to feel so sorry for kids growing up in this social media era

[whitesugar]

I am devastated for that young girl at the concert in Slane. My teenagers have just told me that she is no. one trend on Twitter. One mistake by a 17 year old and it goes worldwide. I am distraught for her and fearful for her safety. Also appalled that the boy is seen as a hero and she is vilified. Sometimes I just despair.

[HeySoulSister]

is there a link? whats happened?

[Justforlaughs]

www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/slane-girl-police-probe-after-2191718
Don't know how to link
Poor girl, but how stupid would you have to be?

[whitesugar]

Am crap at links (surprise, surprise). Check news for story about a 17 year old girl giving a boy a blow job at Eminem concert. No doubt totally drunk. Whatever she did not deserve this and is reported to be totally distraught.

[Feminine]

YABU.

I actually think the media has done masses for teenage confidence.

I understand things can go wrong , but all in all....

[orangepudding]

It was a really stupid thing for her to do in public in broad daylight, surely she must have realised that people would post pictures on facebook and twitter.

[Justforlaughs]

Just looking at the picture of HIM, it's pretty obvious that he was posing for cameras. I do feel sorry for her though. I can remember several drunken exploits that I would be to have posted online. I can well remember one photo..... (that I would have paid a lot of money to get hold of the negative!)

[Justforlaughs]

mirai Ah, that one!

[Justforlaughs]

www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/slane-girl-police-probe-after-2191718
Just like that

[Justforlaughs]

I also think it irresponsible of the newspapers to print the story and make it even more wide spread than it was already. Realistically, most of her parents friends, grandparents etc will see the papers but probably wouldn't have seen it online.

[CatsAndTheirPizza]

Scary times for teenagers.

[Poopyisapig]

Thank god I grew up before all this crap. The harassment I got at school was bad enough, but I don't think I'd still be here today if my tormentors had had Facebook, twitter etc.

[Yonididnaedaethat]

Just clicked the link and this appeared on my FB last night, only it was 2 photos of her giving blow jobs to 2 different men

[Justforlaughs]

Maybe, the social media is the least of the issues that this generation face!

[WhatHo]

This is a horrible one-off, poor thing, but the impact of social media does scare me.

It's the fact you can't get away from it - ever. People of my generation (35+) say, "oh well, they bring it on themselves, teens can just switch off" but in social terms if you do that you might as well as well say 'I am a geek/backwards'. And very few teenagers are brave and self-confident enough to do that.

FWIW, does anyone remember the Clare Swires (sp?) email from pre-social media - where she described, his er, produce in glowing terms, and he ungallantly forwarded it to his mates who forwarded it on, and 5 million readers later...?

It ruined both their lives (the guy was a friend of a friend), and they were adults. I can't even imagine how embarrassed this girl must be

unless she's a raving attention seeker

[LtEveDallas]

I must admit, this 'era' is scaring me more and more with regards to DD. I am torn between keeping her safe and letting her have some freedom/making her own mistakes.

I probably made a million and one mistakes as I was growing up, from unsuitable men, to unflattering clothes and so on. But they are all in the past and can't come back to haunt me. Kids today don't have that safety net.

But it's not just photos or the Internet. When I see TV programmes like the sleep training one, or Supernanny and the like I cringe, because again, these things never go away. For example, thanks to the TV I know that somewhere, there is a kid who had a dummy till he was 10 and cried till he was sick when it was taken off him. What happens when at the age of 15 someone else finds that footage? He will be bullied for it.

Or the horrible one of the young man with ASD filmed having a meltdown (forgive me if that is the wrong terminology), that was posted all over twitter with people taking the piss.

It does worry me, a lot.

[SleepyFish]

YANBU. Glad camera phones weren't around when I was making all my mistakes. Nowadays no-one has any privacy anymore and any errors in judgement you make will be all over the net in a click. Yes what she did was stupid but all teenagers do stupid things under the influence of alcohol. Sad really.

[whitesugar]

True Just. I was no angel when I was a teenager but giving a boy a blow job was the last thing on my mind. When I had sex for the first time I had no fear that photos of the event would go worldwide.

My son was bullied at school when he was 11. The worst thing was he didn't even get a break when he came home.

I am not against social media per se and know there are a lot of positives. I use mumsnet! I can't believe that it cannot be policed especially where crimes are committed. That girl is 17 and as far as the law stands in Ireland people are circulating child pornography. I know the legal age varies. I just feel sorry for her. When I screwed up as a kid I knew it would get around my friends and I could get over the embarrassment but the whole world??

[whitesugar]

True Just. I was no angel when I was a teenager but giving a boy a blow job was the last thing on my mind. When I had sex for the first time I had no fear that photos of the event would go worldwide.

My son was bullied at school when he was 11. The worst thing was he didn't even get a break when he came home.

I am not against social media per se and know there are a lot of positives. I use mumsnet! I can't believe that it cannot be policed especially where crimes are committed. That girl is 17 and as far as the law stands in Ireland people are circulating child pornography. I know the legal age varies. I just feel sorry for her. When I screwed up as a kid I knew it would get around my friends and I could get over the embarrassment but the whole world??

[SantanaLopez]

YANBU. It's quite terrifying.

[whitesugar]

Lt EVe I feel the same about those shows. I have never seen Honey Boo boo or whatever it's called but I think that is child abuse. I love anonymity. Apols for double posting, dinosaur I know!

[driftwoodsands]

I agree with LtEve. I did things that I wouldn't necessarily want reminding of, let alone my family knowing (not on the scale of the Slane BJ tho'!) but now, there is no hiding place. Scary. I am glad not to be a teen now, but am scared for my own DC...

[Remotecontrolduck]

It is horribly embarrassing for the girl and people should grow up a bit before thinking it's funny to repost stuff like this everywhere online.

However, performing a sex act in a VERY public place is extremely unwise and even at 17 she should know this. She must have been incredibly drunk, or incredibly stupid. The man is horrid too for letting it happen, and looking so bloody pleased with himself!

I think there's good and bad in social media. I wouldn't write it all off as it can be a real help for some.

[ageofgrandillusion]

YABU. Im sorry but wtf was she doing? If you do something like that in public, well it's tough titty re the consequences.