What would your teen do to get noticed?

The Internet is full of writings, pictures, and videos by teens who are hoping to get their "fifteen minutes" of fame. Unfortunately, some teens equate fame with infamy – and act accordingly. Some teens post violent or hate-filled writings or promiscuous pictures in order to attract attention. Others, experts worry, may be committing suicide.

In a little more than a year Bridgend County, Wales mourned the loss of 17 young people, all of whom committed suicide by hanging. Law-enforcement officers working the case found that some of the deceased might have been in contact via the social networking site Bebo. Two weeks before her own suicide, one teen posted a tribute on the profile page of another who had hanged himself: "R.I.P …gonna miss ya! allways remember the gd times! love ya x."

Initially, the tribute probably attracted little notice, as tributes of this type are not uncommon on the Internet. Social networking sites are full of profiles which are actually cyber memorials to dead loved ones. Websites such as www.gonetoosoon.co.uk and www.mydeathspace.com offer the bereaved an opportunity to set-up pages with pictures, poems, art work, and messages honoring the deceased. Even months after a death, visitors will drop by the site and leave messages for the deceased to let them know they are not forgotten.

These cyber memorials can offer the memorialized an Internet fame and immortality which might seem more appealing than the every day angst of teenage life. Although suicide is at the extreme end of the spectrum for what most teens would attempt to gain attention and we certainly need to take into consideration personality types and mental health issues that could lead to such extreme behavior, we should be aware that many teens dream of attaining Internet popularity. However, teens should be warned that notorious behavior does not often become real-life success.

For so-called "digital natives" privacy is a thing of the past. To find evidence of this, look no further than the phenomenon of online shaming, also known as virtual vigilantism. In recent years Internet users have taken to the web to air their grievances and publicly shame those deemed responsible for their distress, sometimes garnering thousands of responses and attracting intense media attention. Is online shaming justified or is it an over-developed case of cyberbullying? Read these real life cases and decide for yourself.

• In July 2005 a young South Korean woman became the target of virtual vigilantes when she refused to clean up the feces her dog left on the floor of a subway car. Someone snapped a picture on their cell phone, posted it online, and she was branded the "dog poop girl." Subsequent blogs revealed her identity, thousands demanded her shaming, and she quickly became the target of an online and real-life harassment campaign. She reportedly withdrew from school to escape the attention.
  
• In October 2007 a student at Lewis & Clark University, became the target of a Facebook group labeling him a "rapist." He had a sexual encounter with another student who later claimed he forced her to perform sexual acts. Word of the alleged attack spread on campus. The student was outed online, and the college junior was quickly tried and convicted in cyberspace. He has not been charged with a crime, but he was suspended from school for one semester for sexual misconduct.
  
• In November 2007 the Megan Meier MySpace suicide became the subject of an international media fury. The mother of Megan's one-time friend allegedly created a fake MySpace profile to lure the young girl into a relationship with fictitious teen, "Josh." After a day of intense cyberbullying on behalf of "Josh," Megan committed suicide. The mother was outed by an online blogger and quickly became one of the most hated mothers in America. Her address, telephone numbers, and business contacts rapidly circulated online. Since then she has denied any wrongdoing and attempted to steer clear of the intense media scrutiny.
  
• In January 2008 four Canadian teens allegedly broke into a house and microwaved the owner's cat to death. Furious over the utter cruelty of their actions, someone revealed their identities on Facebook, setting off the Internet fury machine. Accusations flew, threats were made, and the case garnered international attention as online users demanded severe punishment for the teens and tougher animal cruelty laws.
  
• In January 2008 Fairfax, VA high school student Devraj "Dave" Kori phoned school administrator Dean Tisdadt at his home to complain about school not being cancelled for three inches of snow. Tisdadt's irate wife, Candy, returned Kori's call and gave him a verbal smackdown, concluding with the line, "Get over it, kid, and go to school!" Kori posted the conversation on YouTube, attracting the attention of students defending him, parents defending Tisdadt, and the media who smelled a good story. Kori received detention and the Tisdadts got an unlisted number.