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You were naughty. Here's some charges.
Ms. Drew's prank was ill-considered and reprehensible. But it has been acknowledged that Megan Meier suffered from clinical depression. Suicide means it was the depression that killed her, not the MySpace hoax.

What if some other adult in Megan's life had said something mean to her, and she later committed suicide? Would that adult then have been charged? What if teasing at school had immediately proceeded her death? Would it have been treated as a death inflicted by the teaser? How many adolescents who don't suffer from clinical depression are mercilessly teased, and never commit suicide?

I know, the charges against Ms. Drew are actually for misrepresentation, hence violation of MySpace terms of service. How many of the World's Internet users are guilty of misrepresenting themselves in some way (e.g., age, gender, occupation, etc.)? And by extension, are the charges supposed to herald the end of anonymity on the Internet? Does anyone want the liberties that only anonymity can protect somehow abolished? Or intimidated away?

The big picture counts. We might be disgusted with Ms. Drew's conduct. But legally prosecuting all bad behavior comprises an attack on freedom far more problematic, and affecting us all, than this person's foolish, mean-spirited prank.
Posted by: axisiiad@...   Posted on: 05/16/08 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Indictment Sad Misplacement of Justice  honkymagoo | 05/15/08
Sticks and stones...  ye | 05/16/08
details  rkoman@... | 05/16/08
I've read details from another source and...  ye | 05/16/08
I may have it wrong, but  clfitz | 05/16/08
i guess you were a confident secure teen with no issues  jhand47201 | 05/22/08
Cause and Effect?  SteveMak | 05/16/08
Pretense?  axisiiad@... | 05/16/08
Hopeless optimism  SteveMak | 05/16/08
Bravo!  darkmoonman | 05/16/08
too bad  jhand47201 | 05/22/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  billo1955 | 05/16/08
Taking responsibility for ones actions  Marty R. Milette | 05/16/08
"Driving a child to suicide"  axisiiad@... | 05/16/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  morecrush@... | 05/16/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  billjacobus1 | 05/16/08
These charges need to be overturned  Spiritusindomit@... | 05/16/08
correct  shydae00 | 05/16/08
Correct  law_n_disorder | 05/16/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  shydae00 | 05/16/08
+1  Spiritusindomit@... | 05/16/08
Emo child?  TG2 | 05/16/08
Hugely bad precedent  johndoe445566 | 05/16/08
You were naughty. Here's some charges.  axisiiad@... | 05/16/08
two wrongs dont make a right  shydae00 | 05/16/08
Just trying to cover their collective behinds  Steve Goldman | 05/16/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  seannj427 | 05/16/08
At last something positive was done ...  OldGuru | 05/16/08
Utterly Ridiculous  donkere.prins@... | 05/18/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  yachard@... | 05/16/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  freshmanj | 05/16/08
computer harassment is a crime in some places  TG2 | 05/16/08
Free speech?  skeptik | 05/16/08
Bad comparion  sdc100 | 05/16/08
point, missed  skeptik | 05/18/08
Not all speech is protected.  trent1 | 05/19/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  ryanlee05 | 05/16/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  ryanlee05 | 05/16/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  mostlyharmless22 | 05/16/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  cmwilliams@... | 05/16/08
"No Fire"  pranavb99@... | 05/19/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  storm@... | 05/16/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  sframberger@... | 05/16/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  serenitylodge@... | 05/17/08
The law being used to ruin people.  axisiiad@... | 05/17/08
I doubt it  serenitylodge@... | 05/18/08
Do not prosecute speech!  pranavb99@... | 05/19/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  trent1 | 05/19/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  JoesCat | 05/19/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  abear4562 | 05/19/08
Accountability is lacking in USA  Hates Idiots | 05/19/08
Look at the charges  conspicuouschick | 05/19/08
Another parent's solution  dave@... | 05/19/08
RE: Look at the charges  techbuzzard | 05/19/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  PeterPac | 05/19/08
What if there were no computer in this story?  bernalillo | 05/21/08
The issue isn't that kids..  nysha@... | 05/21/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  nysha@... | 05/21/08
RE: Federal charges in MySpace suicide case  StycMan | 06/18/08
my space & blogs / as protected computers  TG2 | 06/18/08

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