Police subpoena MySpace over Meier suicide
/v3-uk/news/1982824/police-subpoena-myspace-meier-suicide
10 Jan 2008, Iain Thomson , V3
A federal grand jury has subpoenaed MySpace in an investigation into the suicide of teenager Megan Meier.
The girl killed herself after being harassed by someone on MySpace, whom she believed to be a boy but who was in fact the parent of a schoolmate.
Dardenne Prairie, the town where Meier lived, has since passed laws against such activity, but the federal authorities had said that there was nothing they could do.
The case has sparked a national furore, however. The family behind the harassment has been forced to move, and legislators are considering a national online bullying law.
Police in California are now investigating to see whether they can prosecute the parent for defrauding the MySpace social networking website after she set up a false identity on the site.
Los Angeles police feel that they have jurisdiction since MySpace is headquartered in Beverley Hills.
"If MySpace is considered the victim, fine. I do not care at this point," Tina Meier, Megan's mother, told the Los Angeles Times.
"We have been begging for someone - anyone - to pick up this case. If the Drews can be charged, and even get the chance to be convicted, it would be a day I could be happy with."
Thomas P. O'Brien, US attorney in Los Angeles, declined to comment, but the Los Angeles Times cited an anonymous source who claimed that several subpoenas have been issued, including one to MySpace.
Former federal prosecutor Brian C. Lysaght said that such a prosecution would be "not as much of a reach as it might appear at first glance".
Kurt Opsahl, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation who specialises in privacy and free speech issues, suggested that the potential of this case to set legal precedent criminalising online speech is worrying.
"The right to speak freely online is hugely important. Whistle-blowers create pseudonyms," he said.
"So do many people who anonymously report on corporate or government bad practices."
Do you agree?
Just wrong
I'm not sure if I agree that the parents are responsible for her suicide, but i defiantly think that posing as someone they are not online on myspace with the intention of hurting a teenager and messing with her mind should be punishable. I mean common these people are parents and this is how they act. I think their children should be taken away in to custody and they should be found as unfit parents.
Posted by Jessica, 10 Jan 2008
MySpace- a place to meet bullies?
I hurt so much for the Meier family.
Parents, this is real! My Daughter who was age 16-17 at the time- had an account on MySpace used it for a vehicle to get into so much trouble. She did not live with me but w/ her bio-Dad.
(Same area as Megan)
But when some anonymous male user started to say to her...
"Commit Suicide".
That was IT! I printed it... went to a lawyer. Got sole custody of her... and got a restraining order on her dad!
There is a lot of MySpace users who are deviant. Dark side, flippant, they enjoy these cyber-masks.
Watch OUT!
Posted by Not w/o my Daughter., 11 Jan 2008
Poser to hurt a child- yes, that's wrong
Any adult who targets a child for abuse- physical or emotional- is a criminal as I understand it. If she had come dressed in a disguise and done this in person (rather than hidden behind her myspace disguise) would we still be unsure if it is wrong?
Whistle blowers need anonymity, and can have it up front and honest by simply signing 'Anonymous'. Being anonymous is one thing, being deceitful in order to improve your chances of hurting someone without being caught is totally different.
We need to take responsibility online the same as we do in person. We need this case to set the limits- or we will never be safe.
Posted by Woody, 29 Dec 2008