Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying

Does a celebrity know those who stalk them, bully them, or harass them?  We are not speaking only about celebrities, but about all public figures worldwide, including politicians.

These individuals are targets and have been treated unfairly due to the big wide world of the web.  Many have paid large sums of money to stop a legal battle with strangers whom they never met or never will.  Everyone is a target in cyber-space, but those with their names in lights or with the largest record of accomplishments, face cyberbullying.

Cyberspace is nothing like my life in Beverly Hills, where I lived for most of my life.  There I felt safe, and guarded, protected by one another; our peers were those who treated us with great respect.

Sure, we may not have agreed with a newspaper article or comments in a celebrity column, but it did not ruin our life, nor the lives of those who work for us.  We took it as a compliment, having our name in print; rather, the reporter exaggerated or told a little white lie.

It was the respect that seemed so important as we went about our daily life.  From the outside looking in, they did not see what went on in homes, in studios, etc., but today everything is a house of mirrors.

Public Figures and Celebrities

As public figures, we have jobs to complete and return to our normal life, yet the public still wants to know more, see more, and become close to those they idolize.  Every day you have to watch what you say, where you go, and what others are talking about, especially on the web.  I have been in the public eye as a mainstream author, talk show host and have been in the entertainment business for over twenty years.

I have watched as things began to change for entertainers, my peers, and began to feel as if all that protection from Beverly Hills had gone, and now it was up to me and others to protect ourselves.

Famous people, those in the public eye, etc., are real people who were blessed with talent, and their talent speaks for them.  As anyone who’s employed and climbing the social ladder to the top, the hours are long, and the work is not easy.

One thing I can say, anyone can make it out there if they are determined, but let’s not place a damper on success because of a few who would like to destroy hard work.  It is not that God has bestowed gifts on certain ones; he gave each one of us our own special talents. It is their bread and butter, and most have children and families to protect as you do because away from the camera, they prefer to be real people.

Safety First

These Public figures and celebrities are there for your family’s entertainment.  So we get down to the bullying of these individuals, those who find it funny to spend time using their newly acquired skills on social media sites, not for the good of the people, but their own satisfaction. As they log onto social media sites, they are ready to harass and stalk our celebrities.

It is as if there is a clock in their brain, and when it is time to strike one, they stop what they are doing and need some laughs on their end of the world.  They don’t understand that these people have families and must protect not only their name but also their life and reputation; safety comes first.

Often I wonder why people enjoy destroying others, reminding me of the made for T.V. movies, which are from real-life stories, those people had something to gain, or is it plain boredom or some games people play?  Fame is for those who are talented and, as I stated, worked hard to get where they are today.

Fame gained by illegal means is short-lived.  If society has turned to destroy the lives of anyone who has worked hard to get where they are, it is sad. We have gone far beyond the few newspaper clippings, knowing well enough – anything can be changed in this world of technology.

Exploiting and Cyberbullying

These topics have become a serious problem in our society.  Since my background goes back many years to Beverly Hills, and I have recently published a book, I have been in the public’s eye and recently had a terrible experience with one I must call the hunter, someone who wants to pull you away from your success and set you on a different track.

My attacker was tracked and followed outside of the social media site.  In their mind, they were playing games without knowing a high profile; a renowned legal team was backing me.  These professionals would advise me to take action against those attacking me on my own site or places where I had some clear-cut reason to be. If I did not, it would have grown out of control.

Social Media sites now have high-ranking security watching everyone, and if there is any cause to intervene, it is handled with care and properly.

What causes some of these problems is basic, some as basic as not having your facts straight, telling stories which are untrue, attacking the persons’ person.  That is what it takes to bully someone.

Any business which reaches the public and the news is high profile, but many of these cases happen to those in the entertainment field.  As entertainers, we all are family, and all watch out for one another. Celebrities and public figures are wise enough to listen to those in detail to watch out for us and go by the laws when attacked, taking action as security swings into high gear.

