http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/05/1
A Canadian farm owner says horse-riding goats are a common sight on her farm.
Angie Power's horse-riding pygmy goats were recently featured riding her Arabian horse in a video put out by Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism, CBC News reported.
"The goats like to always, of course, be close to the horse, and when she lies down, they lie down on her back," Power said. "And, of course, goats being goats -- you know, they're pretty sure-footed little things -- [the horse] gets up and most of the time they'll just stay on and go for a ride around the farm."
Power said people from the tourism department happened to be driving by her farm and see one of the goats on the horse.
"They thought it was remarkable -- they had never seen anything like it," she said. "So they asked could they come in and spend the day filming and they did, it was wonderful."
To get the goats down, the horse gives them a gentle jostle, Power said.
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(DISCLAIMER: The following news items were found on the web and were not written or endorsed by WHO@; they are for informational purposes only)
'A true stalker': Ex-Aston Villa goalkeeper, 32, condemned by judge for destroying ex-girlfriend's life with relentless emails, turning up at her office and even booking a holiday for them both - 05/13/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
A former Aston Villa goalkeeper relentlessly harassed his ex-girlfriend after she broke up with him, booking a holiday for them both and even turning up at her office, a court heard. Ex-England youth international Matthew Ghent was branded a 'true stalker' by a judge after he admitted harassing the probation officer, with whom he had a six-month relationship after meeting her on a dating website.
Woman, 51, stalked Metal Mulisha rider, police say - 05/11/13
http://www.pe.com/local-news/rivers
Police say they have identified an online stalker who posted dozens of bizarre, threatening comments about Brian Deegan, a member of the Temecula-based freestyle motocross team Metal Mulisha. Riverside County sheriff’s officials said Friday, May 10, that they don’t expect the 51-year-old Menifee woman to face criminal charges because she appears to be mentally ill. Sgt. Kevin McDonald said the woman thought she was channeling the spirit of a dead motocross rider.
Husband, 36, murdered new bride, 44, just days after they married before embarking on 31-month round-the-world trip with £65,000 of her savings - 05/11/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
Smiling for the camera, they appear like any other happy newlyweds, ready to embark on their life together. But a week after this picture was taken, Jamie Starbuck had killed and dismembered wife Debbie, ready to embark on a £65,000 round-the-world trip paid for with her inheritance. Starbuck – who brazenly charted his globetrotting adventures in a blog entitled Diary of a Misanthrope – was yesterday starting a life sentence after admitting the murder of his 44-year-old wife.
Amazon drugs row: Fury as deadly 'legal highs' which can trigger psychotic episodes on sale online - 05/10/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
Deadly ‘legal highs’ are being sold on Amazon. Despite warnings from campaigners, the online shop is selling salvia and describing it as ‘more powerful than LSD’. Nitrous oxide and poppers, which can be similarly lethal, are on sale as well. Maryon Stewart, whose daughter Hester died after taking the drug GBL, wrote to Amazon last month, asking it to withdraw the products along with drug pipes, bongs and scales.
Trenton man found guilty of using Myspace to plan execution-style gang killing - 05/10/13
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2
One down, three to go -- that was the message relayed by victorious Mercer County assistant prosecutors yesterday after a jury found Trenton man Keith Williams guilty of plotting a gang killing on social media site Myspace. Williams and three other men were charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the 2008 shooting death of Arrell Bell, and Williams’ conviction marks the end of the first trial.
Hopkinton police arrest man on cyber stalking warrant - 05/10/13
http://www.thewesterlysun.com/news/hopk
Zachery M. Austin, of Westerly, was arrested May 4 on a cyber stalking warrant and transported to Hopkinton, where the complaint against him was made. Leslie R. Wright filed a complaint with Hopkinton police on March 22, stating that Austin had sent her a false text message stating that her daughter, Alexa, had fallen and was in the hospital.
Devastated father discovered his 13-year-old son had been killed in car accident when £30,000-a-year boarding school posted tragic news on its website - 05/10/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
A father learned that his 13-year-old son had been killed in a road accident when the boy’s public school announced it on its website. William Avery-Wright had been knocked down by a Land Rover as he crossed a main road on his way to rugby practice.
Lee David Clayworth, Lee Ching Yan [PHOTOS]: Former Canadian Teacher Cyber-Stalked & Harassed By Ex-Girlfriend, Can't Get Job Due to Leaked Photos - 05/09/13
http://www.mstarz.com/articles/12544/20
Lee David Clayworth, a 35-year-old Canadian teacher, claims that his ex-girlfriend Lee Ching Yan has been ruthlessly cyber-stalking and harassing him after she stole his laptop. The two dated for several months in 2010 when Clayworth was working in Malaysia, but after they broke up he says she broke into his apartment, stole his computer, and started posting nude and personal photos online in an attempt to tarnish his name. As a result, Clayworth cannot get a job and he believes that his Internet identity has been compromised.
Sainsbury girls nab kidnap fugitive boss - 05/09/13
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne
A US fugitive kidnapper lying low while working here as a Sainsbury’s boss was nailed by two checkout girls he upset. They Googled Sean Lopes to find he fled 15 years’ jail and was once among New York’s most wanted villains. Lopes, 47, used a gun and knife to hold his ex, 22, hostage but escaped before his 2005 conviction initially to Trinidad.
Principal suspends teen for Instagramming her mug shot -05/09/13
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-575838
I'm thinking of renaming this blog Technically HighSchoolWrecked. No sooner does one odd controversy erupt in our teen education centers than another appears like a tardy bus. The latest is a tale from Georgia. Please sit back. You may enjoy this. An enterprising young man named Keandre Varner thought he'd discover whether his high school principal was, or ever had been, a criminal. What joy, perhaps, for him to discover that there existed a mugshot of Jamille Miller Brown, principal of Riverdale High School, in Georgia.
Doctor accused of attacking girlfriend over Facebook post - 05/08/13
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/05/08/3
A South Florida doctor was accused Wednesday of aggravated battery on his girlfriend after an argument last month over a Facebook post. Orlando Llorente, 41, was charged with one count attempted murder and kidnapping after police say he abused Leeanne Sauma, 36, on April 21, for about 16 hours, water-boarding her continuously until she lost consciousness in their apartment near Southwest 12th Street in the Brickell area.
UL student charged with cyberstalking - 05/08/13
http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20
A University of Louisiana at Lafayette student has been arrested and charged with stalking and cyberstalking after UL police said he failed to heed warnings to stop following and texting a female student. Victor Manuel Bermudez-Silva, 20, was arrested Tuesday and booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center before being released on a $5,000 bond.
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/05/0
Police in Florida said they arrested a man accused of calling 911 about 80 times because he wanted "Kool-Aid, burgers and weed" brought to his home.
