The Flip Side of Internet Fame by Jessica Bennett

            Social networks and numerous websites have contributed to the fame of thousands. The internet is powerful enough to make a person famous overnight. Fame, however, isn’t always envied, especially if it’s at the expense of humiliation. Ghyslain Raza, for example, has become known as the “Star Wars Kid.” Raza recorded himself reenacting a battle scene from the Star Wars trilogy. He had no intent of making the video public, but unfortunately it landed into the wrong hands. After the video became viral Raza was relentlessly bullied. The extent of the bullying led Raza to visit a therapist. The Flip Side of Internet Fame, by Jessica Bennett, reveals how internet fame can destroy an individual.

            Although Raza experienced undesired fame, many are thankful for the internet.  The internet allows for a quick and virtually free way to advertise. Prior to uploading videos on Youtube.com, Justin Bieber was unknown to the world. Music producers discovered his videos and signed the young artist to their record label. Bieber is now famous in nearly every country and is a multimillionaire. Criminals have also gained fame due to the internet, fame that eventually led to their capture.  Many police stations are using social networking, such as Facebook, to track criminals down. Without the internet talent could go unnoticed and crime unpunished.

            Posting online can make a person vulnerable to many threats. Many people on social networking upload their personal information to their page. This information can include date of birth, school or place of employment, phone number, and home address. A predator can use this information to find their next victim. Also, any post can be traced back to the computer it was uploaded from. This allows cyber criminals to hack into computers and steal personal information like bank accounts and social security numbers.

            Bullying is more prevalent today than it has ever been and that’s because of the internet and social networking. Facebook and similar social networks have created the term cyber bullying. Rumors are started, threats are made, and feelings hurt. An embarrassing picture of someone, as an example, can be posted and immediately seen by the entire school. Rude and inappropriate comments can be made and the person in the picture must face everyone in school the following day. It turns into a 24 hour bullying cycle that is difficult to escape from. Sadly, cyber bullying has caused victims to turn to suicide. “Anyone with a grudge can maliciously and sometimes libelously attack defenseless students.”    

            Technology is evolving rapidly and people must be prepared. I believe it is important for people to be cautious online and limit what they post. Just recently, my brother’s Playstation account was hacked into. The cyber criminals were able to steal his credit card information and make purchases of their own. Fortunately, he was able to work with his bank to fix the situation. The hackers, however, were never caught. The internet is a world in itself, where few laws apply.