Join a Charity

Everyone needs to know why attacking, bullying, etc., anyone in public places, will do you harm and not bring you fame.  It will not bring the famous to your doorstep; it will do the opposite.  Instead, do something good, as many stars have done in the past and still do.

Spend time with a charity of your choice.  If one of your so-called “famous people” have a charity, and you want to help, do something like this – you would have a better chance knowing who you once stalked by giving of yourself in a helpful manner.

Your age does not matter, be wise, don’t take the wrong path on the web – it is hurtful, spiteful, and mean.  And most of all, it is illegal to do these things to a public person or anyone for that matter.

I mentioned my attacker, who had nothing to do with me personally, but rather a lady who works with celebrity sites, a handful of people did not like her, and she decided to attack me.

If you have a problem with someone, go directly to that person. If they work with a celebrity, leave the celebrity out of it, period.

Famous people have a large team protecting them and attorneys who work for them on all aspects of their life and career.  If you really want to hurt someone, stalk someone; think about it the next time, think of how you can use valuable time, not to hurt, but to heal.

Stardom and Stalking

When you are finally a star, you as the star have spies working for you, my terminology, but they are always with you, just like the secret service.

A star has a huge team following them, and what the stalker does, or attempts to do, will not go unnoticed; Entertainment attorneys, management, publicity agencies, and others you never see or hear about are never out of sight, and there is no doubt a huge money team around them.

A star never has to defend himself; as for the stalker, usually caught because of familiar patterns, the next place he will be in is jail.

It is highly illegal to be a stalker, and I have listed the top codes in Law below, which are for those of you who may not fully understand.  People want to be treated kindly and with respect, and no one should try to harm others, or their careers, so stars need more protection.

No matter what career you have chosen, you deserve to be treated fairly and not dragged through the mud.  I once heard someone say that those who do these types of crimes are only jealous of what they desired and never worked hard enough to achieve that.

Protection in Cyberspace

Our public figures and stars need continual protection in cyber-space, and one day, I hope social media remains a safe place for the best, so one can remain unscathed.   We all need more protection against cyberbullying and stalking. This includes you, no matter your chosen field; let’s treat everyone fairly.

Below are the criminal codes describing what happens when you decide to harm anyone in your field of work and chosen careers, or for anyone who has been a victim of Social Media Cyber Attacks.

Subsection 264 of the Criminal Code states:
(1) No person shall, without lawful authority, and knowing that another person is harassed or recklessly as to whether the other person is harassed, engage in the conduct referred to in subsection (2) that causes that other person reasonably, in all the circumstances, to fear for their safety or the safety of anyone known to them.

(2) The conduct mentioned in subsection (1) consists of (a) repeatedly following from place to place the other person or anyone known to them; (b) repeatedly communicating with, either directly or indirectly, the other person or anyone is known to them; (c) besetting or watching the dwelling-house, or place where the other person, or anyone known to them resides, works, carries on business, or happens to be; or (d) engaging in threatening conduct directed at the other person or any member of their family.

In plain English, below are some examples that better describe the Stalking/Criminal Harassment behaviors referred to in subsection 264 of the Criminal Code:

• Repeated, unwanted contact by telephone calls/hang-ups, letters, cards, faxes
• Repeated, unwanted contact over the internet in chat rooms, newsgroups, or through email (also known as “cyberstalking“)
• Sending unwanted gifts of any kind (pleasant gifts such as flowers, candy, toys, books, jewelry, pictures, et cetera; or strange gifts such as bullet casings, lockets of hair, bloody clothing, et cetera)
• Showing up uninvited wherever you happen to be
• Stealing/opening your personal mail to find out more about you
• Ordering/canceling goods or services on your behalf
• Following you, watching you, maintaining surveillance on you
• Threatening to harm you, your family, friends, or pets
• Harassing your family, friends, colleagues, or your employer
• Convincing his/her friends to spy on you or harass you (sometimes referred to as “stalking by proxy”)
• Filing multiple frivolous court claims against you to harass or keep in touch with you
• Vandalizing your property
• Breaking into your home/office
• Kidnapping you, holding you hostage
• Assaulting you