Rant #2: Internet Stalking

Today I had to deal with two issues of what I like to term Internet stalking. Plus let’s start trying to count how many times before that…

As a disclaimer: I’m quite aware that I am putting out my full name in public on the Internet. Alongside that comes the ability for others to find out anything in the world that I am doing via a simple search. I typically am quite fine with this, because I really have nothing to hide that I put out on here.

What is irritating, however, are the stalkers. No, not stalkers in the traditional sense where they follow you around, watching your every move, because of some weird obsession – or, wait, that’s actually exactly what’s happening.

On the professional level, I suppose my boss(es), ex-boss(es), clients, potential clients, coworkers, and maybe even unrelated colleagues have a valid reason to check up on what I’m doing; To see what “kind of person” I am and to “get a feel” for what I can do. Past employers, I can assume, continue to keep track of what I’m doing to protect their own interests. (You guys really have nothing to worry about, by the way…)

What comes to be the problem with Internet stalking is when it comes from “personally-motivated” and rather technologically unsavvy people.

Going along with this modern day and age, I have friends of all shapes, colors, faiths, and genders. The latter two always seem to pop up randomly and become an issue. Either way, what ends up happening is I get some random, libelous, and harassing comments, e-mails, instant messages, etc. This is, yes, illegal, as it is (as stated above) harassment.

Why does the Internet community allow libel and harassment to continue? Are we so afraid of limiting “free speech” that we won’t take action against those who abuse this right?

I’m not expecting everyone to agree with me, just ranting… Have a nice day and happy internet stalking to you all

Rant #1: Not-Quite Stolen

After being certain that it was merely a bout of paranoia, I’ve realized that I am not, in fact, going ego-crazy. Not only are my articles being copied word-for-word by random Internet spam sites that just need filler content to get ads… but the main concepts of my published work is being stolen by larger, very well known websites and being modified here and there by a third-world country writer that gets paid more than I do.

This became apparent to me as fact only after seeing a clear example of it from two websites I have no affiliation with. One, a smaller, newer, but decent in its own right, wrote an article providing some lovely examples of “x”. A mere day later, the larger, more well-established website has published an article with “x”, only slightly elongating it.

While content is nearly never entirely “original” on the web these days, it is clear that in this case a great concept was stolen by someone that can “get away with it.”

The Internet, social media, “Web 2.0,” whatever you want to call it, has brought upon us a new era. A revolution in journalism that promises to change the way we publish and receive our news and information, budding a generation of brand-new content creators – that have no sense of ethics, morals, and little professionalism.