Blogging Rules: Japan and the New Etiquette
By billywest • Jul 28th, 2008 • Category: Featured Story, The Latest
Be careful what you write on your blog; you might find yourself on the wrong end of a beating, or even worse. That’s what Satoshi Hoshino learned the hard way last week in Gunma, Japan.
Hoshino, a 15-year-old 1st-year high school student had posted on his blog that he thought “People who play guitar will never get anywhere.” Well, as a guitar-player, I’m offended. Do I wan’t to slap the shyte out of this kid. No. He’s young, impressionable, and maybe he was bullied by a guitar-player; I don’t know. Besides, I couldn’t slap him even if I wanted to; He’s dead. Another guitar-player who took offense at Hoshino’s statement, caught up with Hoshino and beat him to death.
This isn’t the first time this has happened in Japan (It’s happened in countries all over the world, by the way – not a Japan exclusive) and it likely won’t be the last. So, in their usual fashion, Japanese school administrators are trying to tackle the problem by directly addressing the issue. During morning assemblies, principals and vice-principals are advising the kids to be careful about what they write on the web, including blogs and e-mails. Indeed, when I worked in public junior high schools here in Japan a few years ago, there were posters produced by the government put up in school hallways to advise kids about internet etiquette. These were well done I thought and their message was clear: People are emboldened by the feeling of security sitting in chairs in front of their computers in the privacy of their own homes. But the words they type can travel all over the world, let alone throughout the school community. Therefore, the message continues, everyone should be very careful not to let a false sense of security cause them to write mean or harmful things that may hurt others or incite them to seek revenge.
Another disturbing trend is online bullying, or cyber-bullying. There are new cases popping up in the news all the time about kids ganging up online and bullying others. Japan has not been immune and there have several cases of suicides here that have been related to depression resulting from online bullying.
This latest case of violence caused by a blog statement is indeed tragic, but it reminds us of what our mothers taught us when we were very young: Treat others the way you’d have them treat you. This goes for face-to-face encounters as well as those in cyberspace.
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billywest is a resident of South Tokyo and lives on the Toyoko line.
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Blogs and Violence: Poor Online Etiquette and the Consequences…
What gets written online in blogs and in e-mails sometimes leads to violence and murder. How’s your online etiquette? Take the poll….
Good topic. I’m usually pretty careful about what I say, not because I’m worried about negative repercussions, but because I abide by that rule you finished the article with. I am amazed by the rudeness of some people online, and it only takes one or two to embolden others to follow suit. A good example is watching the masses ridicule anyone who voices an opinion that differs from the official narrative of 9/11. Or how about debating the controversial island, Dokdo/Takeshima?
In most cases, I think people get abusive because they are hiding behind an anonymous username. That anonymity gives people the confidence to step outside their comfort zone and say things they wouldn’t normally say. I always use my full name when I leave a comment, and that forces me to watch my words. How ironic then that people prefer anonymity in order to avoid personal attacks, yet it’s that very anonymity that gives people the power to carry out such attacks.
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Just a query - and apologies if it should be taken for granted but are the schools addressing the violence directly? Of course encouraging people to be more aware and remember their manners when they write online but if they aren’t also plowing home that killing someone or acting violently toward someone for something they have said - wherever they have said it - isn’t absolutely unacceptable then isn’t that kind of like telling women not to dress provocatively or else they deserve to be raped? Not trying ot be too controversial it just seems a very good comparison.
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Hey everyone, I hate baseball. I mean I really, really hate baseball. I think baseball is the most broing sport on earth.
Actually, you can’t even call it a sport. And baseball players are not even athletes. They are glorified couch-potatos.
Please, nobody beat me to death with a baseball bat. I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry. (Not really sorry actually)
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Just type your address in your next comment and everything will be fine…
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Well, we know he’s in LA. That narrows it down.
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I have bumped into a few people who run at the mouth a bit too much on the net. If god favors me, he will give one of those internet supermen just enough balls to get themselves within arms distance.
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No mention of asking parents to better monitor their children’s online activities. This is what really needs to happen. Also, it’s not a bad idea to keep the computer in the living room so watchful eyes will keep kids from going to bad websites or doing crazy things. I guess this might not be that practical for kids, but I think it would work.
@billy I really like your social bookmarking icons, is that a custom version of the Bookmark me plugin? Or a custom plugin of your own? If you don’t mind revealing how to implement it, I’d love to know how.
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Actually, it’s just a WordPress plugin I found awhile back. Here’s the URL:
http://www.dountsis.com/projects/social-bookmarks
I think parents use the internet, TV, Nintendo DS, etc… as electronic babysitters. I think parents who are that proactive in raising their kids (other than requiring tons of study time) are pretty rare.
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