St. Petersburg police said Jarvis Sutton, 34, allegedly called the emergency number about 80 times Sunday and the arrest report said he told officers he "wanted Kool-Aid, burgers and weed to be delivered to him," the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times reported Wednesday.
Sutton, who was arrested on a charge of misusing the 911 system, allegedly chewed foam attached to the metal caging in the back of a police cruiser during his arrest.
Sutton was jailed in lieu of $150 bail.
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'I'm tired of hiding': Revenge porn victim speaks out about years of torment after her former boyfriend posted X-rated photos of her online and even sent them to her boss - 05/03/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
A Florida woman whose life was turned upside down when her ex-boyfriend posted naked pictures of her to a revenge porn website is picking up the pieces after the embarrassing ordeal. Holly Jacobs, who has changed her named from Holli Thometz, says her former boyfriend Ryan Seay distributed private intimate photos she had shared with him on the internet in 2009 after they broke up. Now she is on a crusade to help other women who have been victimized in cyber stalking schemes and trying to move forward with her life.
Stolen iPhone recovered after movie-style police chase - 05/03/13
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/05/0
An iPhone theft set off a chase reminiscent of the movie "The French Connection," with a car pursuing a suspect on a New York subway train, police say. The incident occurred April 15, in the borough of Queens, The New York Times reported Friday. Police Officer Haaris Hamid, who responded when a woman's phone was snatched from her hand, used Find My iPhone on his own phone and quickly realized the stolen phone -- and presumably the thief -- was on board a No. 7 train heading toward Manhattan on the elevated line that runs above Roosevelt Avenue.
Cyber pervert took intimate pictures of his neighbours using the webcams on their computers -05/03/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
A perverted computer expert took thousands of intimate pictures of his neighbours after infecting their computers with a virus that allowed him to spy on them through their webcams. Police in Zaragoza, Spain, arrested the 34-year-old man and confiscated his computer hard drive which contained images of hundreds of people who had absolutely no idea they were being spied on.
Conman's lover jailed after helping her boyfriend trick woman he met on the internet into handing over £12,000 - 05/03/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
The lover of a serial con artist who posed as a 'well-heeled' stockbroker has apologised to his latest victim after being jailed for helping him pull of the scam. Gail Heyworth, 51, lived a life of luxury thanks to the lies of Scott Travis despite claiming she was also one of his victims. However, she was found to be the person collecting cash from one of his victims when another woman came forward after being duped out of nearly £12,000 by Travis.
Joburg man's stalker from hell - 05/02/13
http://www.thepost.co.za/joburg-man-s-s
A man from Sandton has been harassed and stalked by an ex-girlfriend to such an extent that he has lost his job and many of his friends. His online profile is not his own and his house has been petrol-bombed. Now Duncan D’Ewes, 37, has become one of the first people to open a case with the police using the Protection from Harassment Act, which came into effect on Saturday – Freedom Day.
Warning on online harassment - 05/02/13
http://www.oberonreview.com.au/story/14
THE issue of harassment between school students via social media websites has raised its head again. All persons using social media sites – Facebook, Twitter, Kick, etc., are reminded that sending anything on the internet or via telephone that is considered to be offensive or harassing to a person is a criminal offence under the Telecommunications Act.
UConn Student Accused Of Email Harassment - 05/01/13
http://articles.courant.com/2013-05-0
A University of Connecticut law student faces charges of second-degree harassment and second-degree breach of peace after allegedly sending anti-Semitic, racist, sexual and threatening emails to students and faculty. Anya Bargh, 32, of Middletown, was arraigned Wednesday and given more time to hire a lawyer. She was arrested April 25 and posted $2,500 bail.
Man allegedly hid cameras in women's bathrooms at Paris bars - 05/01/13
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/0
Authorities in Paris said they arrested a man accused of hiding cameras in women's bathrooms at multiple bars in the city. Police said a bar manager told officers he suspected the 36-year-old man of being behind a mini video camera discovered in a cigarette box left on the floor of the women's restroom, and investigators caught him in the act of placing another camera in a similar way at another bar, The Local.fr reported Wednesday.
Ronda mayor accused of cyberstalking by political opponent - 05/01/13
http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/ar
The political gamesmanship that has engulfed the small town of Ronda in recent months escalated Monday night. Charges were filed at the Wilkes County Courthouse accusing Ronda mayor Victor Varela and his wife, Teri, of cyberstalking. The complaint was filed by Kevin Reece, a Ronda resident and political opponent of Victor Varela. The couple was assigned a May 31 court date.
Parent's outrage after radio station 'posts offensive altered images of Down syndrome boy holding Retarded News sign' - 04/30/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
A media company is accused of using and altering a picture of a boy with Down syndrome on their website alongside captions like Retarded News and other offensive phrases. Pamela and Bernard Holland are suing Cox Media over a picture of their son Adam that was taken during an art class at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center in Nashville in 2004. Adam, who was diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth, is proudly holding a picture he had just drawn. He was 17 at the time.
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/04/2
Online store Amazon.com said Alexandria, Va., topped its annual list of the Most Well-Read Cities in America.
The website said its third annual list, compiled using sales of both print and Kindle editions of all books, magazines and newspapers per capita in cities with a population of more than 100,000 since June 1, 2012, was topped by Alexandria, followed by Knoxville, Tenn.; Miami; Cambridge, Mass.; and Orlando, Fla.
The Top 10 was rounded out by Ann Arbor, Mich.; Berkeley, Calif.; Cincinnati; Columbia, S.C.; and Pittsburgh.
"The results of our annual Most Well-Read Cities list is proof that people across the country are reading, and also that we're still seeing the popularity of 'Fifty Shades of Grey,'" said Sara Nelson, editorial director of books and Kindle. "It's fun for us to see facts like the citizens of Cambridge are buying the most books in the business category or that one of our favorite novels of 2012, 'Gone Girl,' is the best-selling book in the Most Well-Read City, Alexandria."
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A mentor tormented by his Iranian cyber-stalker - 04/29/13
http://www.haaretz.com/culture/book
How does one write about obsessive love? Well, if “Lolita,” “The Kreutzer Sonata” and “Wuthering Heights” are to be any kind of guide, then the answer is: Magnificently. But what if our focus is not on the Humbert Humberts, the Pozdnyshevs, the Heathcliffs of our world? What if our narrator is not the one obsessed but is rather the object of obsession? And what if the nightmarish events that he describes – not without a sense of foreboding – are real? Add to that the peculiarities that define the age of the Internet (Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, she became a cyberbully), and the result is the fascinating new book “Give Me Everything You Have: On Being Stalked,” by James Lasdun.
