David Hurst

One of the problems with the Internet is anonymity. Perversely, this is also one of the great things about the Internet, but anonymity is not a universal wall of protection behind which bullies should hide. Over the years I have experienced cyber bullying in many forms, and none of them is pleasant.

I used to use email as a form of marketing, and was accused by some of sending “spam”. I beg to differ. Thoroughly researching a local business and then sending a tailored email of introduction is not the same as sending out blind spam advertising Viagra, penis enlargement or Angelina Jolie’s tits. Yet, the reactions I got from a few (presumably) well-respected local business owners were nothing short of disgraceful. Had I chosen to send them a letter, would they have written similarly venomous replies back to me? Hardly. And yet, sending a letter is more costly to the environment and opening and reading it takes significantly more time than opening and reading an email. I just don’t bother sending emails to people I don’t know any more.

Others like to write abusive comments on sites like YouTube, or in chat rooms or forums. Why? What is so fundamentally wrong with these people that makes them feel it is OK to abuse other members of the human race in such a way.

I’ll wager that none of the people I have received abusive messages from would have the guts to come and say it to my face. I’m 6ft1 and over 17 stone: people generally are not rude to me. But, offer up a virtual screen for them to hide behind, and it seems all sorts of people are ready to take a shot. Shame on you all.