Web Ethics for the Sane and the Naughty-Wanna-Be

Some people seem to find an easier way to say certain things in a chat room or by e-mail. And until a certain point, especially for people who would rather write than talk, it becomes a perfect helpful medium. But some others seem to use the web as a kind of mask where they can cowardly shield behind and misbehave. They feel [envalentonados] to say and do things they would never dare in person. I had met once someone who in person was a very kind and gentle person, but that unfortunately turned into a scary online stalker. He would write so many seriously terrible and harsh things on many of my public profiles and file sharing applications.

One day I finally decided to write him an email and ask him for a personal meeting, so that he could say everything he wanted to tell me, offline. He never showed up. His first reaction was panicky; an email with a kindly written excuse and apology. I noticed that for him, getting new accounts and posting terrible comments in my profiles to provoke me, had become his new game, a kind of naughty killing-time (part time) hobby. Part time because every 3 weeks the stalking would peek and then disappear for another 3-4 weeks.

We kept up a conversation for a couple of days in which he was very keen on knowing what I had to tell him, and I was just reaffirming him that he would be the one doing the talking, that the meeting would be just a way for him to get off everything he has in his chest on my face. After a prolonged dialogue, it became clear that there was no real need to meet in person; but once he felt safe again, it didn’t take more than a couple of days for him to pick up his old habit very quickly again.

I think this kind of behavior is not only childish and unfair, but also very unethical. I would say that offline and online, the same rules of communication should apply, and before you write something to someone, you should be honest and ask yourself if you would really say those same things to their face.