Facebook loses millions of users as biggest markets peak - 04/28/13
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/20
Facebook has lost millions of users per month in its biggest markets, independent data suggests, as alternative social networks attract the attention of those looking for fresh online playgrounds. As Facebook prepares to update investors on its performance in the first three months of the year, with analysts forecasting revenues up 36% on last year, studies suggest that its expansion in the US, UK and other major European countries has peaked.
Internet, social media make college assignments a 'free market' - 04/27/13
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/04/2
University at Albany (N.Y.) officials say they are investigating allegations about 100 of 650 students in a class paid for someone to complete their homework. University spokesman Karl Luntta told the Albany Times Union the school is conducting an investigation into allegations of cheating in one class, but he declined to confirm how many students were involved.
British internet troll who admits threatening to kill 200 US citizens in Facebook posts which led to thousands of children staying off school - 04/26/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
Madison man charged in Craigslist stalking wants out of jail - 04/26/13
http://www.dailyprogress.com/starexpone
The Reva man facing federal stalking charges for allegedly using Craigslist to post sex-wanted ads targeting an ex girlfriend is trying to get out of jail to go live with another girlfriend pending trial. Kenneth Edward Kuban, 61, of Madison County has been in federal custody since being arrested March 20 for reportedly using his work computer to pose as the alleged female victim on the free online classifieds site, offering sex and pornography, providing her address and photograph and telling respondents to ignore the security gate at her Fauquier County home.
Trolls, memes and spam: author offers guide to web words - 04/26/13
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/s
Tom Chatfield hopes that his book will be a guide for those baffled by the recent influx of new words into the lexicon. The important figures excluded from debates on technology because they don't know the jargon, the policy makers with a circumspect understanding of the culture their legislation will affect, the famous users new to twitter that make errors that lead to ridicule from clued-up users. Ed Balls.
Paul Ryan Intern Accused: Former Campaign Intern Indicted of Extortion and Cyberstalking 15 Women - 04/25/13
http://www.latinospost.com/articles/175
A former Republican presidential intern has been accused of extortion and cyberstalking 15 women. FBI agents arrested the intern, identified as 21-year-old Adam Svador, at his Great Neck, Long Island home on Tuesday, the NY Daily News reported. Savador, a political science student at SUNY Farmingdale, had previously interned for House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and as the "sole intern" of Republican vice presidential Paul Ryan. According to the NY Daily News, the 21-year-old was charged with illegally obtaining naked photos of 15 women and threatening to make them public unless they sent him more.
Wikipedia bumps women from 'American novelists' category - 04/25/13
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/ap
There are American novelists, and then there are American women novelists – at least according to Wikipedia, where outrage has been building over the quiet categorisation of major names such as Harper Lee and Donna Tartt according to their gender. Wikipedia has a category for "American novelists", but it runs to so many names that the site has said "pages in this category should be moved to subcategories where applicable".
When oversharing online can get you arrested - 04/24/13
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/18/tech/soci
The five-minute video opens with a man cruising along in his car, cracking open a bottle of what appears to be Beck's beer and taking a swig. "We all know drinking and driving is against the law. You're not supposed to do that. But they didn't say anything about driving and then drinking," the man says to the camera. "You just have to be learned enough to understand the symbols of drunkenness."
'My little princess banged her head at McDonald's': Boyfriend 'took to Facebook to construct alibi after beating partner's 23-month old daughter to death' - 04/24/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
A 23-month-old girl was beaten to death by her mother's boyfriend who then took to Facebook to construct an alibi for what he had done, a court heard today. Roxie Archer died from a 'devastating' brain injury inflicted by Ben Raftery, 21, just hours after her mother had flown out to New York to celebrate her 21st birthday, the jury were told.
Restaurant worker 'took photos of bad tippers and posted images online with insulting hashtags such as #jew and #hillbillies' - 04/24/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
A Delaware restaurant has come under fire after photographs of bad tippers and their receipts were uploaded to its social networking sites alongside offensive and racist messages. The Padi Restaurant in Hockessin has apologized after images appeared on its manager's Instagram account and the eatery's Facebook page calling people names such as 'cheap' and 'hillbilly'. But the manager, Aaron Kwan, has denied he took the images or wrote the messages - and has instead blamed other employees for accessing his online profiles when he was not looking.
WiFi porn in public areas to be blocked - 04/23/13
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic
The Prime Minister is to announce a Government-backed code of conduct which will mean that pornography is blocked in public spaces such as cafes and railway stations where children are likely to be present. Mr Cameron said that he wanted “good, clean WiFi” in public spaces which would give parents confidence that their children cannot access illicit websites on smart phones or mobile computers.
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/04/1
A Georgia woman who drove over an hour with an Apple iPad stuck in her car's front bumper said the tablet computer was intact and functioning when she found it.
The iPad, mistakenly left on the roof of another car, flew off at 40 mph and struck Alexa Crisa's vehicle as she drove around the Atlanta suburbs of Marietta and Roswell, the New York Daily News reported Friday.
"I went to Target and ran errands with this iPad hanging out of my bumper. I had no clue. I'm not even sure how I missed (seeing) it, other than I don't check my bumper for random dislodged electronics," said Crisa.
The device was returned to its owner, the newspaper added.
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CYBERSTALKING TURNS INTO PHYSICAL ASSAULT ON ACTOR HUGH JACKMAN - 04/15/13
http://www.skyvalleychronicle.com/BREAK
It started out with a woman simply emailing “Les Misérables” star Hugh Jackman. It escalated into cyber stalking - she was obsessed with the Australian actor - and it came to a a head Saturday morning in New York when police say Katherine Thurston, 47, of California attacked Jackman with an electric razor in an attempt to shave his beard off.
Austin Woman Allegedly Cyber-Stalked a Celebrity - 04/14/13
http://www.kaaltv.com/article/stories/S
A story we first reported on in January. An Austin woman sending threatening messages over the internet. We're now learning who those messages were sent to. Those messages involved threats of rape, assault, and even murder. And now, we're learning the victim of that alleged cyber-stalking may have been a celebrity. According to the New York Post, that victim was Alexa Ray Joel, the daughter of singer Billy Joel.
After sexual harassment at workplace, woman faces online slander - 04/12/13
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/a
First it was sexual harassment at workplace. Next comes the slanderous campaign on the Internet. For this former employee of auditing firm KPMG, life has become hell since 2007. Now Aditi (name changed) is fighting with the Mumbai cyber police who are doing little on her 2012 complaint seeking action against websites which hosted offensive comments against her.
