination to become involved in. Is this like a situation where a 17 year gets beaten at the local pub and when called the Police say we can't attend because the youth is only 17 and you have to be 18 to go into a pub and get beaten up. Is Facebook also saying that they don't take responsibility for their site not to be used in any criminal way, because there is a policy somewhere telling users they must not use the site in any criminal way, and therefore if they do, it's not Facebook's fault or concern, because the criminal user knows he or she is not to use Facebook in that way. Sorry, I don't think so. If Facebook want to turn the other cheek in this way they need to be telling users at sign up time that any risk (and we can see the many risks that might be encountered)is the user's risk. Well, we'd also need to have Facebook pointing out a good sample of what those risks are by opening up their stored complaints to see what has happened, and what risks users might expect should they decide to join.

Like a lot of things in cyberspace it's backwards, the tap is turned on and whether the water is putrid or not, and is allowed to run. Not only that, expect those that drink the water to take responsibility for the purity of the water, or as in reality, the impurity of the water.

I ask readers to note that Facebook management failed to reveal the activities of an international child pornography syndicate operating on the site and ignored admissions by one of the ring's Australian members.

Because at the outset of this blog I have said I will name stalkers on here and give further information of how the might be stopped using NZ law, but having not provided that information to this point I should refer to it in scant detail - for anyone having problems google The Harassment Act 1997. These people (stalkers and harassers) if living within NZ can be confronted and stopped using that legislation.

In the meantime be vigilant about using Facebook, if you are not satisfied with their 'tap on, you turn it off policy' don't join. If the details of the linked article disturb you think about closing your account or bringing your concerns to Facebook direct or the Privacy Commissioner. Look over your fence and talk to your neighbour, realise the world is full of real and vibrant people and that our natural way of social interchange started with the spoken word, living together in small communities for self-sufficiency and protection, be strong in your social bonds and treat the cyberworld, despite all it's exciting possibilities, as a new frontier outside your own community and as a place that needs to be treated with necessary caution. Don't be afraid of cyberspace invaders of your privacy or that of your family, stand up to them and send them back to the shadows of their miserable, unfulfilled lives.

As for the mother of three in Aussie, good for her to speak out and I'm sure the NSW Police will stop the problem in its tracks. But to the rest of us consider letting those that we vote to Govern us that cyber-space, hate-sites and stalkers need to be squashed and providers made to take responsibility for their services and any misuse of those.