Sources:
Metro
The Guardian
SCMP
**This is my non-government related post**
On October 14th, South Korean actress, singer, and model Choi Jin-ri (better known by her stage name Sulli) was found dead at her home in Seongnam, South Korea – following former singer Kim Jong-hyun’s suicide in 2017. The police and media assume she took her own life after struggling with receiving anonymous malicious comments online. Sulli, who was a member of the girl group f(x) from 2009-2015, went on hiatus in 2014 due to this online abuse.
Sulli’s death directed attention to the dark side of the entertainment industry in South Korea. Sulli was very outspoken and often spoke publicly about her mental health issues, anxiety, and social phobia. Many anonymous “fans” target their idols, Sulli included, for not conforming to social norms. Tragically, before her death, she was a host on a TV show that tried to educate the public about the harms of cyberbullying, even reading some comments she has received aloud.
In attempt to reduce suicide numbers in Korea, lawmakers are proposing the “Sulli Act” to counter the cruel online comments. The bill was proposed by 9 members of the National Assembly and 100 organizations support the bill. This bill will be proposed officially in December at the National Assembly. However, this law requires people to use their real identities online and is hard to enforce, while some say it’s unconstitutional.
10 comments:
I think this is a really cool thing. I understand it might be pushing boundaries by taking away media privacy... but really measures need to be taken in order to prevent this kind of thing. The suicide epidemic that has taken hold internationally needs to be talked about more, and there is so much people can do to help. I think this is a step in the right direction <3
I think this is a good idea as it would decrease the amount of cyberbullying and hate that is very common online. I think people act much more boldly over the internet, as they can disguise themselves behind a screen. However, I do understand how some people may view this as an invasion of privacy. Ultimately though, I think that people should take responsibility for what they say/comment online and therefore I think that this Sulli Act is a good way to help prevent cyberbullying.
I think Sulli was incredibly brave to dedicate her time to spreading awareness about an issue that affected her so deeply. I think the law is mostly an important step forward. Yes, it takes away privacy, but if people aren't willing to own up to what they say, they should think twice before saying it.
That being said, I do have a caveat in that belief. Some people post anonymously because they are sharing information that they are too afraid to disclose in real life for whatever reason, not because they're trying to get away with trying to hurt someone. What will happen to those people?
I agree that this Act is a step in the right direction. Having to comment under your real name will definitely keep some rude anonymous people from leaving disrespectful comments online. Of course, these kinds of people may just turn to other forms of online engagement to comment rude things; things like the deep web may gain more popularity, as people can remain anonymous there. To respond to Manasvi's concern, I'm sure there will still be illegal ways to bypass the real name rule, thus allowing those types of posts to remain anonymous.
I think it's great that there has been some action taken to prevent something like this from happening again. I hope that it will make people more aware of what they are saying. Even though the opposition argues that this infringes their right to free speech, I would argue that having your name attached to what you say does not go against that law. No one is stopping you from speaking your mind, however, it is simply good to be more cognizant about what you have to say.
I think that the Sulli Act is a good thing that can raise awareness of the causes of cyberbullying but it is heartbreaking to see another member pass away. I do wish this awareness could be spread further and sooner. I hope that this act will allow more people to become aware of the danger the lies behind social media and the cyberbullying. I agree with Srimaye that no one is infringed of their right to speech but I do think that it is so important to think before what you are going to say as it can cause irreversible damage to a person.
I think very similarly to what other people have said, the Sulli Act would hopefully make people more aware of what they're saying online especially all of the hateful and negative comments when they aren't made by an anonymous person anymore. When someone has some sort of a safety blanket on them and with their identity unknown they feel as if they can say anything they want without a worry of consequence as opposed to if your identity was known or you had to tell them those comments in person is much harder. While this act is done with good intent, I'm not sure if it will be entirely realistic or even attainable as it will be very difficult to enforce and many different people would find alternative ways to spread their hate and negativity.
Cyber bullying is a huge issue that needs to be contained as soon as possible. With the internet evolving and the opportunities where you are able to express you opinion is growing, there needs to be regulations for the internet. Otherwise, the internet will become a toxic and unsafe place. It is always a shame to hear that someone had to take their life because of cyber bullying and my condolences go out to Choi Jin-ri's family during these hard times.
This act is something that can be used to step into the right direction, and cannot be used for bad deeds. This act will definitely prevent cyber bullying in the future, and will prevent future deaths from suicide. The Sulli Act will definitely prevent malicious activity, and Sulli's death will not be forgotten, and will be cherished.
This is really sad and I think that it's good the Korean government has decided to do something about it. While some may see this bill as one that infringes on people's rights or privacy, I think it's actually a really good thing because cyber bullying is such a huge problem in today's world. I feel like part of the reason for that is the anonymity of it. If people must show themselves they'll be more likely to think about their actions and take accountability for their words. This is something that'll surely help with cyber bullying and hopefully prevent others from feeling the pain and pressures that Sulli did.
Post a Comment