Laptop stolen from Islington sends home snaps of Iranian family's holiday - 04/12/13
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/la
An illustrator who had given up hope of being reunited with his stolen laptop was stunned when his computer reported back that it had fallen into the hands of a family in Iran – with photo evidence. Dom del Torto’s home in Islington was burgled on February 4, with thieves snatching an iPad and a MacBook Pro, but not before the 41-year-old had installed an application called Hidden App on his computer.
Is your child using the sinister website that pits friend against friend? This week a 15-year-old boy killed himself after being hounded on it. No wonder mothers want it banned... - 04/12/13
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/arti
When she looked at her teenage daughter’s laptop, it was almost impossible for Caroline Quinn to believe that the vicious words on the screen had been written about her child. ‘Slut’ and ‘anorexic freak’ were some of the choice words and phrases which had been posted on 13-year-old Laura’s social networking page. Another message, posted in response to a photograph of Laura at a friend’s birthday party, spat the vitriol: ‘Put some clothes on. I don’t wanna see your slutty face on my computer.’ The website, as 40-year-old Caroline learned, was ask.fm a notorious question-and-answer social networking site that has enjoyed an explosion in popularity among young British teenagers in the past year.
Metairie man arrested after he posts pics of himself wearing stolen jewelry on social media sites, cops say - 04/12/13
http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/201
Former lady of Blarney Castle wins damages after being called a 'psycho' on blog by daughter of husband's lover - 04/11/13
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/arti
The former wife of the owner of Blarney Castle, home to the Blarney Stone, has been awarded damages after being branded a 'psycho' on an internet blog. Lady Nora Colthurst accepted undisclosed libel damages and a public apology for the 'distressing' allegations, made by the daughter of her husband's lover.
Scotland Yard sacks seven for misusing Facebook and Twitter - 04/11/13
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/sc
Seven employees of the Metropolitan Police have been sacked for misusing social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter in the past five years, the Standard can reveal. They include three police officers and four Met civil staff.
Barclays analyst caught in email gaffe: We’re going to steal website’s ideas - 04/10/13
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/b
Barclays has been accused of “inappropriate” behaviour after one of its analysts was caught threatening to “steal” ideas from an internet start-up company backed by the Government. An employee at the banking giant was emailed by a friend who recommended Nutmeg, a new website that offers to manage portfolios for people with as little as £1,000 to invest.
Girl Sends Sext, Gets Kicked Out of School. Lacrosse Players Share Sext, Get Off Scot Free - 04/10/13
http://jezebel.com/girl-sends-sext-g
A 16-year-old student says she was forced to withdraw from her prestigious Catholic prep school after texting a topless photo to two of the school's star athletes, who shared it with the entire lacrosse team but received no punishment. Instead of using the incident as a teachable moment for both male and female students about trust and social media, the administration sent a clear message: girls are ungodly creatures who tempt boys into sin.
New Baltimore man accused of ‘sextorting’ females - 04/10/13
http://www.voicenews.com/articles/2
A New Baltimore man blackmailed 18 females in New York including several minors into performing sex acts for him during a video chat by telling them he had hacked into their e-mail accounts and obtained photos of them nude, according to federal court records. James S. Allen, 36, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on 18 counts of cyber-stalking and five counts of production of child pornography.
Kidwelly author attacks police for lack of help over internet 'harassment' - 04/10/13
http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Kidwe
A PROMINENT Kidwelly author claims internet tormentors are now threatening to "send a suicide bomber" to one of his book signings. Julian Ruck, who claims he has been subject to months of harassment on the internet has hit out at the police for "doing nothing" to help following the latest round of alleged threats.
Corporal who tried to 'big it up' by attending wedding in sergeant's uniform and medals bought on the internet is fined after being spotted on Facebook - 04/10/13
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/arti
A Royal Marine who impersonated a superior and used medals bought on the internet has been fined, after photographs of him were spotted on Facebook. Robert Barnett, who was a corporal at the time, wore medals he had not earned and the uniform of a sergeant, as he wanted to ‘big himself up’ at a family wedding, a court martial heard yesterday.
Father-of-two facing child sex charges found dead after vigilante hate campaign on Facebook - 04/10/13
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/arti
A coach driver facing child sex allegations is feared to have killed himself after being subjected to a vigilante hate campaign on Facebook. David Hughes, 44, was accused of grooming girls from a majorettes troupe he ferried to cheerleading competitions.
Foul-mouthed teen crime tsar QUITS her £15,000-a-year youth commissioner role after police launch investigation into Twitter rant - 04/09/13
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/arti
Britain's first youth crime commissioner quit yesterday after her own police force launched an investigation into racist and homophobic comments she posted on the internet. Paris Brown, 17, wrote the offensive messages on her personal Twitter account, which also included boasts about her sex life, violence, drinking binges and drugs.
Pictured for the first time: British teenage hacker, 18, who took part in cyber attacks on the CIA and the Serious Organised Crime Agency - 04/09/13
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/arti
This is the 18-year-old British hacker who joined in high-tech attacks on the CIA and the Serious Organised Crime Agency. A-Level student Mustafa Al-Bassam, who until now had his identity protected because of his age, previously admitted two computer crime charges relating to notorious hacker collective Lulzsec.
'Gang-rape victim', 17, kills herself 'after her attackers took picture of the assault and sent it to classmates who branded her a slut' - 04/09/13
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/arti
A 17-year-old girl has killed herself after four boys raped her and spread a photograph of the assault, causing classmates and friends to taunt and cyber-bully her, her mother has said. Rehtaeh Parsons from Nova Scotia, Canada hanged herself in her family's bathroom on Thursday after months of torment and, on Sunday night, her parents took her off life support.
Arrest Made For High School E-Mail Threat - 04/09/13
http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2013/0
A King County sheriff’s spokeswoman says detectives have made an arrest in a March 29 emailed bomb threat that warned of a “blood bath” at Kentwood High School in suburban Covington, south of Seattle. School officials voluntarily sent students home for the day while officers searched the school. No explosive devices were found.
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/04/0
Some residents of a New Mexico town said they were angered by an April Fools' prank using a fake city newsletter to tell them they would be microchipped.
The document, printed in the style of the Bernalillo city newsletter, was delivered to homes Monday and explained a toll road was going electronic and "residents of Bernalillo will be exempt from toll charges and will be implanted with a microchip that will allow for toll-free travel," KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, reported Thursday.
"You go to the bottom, and it says, 'Happy April Fool's Day,'" Miller said.
However, Miller said the disclaimer was not conspicuously placed.
Oh, I was very fooled," Miller said, "until I was contacted by someone, who was contacted by someone, who was contacted by someone, who said, 'Look to the bottom of the document.'"
"This is not a document to be playing around with," Miller said. "It's something that money, time and effort was put into, and no one gains from it. I'm all for a joke -- but this isn't funny."
