Cyberbullying online

[محروم.كوم]

Sorry guys but I thought I would post this here as it has got something to do with one of our online forums.
Quote:
Andrew Pallant running site of unsubstantiated, vulgar claims


Article from:
Kelvin Healey and Stephen McMahon
June 19, 2009 12:00am

UPDATE 3.01pm: POLICE have urged people victimised by a website used to harass teens to come forward - but say they can't shut the site down.
While victims who spoke out to the Herald Sun have copped further abuse on the website of Melton-based internet grub Andrew Pallant, authorities remain powerless.

As Victorians expressed their outrage, Insp John Manley, head of Victoria Police's E-crime squad, said neither police nor the Australian Communication and Media Authority had the power to shut the Florida site down.

The site, which has been operating for more than a year despite repeated complaints, invites people to vent their fury about everyone from ex-girlfriends, to teachers, police and police informants.

Many of the victims are teenage girls who have had their name, photo and phone numbers posted, accompanied by invitations to bombard them with abusive phone calls and text messages or ask them for sex.

Insp Manley said he would be unhappy if he was the father of one of the teenage victims.

“I would be really really upset about it,’’ he said.

“The first thing I would do would be change her mobile phone number and I would be doing anything I could to try and take action against the person who put it on the site.”

But the detective said he had not contacted Mr Pallant.

“We haven’t got an offence to investigate … so I am not contacting him,’’ he said.

"Victoria Police do not have any authority to take any blanket action against this type of site regardless of the location of the server."

The first step would be to investigate who had placed the posts on the site, he said.

The State Government has blasted the website as "absolutely disgusting'' and "highly offensive'', calling on the site to be closed as quickly as possible.

Water MKinister Tim Holding said the sooner it is taken off the web the better it will be for everybody.

"It is in police hands and is a law enforcement matter. Both the Federal police and Victoria police are looking very closely at this website and ascertaining exactly what action is appropriate,'' he said.

"That is the agencies best placed to do something about it. The content as described in the Herald Sun is completely offensive, inappropriate and outrageous.''

Mr Pallant has dared authorities to take action.

He claims his site, which has more than 1300 posts containing unsubstantiated and often vulgar allegations, is designed to protect freedom of speech.

Mr Pallant boasts the site, which has caused chaos in western Victoria, gets about 3000 hits a month.

Cobden father of four Peter Murfitt, whose 16-year-old daughter has been abused on the site, said many teenagers had been defamed.
"I'm wild as a meat axe about it. It's got to be dealt with one way or another," Mr Murfitt said.

"If the police can't deal with it, then it will be dealt with in another way, and nobody wants that. These clowns need to be stopped," Mr Murfitt said.

Another Cobden teenager, who asked not to be named, said she had been bombarded with hundreds of explicit text messages and was scared to leave her house after her contact details were posted.

It has also been used to attack Queensland ALP president Andrew Dettmer, who is now suing Mr Pallant.

The website taunts authorities, boasting it is beyond the reach of police.

"Police do not have access to our databases . . . our databases are held offshore, outside of Australia," says the site, which is registered in the United States.

Yesterday Mr Pallant admitted to the Herald Sun his site was often used for bullying.

"I provide a service where people can write whatever they want," he said.

"If that means that someone is bullying someone then yes, I do provide (an avenue for) cyber bullying."

He also challenged the police to step in if people were upset by entries about them. "The police haven't contacted me," he said.

"Maybe the police need to get themselves into gear and request the information."

Mr Pallant was unrepentant about the site, saying any blame lay with people who posted the information.

"I am not responsible, the person who wrote that is responsible," he said.

"I don't put the pen in someone's hand."

Insp Manley said police were powerless to close the site down.

"The offence would be committed by the person posting the content not the person who administers the site," Insp Manley said. "The offences that could apply would be stalking and possibly criminal defamation - there is no offence of cyber bullying."


Psychologist Michael Carr-Greg said he was astonished police were unable to stop the site from operating.

This is by far the worst site I've seen," Dr Carr-Gregg said. "The Australian Communications and Media Authority should close it down."

The Herald Sun has chosen not to identify the website because of the additional pain it would cause victims.

- with Padraic Murphy
WORDS OF SHAME: WHAT'S BEING SAID ON THE WEBSITE
EXAMPLE 1
(Girl's name)
Location:
Cobden
Wednesday, June 17, 2009. 4:19pm
(Girl's name) is one of the biggest sluts around she is full of dieases ewww grow up you fat dieased f------ dog... anyone despret for a r--- call (mobile phone number)

EXAMPLE 2
(Girl's name)
Location:
Mill Park
Wednesday, June 17, 2009. 4:15am
She's a fat f------ bitch! Doesn't know the value of friendship and will do anything to be popular! Likes people with extra ....! Fat whore! Fatty mcfat fat! Thinks she's destined for music when she's got NO talent apart from putting food in her mouth. Love, the only instrument you could play is a frying pan! And as for your f------ HIDEOUS boyfriend, well f--k, I don't know who I feel more sorry for.

Number: (mobile number)

EXAMPLE 3
(Girl's name)
Location:
Warrnambool
Tuesday, June 16, 2009. 7.07pm
(Girl's name) is a big fat skanky bitch who is 12 and has had sex with everyone she steals and all her friends are skanky bitches she is a whore who should neva be trusted

EXAMPLE 4
(Girl's name)
Location:
Warrnambool
Tuesday, June 9, 2009. 7:39pm
Well for starters she f----d a member of a band at the whalers and stole $50 from him and then she tried to blame her best friend.
She has a r--t list and there is over 50 guys on it and she is 19. she is a dirty sloopey faced c.... she is ....ing the manager if (store name).. He nearly 40.. gold digger!!
she is the biggest thief in warrnambool she steels everything! she would even steel your socks if there not super glued to ya feet.. she is an all round piece of dirty s---.. ha!!



Melton's Andrew Pallant runs a website that bullies girls, but police say they are powerless to stop him. Picture: Jon Hargest






related links

• Teens' plea: Help us stop this scum
• Editorial: Deal with this bullying filth
• Herald Sun accepts no responsibility for the content of any external sites we link to

Mods if you think this should be moved you have my permission.

Discuss __DEFINE_LIKE_SHARE__