Photos of Gang Rape go Viral” via the Globe and Mail

We live in a strange new age. An article published in the Globe and Mail in 2010, titled “Photos of gang rape go viral” proves this point. A 16-year-old girl attended a rave, and according to police may have been given a date-rape drug. What happened next was a disturbing revelation of society in the modern age.

            The young girl was repeatedly raped by a number of male attackers, attackers identified as mostly minors and young adults. But perhaps the most disturbing part of this story is how the girl, who was unable to recall the events of the night due to the effects of the drug, came to understand what had happened to her.

            She found out on Facebook where so many of this digital age go to find the latest “headlines” or personal news of their peers and associates. The shock and horror that must’ve confronted this girl when she logged on and found photos of her body being violated broadcast to her network on the internet.

            Horrifically, the police – including the RCMP – had an incredible amount of difficulty preventing the photos which had been “shared, saved and reposted,” from reappearing on the popular social networking site.

            The reality is that these photos are considered child pornography. One would think that Facebook – one of the most prolific websites – would do everything in its power to prevent the photos from resurfacing – again, and again, and again.

            What responsibility do the superpowers of the internet have in preventing these kinds of crimes from occurring – or re-occurring? The reality is that we live in an age when everyone can share everything. We can’t solely rely on the dominant forces of the internet – the 21^st century’s powers-that-be, as it were – to monitor and control online behavior. We need to be moving towards a new state of social responsibility, amongst ourselves and our peers, to prevent this kind of atrocity from happening ever again. Although I can’t help but wonder, without facebook and the despicable spread of these images, would the offenders have ever been brought to justice?