Not all residents were upset by the prank. Local woman Mary Aguilar-Lee said she rated the joke an eight on her humor scale.
City leaders did not respond to calls for comment.
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Bullying in the digital age - 04/08/13
http://www.mndaily.com/opinion/colu
Last week, the Maryland General Assembly passed House Bill 396, which seeks to stem “cyberbullying” by criminalizing certain behavior and annoyances. The bill, Grace’s Law, honors the tragic death of Grace McComas, a 15-year-old girl who committed suicide after being harassed by a neighbor via social media. The passage of this bill is a victory for politicians who are seizing on the omnipresent topic of cyberbullying.
Bill will let teachers seize pupils' phones - 04/08/13
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-ti
Schools may soon be able to seize pupils' smartphones and search through their contents for evidence of cyber-bullying. Most principals are publicly welcoming the proposed law change, but others in the sector fear it could irreparably damage the vital relationship schools have with pupils and their parents.
Schoolboy, 15, bullied to death by trolls on the internet: friends say vile posts drove him to despair - 04/08/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
A schoolboy found hanged in his parents’ garden had complained of cyber-bullying on a notorious social networking site, it has emerged. Josh Unsworth, 15, had endured months of abusive messages on his profile on Ask.fm, which has been described by child safety experts as a ‘stalker’s paradise’.
Cyber bullying: 'He told me he was a footballer. I wasn't to know I was a victim' - 04/07/13
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/cr
When 15-year-old schoolgirl Lain Lerouge was contacted through Facebook by a professional footballer, she was not star-struck in the least. The player, who starred for a Football League club, was already friends on the social networking website with mutual acquaintances and she assumed that was how he came to first contact her. After their initial internet meeting, she and the 19-year-old player developed a closer relationship, chatting every day via their accounts and even talking regularly on the phone.
Labour star Chuka Umunna admits his aides probably set up and edited his own Wikipedia page - 04/07/13
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/w
Chukka Umunna, a rising star Labour frontbencher, has admitted that his aides might have set up up and edited his own page on the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia. Mr Umunna, who is tipped as a future party leader, was accused of amending his page on the popular website under the pseudonym “Socialdemocrat”.
Rare, disturbing glimpse into cyberbullying world - 04/06/13
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinio
IT may be a work of fiction, yet, sadly, it's a story that could have been culled from the pages of almost any newspaper. A topic all too often in the news these days, cyberbullying is at the heart of American author Kimberly McCreight's first novel, part psychological thriller, part mystery and part coming-of-age story. McCreight includes enough well-placed plot twists -- not all of them unpredictable -- to keep the story moving at a nice pace, and she will keep most readers guessing until the last moment.
Don't they know who her husband is? Mike Tyson's wife 'sues unknown web tormentor over threatening emails' - 04/05/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/ar
You would think being married to a former heavyweight boxing champion would provide reasonable protection from harassment. But it has emerged Mike Tyson's wife Lakiha Spicer is suing an unidentified assailant over threatening emails. She is also accusing the mystery tormentor, who is identified only by their IP address, of menacing her family.
India’s Criminal Law Amendment To Include Cyber Stalking, Harassment And Voyeurism - 04/05/13
http://www.medianama.com/2013/04/223-cr
The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill is a bill to be introduced in the Indian Parliament, will replace the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2013 currently in force, and aims at amending the existing provisions in criminal law in order to improve the safety of women. The Bill seeks to make changes to the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act. The Bill will introduce provisions in the IPC which would criminalise sexual voyeurism and stalking amending legal provisions to protect the privacy of individuals, such as discontinuing the practice of examination of the sexual history of the victim of a sexual assault for evidence.
East Windsor CEO pleads guilty to resolve online harassment, stalking charges - 04/05/13
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2
The head of an East Windsor technology company will have to pay a North Carolina woman $1,800 after she accused him of online harassment, a Plainsboro/Cranbury Municipal Court judge has decided. Robert Smithers, of Cranbury, will be able to avoid a long trial on criminal stalking and harassment charges by paying the fines and pleading guilty to a downgraded offense, the man’s attorney said today.
LOC Packard Campus employee arrested in Craigslist stalking case - 04/04/13
http://www.dailyprogress.com/starexpone
A film preservationist from the Library of Congress Packard Campus in Culpeper is in federal custody facing a felony stalking charge after allegedly posting fake sex ads on Craigslist targeting a Fauquier County woman he briefly dated two years ago. Kenneth Edward Kuban, 61, of Reva in Madison County was arrested last month after a recent undercover investigation found probable cause he violated a protective order originally entered July 2011, prohibiting contact with the woman.
Cyber-bullying out of control in Peel, say police - 04/02/13
http://www.mississauga.com/news/ar
Cyber-bullying is getting out of hand in Mississauga and Brampton, and young teens could be charged if they post and send messages without thinking about the consequences, Peel Regional Police said today in launching an initiative to combat the problem.
Schools expel 15 sex bullies a day: Even primary pupils driven to assaults by internet porn - 04/02/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
Fifteen children are expelled from school for sexual misconduct on average every day. At least one of these will be from primary school, official figures show. More than 3,000 children are excluded every year for offences including sexual bullying, sexual assaults and harassment. The revelation comes amid increasing concern over the prevalence of ‘sexting’, when boys share explicit pictures of girls, often leaving the victims feeling suicidal.
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/03/2
A Swedish grocery store has removed a photo of a suspected thief from its Facebook page after the move was criticized.
The Ica store in Vastra Gotaland posted an image from a surveillance camera of a suspected thief with the comment "nice that you like our lamb and beef," leading to several comments, some of a racist nature, Swedish news agency TT/The Local.se reported Friday.
Other comments raised questions of whether sharing the image online was legal. The Association of Ica Retailers criticized the move.
"It is highly inappropriate and nothing that we would support. Regardless of whether it is illegal or not it is not appropriate to do so under the Ica brand," spokesman Staffan Ekengren said. "This is definitely something we will look into."
A police report was filed against the owner of the store Thursday for putting the image online and it was removed from the Facebook page that evening.
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Facebook and Twitter-linked sex crimes quadruple in four years as paedophiles exploit social network users - 04/01/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
Sex offences linked to Facebook and Twitter have more than quadrupled over the last four years, worrying new figures revealed today. A total of 1,642 cases where the social networking sites were used to commit a crime or were involved in some way afterwards have been reported to police since 2009. The number of cases each year soared from 139 to 614 over that period, while the number of alleged rapes has risen from 22 to 117.
Student 'advertised a mock rape sex fantasy on Craigslist then claimed to have been abducted and attacked' - 03/29/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
A student who advertised a sex fantasy on Craigslist involving a mock rape has been arrested after she later claimed to have been abducted and attacked. Police launched a search for an alleged attacker who wore a ski mask after Mary Kate Gullickson claimed she was the victim of a sexual assault.
Archers editor Vanessa Whitburn 'was cyber-bullied' - 03/29/13
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertain
The outgoing editor of The Archers has said she was "cyber-bullied" by listeners over the show's storylines. Vanessa Whitburn is retiring as the BBC Radio 4 programme's longest-serving editor after 22 years. Ms Whitburn admitted she had felt stress in the role at times but that "it does come with the territory".
Cyber Bullying on Instagram Case Reported To Tracy Police - 03/29/13
http://fox40.com/2013/03/27/cyber-bully
The Jefferson School District in Tracy is investigating an incident in which several girls allegedly hacked a social media site of a 12-year-old Jefferson School student and injected “sexually derogatory information” on the account. The incident came to light when the girl’s mother filed a police report so that she could close an Instagram account. Apparently, neither the mother nor the school district could get rid of the offending material on the photo-sharing social media app without a police report.
Cheating husband jailed for posting sex tape of his mistress online cyber bullies his wife FROM PRISON after she asks for a divorce - 03/29/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
The wife of an IT consultant currently serving a seven-year sentence for posting a sex tape of his ex-girlfriend online and advertising her as an escort, has revealed she too has been a victim of his cyber bullying since he was imprisoned in January. Kathleen Stimon, a school librarian in New Hampshire, has been married to Bruce Stimon, 47, for 22 years and they have a 13-year-old son together.
Insatiable Casanova: Teaching assistant, 47, calls in the police after Italian waiter lover harasses her to have sex 'morning, noon and night' - 03/29/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
=A teaching assistant had to get police to restrain her ‘insatiable’ lover after she dumped him for being too demanding in the bedroom. The 47-year-old mother of three, who was looking for love after the death of her husband, began a whirlwind romance with Italian waiter Giuseppe Morello, 43.
Conman, 75, jailed for selling a house he didn't even own and pocketing £90,000 - 03/28/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
A 75-year-old conman has been jailed for six years after pocketing £90,000 from the sale of a house he didn't even own. Brian Kiddell posed as the owner of the home in Newton Abbot, Devon, and put the house up for sale on the internet. The real owner had no idea what was going on until he happened to drive past the property and noticed an estate agent's For Sale board outside.
Bismarck man faces felony stalking charge for harassing women - 03/28/13
http://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/c
A Bismarck man recently released from custody for stalking women he found through online classified advertisements now faces a felony stalking charge for sending harassing messages to a Bismarck woman. Jeremy Ferderer, 33, was charged Wednesday with Class C felony stalking. The offense is a felony because Ferderer has a previous misdemeanor stalking conviction.
Cyberbullying of high school girls investigated by Colo. cops - 03/28/13
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083
Students at a Fort Collins high school say a Facebook page led to a weekend of bullying for some female students, and although the page has since been taken down, police are investigating, CBS Denver reported. The station says the page included a lot of graphic content, including vicious and personal attacks.
Social media site Spillit among latest sources of cyberbullying - 03/28/13
http://www.phillyburbs.com/blogs/realit
“You’re ugly and fat. Get a life or kill yourself.” She stares at the computer monitor and cries. Feeling alone and hated, she locks her door and commits self-harm. The cyberbullying has begun. This is what our Internet society has become. Now, one is more confident behind a keyboard than out in the real world.
Email threats probe by cops - 03/28/13
http://www.hamiltonadvertiser.co.uk/new
Police have launched an investigation after a councillor on the Hamilton BID board has received sinister threats. Sources claim Councillor Anne Kegg has been targeted by a twisted cyber troll after replacing SNP councillor Lynn Adams on the Hamilton Business Improvement District board. Tory councillor Kegg was in February voted onto the board in favour of Councillor Adams following bitter in-fighting between Labour and the SNP.
Girls accused of cyber-bullying classmate on Instagram - 03/27/13
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-m
School officials in a Northern California community are investigating allegations of cyber-bullying involving the Instagram photo social media site. Several girls at Jefferson High School in Tracy allegedly hacked into the Instagram account of a classmate and injected “sexually derogatory information” there, according to Fox 40.
Bogus sugar daddy claimed to be oligarch's ex-SAS pal as he fleeced professional women of thousands after meeting them on dating websites - 03/27/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
With his wealth, glamorous lifestyle and friends in high places, Jonathan Price probably seemed too good to be true. Unfortunately for the women who fell for his charms, that’s exactly what he was. The serial conman posed as a rich ‘sugar daddy’ to trap a string of professional women and fleece them for tens of thousands of pounds.
'Stone her to death': Tunisian preacher demands protester, 19, is executed for posting topless pictures on Facebook - 03/27/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
A Ukrainian women's rights group is calling for a 'topless revolution' in Tunisia after a Muslim preacher demanded a girl who posted naked pictures of herself online be stoned because she is an 'epidemic'. FEMEN, which regularly stages high-profile naked protests, is declaring April 4 the day of 'relentless topless jihad against Islamism' in a bid to jump-start a new Arab Spring for women's rights.
San Diego DA Zeroes In On Stalkers - 03/26/13
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2013/mar/26/sa
A relationship ends and you're ready to move on, but your former partner won't stop following you, harassing you or calling you on the phone. Should you file a restraining order? One in 12 women will be stalked in their lifetimes and many stalkers are using online resources, such as social media, to find out information about their victims. San Diego County's District Attorney is offering a resource for victims in the form of a podcast. It provides information to help avoid becoming a stalking victim.
Teen cyberbully pleads guilty to terrorizing former Orono schoolmate - 03/26/13
http://bangordailynews.com/2013/03/26/n
A 17-year-old former Orono High School student was sentenced in court Tuesday for terrorizing a girl she thought was flirting with her boyfriend. May Callahan, who now lives in Scarborough, pleaded guilty to one count each of felony terrorizing and misdemeanor terrorizing during the juvenile justice proceeding at the Penobscot Judicial Center, according to Assistant District Attorney James Aucoin.
Girls of 13 pressured to pose for home-made blue movies: Teachers warn pornography is becoming part of everyday life - 03/26/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
Girls as young as 13 are facing pressure to appear in home-made porn movies, teachers warned yesterday. Young teenagers are also submitting to demands from boys for explicit photos which are often shared among friends and even placed on the internet for millions to view. A conference was told yesterday how easy access to depraved online content is destroying children’s innocence and changing how they perceive themselves and others.
CEO of East Windsor technology company accused of online harassment, stalking - 03/25/13
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2
A Cranbury man is scheduled to appear in court next week to face charges of harassment and stalking for allegedly sending threatening e-mails and online messages to a North Carolina woman last year.
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/03/2
Officials at a California aquarium said a couple of young penguins have taken a liking to a mouse-chasing iPad app designed to amuse cats.
The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach said penguins Jeremy and Newsom, who are still too young to get caught up in the excitement of the upcoming mating season, have found "enrichment" with the free "Game for Cats" iPad app, ABC News reported Friday.
The game features a mouse running around the screen that lets out a squeak when tapped by a paw -- or in this case, a beak.
"Newsom set the penguin high score of 1,600 for the game," the aquarium said on its website.
A YouTube video of Newsom playing the game has been viewed more than 167,000 times.
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The internet unlocked something dark in humanity. Top author Anthony Horowitz uses speech to make claims - 03/25/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
Acclaimed author Anthony Horowitz believes parts of the internet are ‘foul, disgusting and cruel’ and that ‘evil is getting the upper hand’. In a powerful speech yesterday, the best-selling children’s adventure writer said the web ‘unlocked something quite dark in humanity’. He said: ‘There is so much in the internet that is foul and disgusting and cruel. It’s an interesting mix.’
Drug dealers' website selling ecstasy and HEROIN doubles its sales to £1MILLION a month... and the police are powerless to ban it - 03/23/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
An illegal website is selling more than £1million worth of drugs every single month - with many of the banned substances being posted to buyers in the UK. Visitors to the virtually untraceable 'Silk Road' website can buy ecstasy, heroin, cannabis and cocaine which is then disguised as a normal packaged parcel by the seller and sent through the post.
Mapping the Internet: A Hacker's Secret Internet Census - 03/22/13
http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor
Somewhere on this planet there is a hacker whose emotions are likely shifting between pride and fear. Pride, because he managed to do what no one else has managed. And fear, because it was illegal in almost every country in the world.
Online Threats Against Women Aren't Trivial and Don't Happen in a Vacuum - 03/22/13
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/soraya-ch
Adria Richards tweeted a photo earlier this week and is now the target of rape and death threats. She joins an infinitely long line of women whom groups of men seek to control through the threat of violence. The usual narratives about this phenomenon curry the ridiculous fiction that this harassment is trivial and inconsequential and that women need to grow a thicker skin.
Rapist's girlfriend set up false Facebook accounts pretending to be confessions from his victims that they LIED in a desperate bid to free him - 03/22/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
The girlfriend of a convicted rapist tried to clear his name by framing two of his victims with fake Facebook profiles. Ceri Shipman, 25, set up bogus accounts and used them to send messages supposedly from the women saying they had made up the allegations. She acted after her boyfriend Jason Savage was jailed indefinitely for a string of violent rapes, being branded 'cold, calculating and sadistic' by a judge.
Fake vicar stole £90,000 in European grants after gaining clerical title from U.S. website - 03/22/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
o his 'parishioners' George Gordon appeared a genuine man of the cloth. Calling himself 'The Reverend', he wore a dog collar and boasted of Cambridge University degrees. The 52-year-old claimed he suffered from manic depression and cancer, and volunteered to help charities for victims of mental health problems. In reality, he was a serial conman and convicted fraudster, who bought his clerical title online and was only dedicated to helping himself.
Cyberstalker of Jackson State President Awaiting Indictment - 03/21/13
http://www.bet.com/news/national/2013/0
A contentious Internet drama was recently diffused when a 20-year-old man was arrested on charges of cyberstalking Jackson State University president Carolyn Meyers. However, the alleged stalker is still waiting for formal felony charges to be filed by a grand jury. Jhamerius Darshawn Mack, a 20-year-old resident of Raymond, Mississippi, and who is not a student at the university, was charged with making threats against Meyers on Facebook.
Dating website wants to rename town - 03/21/13
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/0
A dating website is offering the town of Sugar Hill, Ga., $3.7 million to change its name to Sugardaddie.com. Darrell Shuster, a spokesman for the website, geared toward pairing affluent older men with younger women, said the company is seeking a name change for the town of 18,000 as a unique advertising opportunity, WGCL-TV, Atlanta, reported Thursday.
Catch Me If You Can conman issues stark warning on the dangers of revealing personal information on Facebook - 03/21/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/science
The famous former teenage conman whose exploits were immortalised in the Hollywood blockbuster Catch Me If You Can has issued a stark warning about the dangers of Facebook. Frank Abagnale, portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the Steven Spielberg film, said that the personal information revealed by millions on the social network is a rich seam for identity thieves.
How Twitter and Facebook expose children to websites for prostitutes: Vice-girl ads are illegal in phone boxes, so why not on social media? - 03/20/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/artic
As with all Facebook pages, the standard profile details at the top have been filled in by the user who created it. The relationship status is given as 'open', while the other one page that is 'liked' is the Playboy Club in London. Both are clues as to the nature of this particular page. It belongs not to an individual but to an escort agency called Raunchy Manchester Escorts.
Facebook Stalking Your Date Isn't Such A Great Idea -- Here's Why - 03/19/13
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/1
I grew up with a Hollywood-crafted notion of a first date. It happens in montage form, of course, and in a variety of localeson a picnic, in a rowboat, as you learn the pachangawhile discovering your random common interests: salami sandwiches, Dickens novels, and whatever else we cannot know since the swelling music obscures the words, but any observer can tell it's all charming and perfect.
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/03/1
A Dutch man who found a teddy bear left behind on a train said he was able to return it to its 3-year-old owner after an eight-month social media campaign.
Cees de Jonge, a photographer, said he found the bear on a train that arrived in Hoorn in July and decided to take it home when the conductor told him it would be discarded if he turned it in, Netherlands newspaper ad.nl reported Monday.
De Jonge said his Facebook posts about the bear yielded so many responses that he made the stuffed animal its own Facebook page. He said a friend made a Twitter account for the bear.
The photographer said months went by without finding the owner, but a fresh push last week resulted in a response from a woman who said the bear belonged to her 3-year-old son, Luciano, DutchNews.nl reported.
"I am the happiest bear in the world, I have found my owner, Luciano here I am," De Jonge posted on the bear's behalf.
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Man faces sentencing in iPad data breach case - 03/18/13
http://hosted2.ap.org/RIPRJ/de0a5f8f5c9
A man convicted in connection with the theft of more than 100,000 email addresses of Apple iPad users faces sentencing. Andrew Auernheimer is scheduled to appear in federal court in Newark Monday. The former Arkansas resident was convicted in November of identity theft and conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to computers.
Cyber stalkers leave residents in web of trouble - 03/18/13
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c
Neha Ghai, 28, a resident of BRS Nagar, was shocked after she received objectionable calls and text messages on her mobile phones and even vulgar e-mails in her inbox. As she approached the cyber cell of the city police, she came to know that she has become a victim of cyber stalking. The stalker had collected all personal information of the victim and put it on objectionable portals.
Minnesota woman loses music downloading appeal - 03/18/13
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie
The Supreme Court has turned away an appeal from a Minnesota woman who has been ordered to pay record companies $222,000 for the unauthorized downloading of copyrighted music. The justices didn't comment Monday in letting stand the judgment against Jammie Thomas-Rasset of Brainerd, Minn. She claimed in court papers that the ordered payment was excessive.
Hacker Case Leads to Calls for Better Law - 03/17/13
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/techn
Matthew Keys, the 26-year-old deputy social media editor at Reuters charged with assisting computer hackers, has emerged as the latest lightning rod in the continuing battle between proponents of Internet freedom and the Justice Department.
'Anyone got a gun? Bang!' Chilling message by sick internet troll 'threatening to shoot Madeleine McCann's mother as she runs London Marathon' - 03/17/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art
Kate McCann has reportedly received a death threat as she prepares to run the London Marathon next month. It emerged yesterday that an internet troll threatened to shoot her in a Facebook post, according to the Sun. McCann, mother of Madeleine McCann who disappeared in 2007, is taking part in the Marathon to raise money for the Missing People charity.
SoCal model encounters iPad pervert - 03/16/13
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/03/1
A Southern California fashion model said she alerted store security officers after she suspected a pet shop patron was using an iPad to look up her skirt. Brittanie Weaver encountered the alleged digital Peeping Tom this week at a pet shop in Sherman Oaks when he bent over to pet a dog at her feet, she told KTLA-TV, Los Angeles.
Alberta man's ID hijacked after online comment war turns ugly - 03/15/13
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/s
An Alberta man found out just how ugly an online debate can become when someone hijacked his identity and went on a crude Facebook rampage. Ken, who CBC News has agreed to identify by only his first name to protect his identity, joined a Facebook page on what he thought was a pretty tame subject saving Edmonton's inner city airport but the spirited debate turned nasty.
Security reporter tells Ars about hacked 911 call that sent SWAT team to his house (Updated) - 03/15/13
http://arstechnica.com/security/20
Brian Krebs has always been a trailblazer among security reporters. His exposés completely shut down a California hosting service that coddled spammers and child pornographers and severely disrupted an organized crime syndicate known as Russian Business Network. More recently, his investigative journalism has followed the money to the people who sell malware exploit kits, illicitly procured credit reports, and denial-of-service services in underground forums.
Poet says she is the target of ‘online cult leader's’ cyber stalking - 03/15/13
http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_stor
When an auctioneer from Seattle began publishing a Marietta poet’s work on her own website for free, the poet fought back. Linda Ellis, author of “The Dash” and other poems, confronted auctioneer April Brown about her unauthorized post of the poem. The auctioneer contacted Matthew Chan of Columbus, who reportedly runs an organization that believes published works should be free to the public online.
Facebook friends discover relation - 03/14/13
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/0
An Iowa woman says a Facebook post led her to discover another woman -- they met at a party four years ago -- was a niece who had been put up for adoption. Paula O'Brien, 39, said she posted to Facebook March 6 about when her brother put his first child up for adoption -- incorrectly giving the date as Sept. 19, 1982 -- and received a reply from Abbey Donohoe, 29, a woman she had befriended at a party four years earlier, the Quad City Times, Davenport, Iowa, reported Thursday.
Man plans to meet all his Facebook friends - 03/14/13
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/0
A Connecticut man said he raised $5,000 online to fund his trip to visit all 788 of his Facebook friends in person. Ty Morin said the aim of his "Friend Request: Accepted" project, which he is funding with donations received on Kickstarter.com, "is to reconnect with people. No more hiding behind the screen of social media," CNN reported Thursday.
Sherlock would have been proud! Benedict Cumberbatch turns detective to uncover the star-struck neighbour who was tweeting his every move - 03/14/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
It was a mystery that Sherlock Holmes himself might have struggled to solve – the curious case of the heart-throb actor and the cyber-stalker. Someone, it seems, was snooping on the home of Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays a contemporary version of Arthur Conan Doyle’s sleuth in the hit TV series Sherlock, and documenting his actions in real time on a social networking site. Old Harrovian Cumberbatch, 36, was so unnerved he considered calling the police.
Harlem Shake: could it kill sampling? - 03/13/13
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/ma
An unexpected viral dance craze shot Baauer's Harlem Shake to the top of the Billboard charts. Almost immediately, legal letters began to arrive. So, can cut-and-paste culture continue to flourish on the internet?
Tragedy inspires Facebook activism against cyberbullying - 03/12/13
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/f
Youth suicide hit home for Kristi Essler when one of her Kelowna Secondary classmates committed suicide after graduation as a result of bullying.
"I know of several people in the community who have taken their lives as well - whether it was during high school or after high school. A lot of them had gone through years of bullying," said Essler, now 21. "I'm all about the rights of individuals. It's been an issue that I have been passionate about for a very long time."
Beware new 'ratters' plague: Men are spying on women through their OWN webcams by loading virus on to their computers - 03/12/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
Growing numbers of women are being spied on by hackers who access their webcams then take secret pictures and post them on 'sex slave' forums. The hackers - known as Rats - infect the device with a remote administration tool (RAT) that opens up the woman's screen, webcam, files and microphone. These women can then be monitored in secret or taunted by the hacker who sends mocking messages and pictures into her computer.
Not so tough now! Boxer who lost his national title pays visit to confront abusive Twitter user - 03/12/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
Internet trolls who poisonously mock sportsmen behind a screen of anonymity take note - you're not as safe as you think you are. Ex-footballer turned boxer Curtis Woodhouse was so incensed by the vitriolic comments he received from one Twitter user he offered a cash reward for the man's address and drove to confront him on his doorstep. The 32-year-old ex-Birmingham City and Hull City centre, who took up boxing at 26, lost his English light welterweight crown to Shayne Singleton on a controversial points decision last week.
Rosebush woman accused of cyber stalking - 03/12/13
http://www.themorningsun.com/article/20
An Isabella County woman was arraigned Monday after being arrested for allegedly stalking a probation officer, using the Morning Sun’s website. Johnna Elizabeth Totten, 39, of Rosebush was charged with stalking, a one-year misdemeanor; and using a computer to commit a crime, also a one-year misdemeanor. Isabella County Magistrate Sandra Straus ordered Totten to remain jailed in lieu of posting $1,200 of a $12,000 bond.
Raymond man accused of cyberstalking JSU leader - 03/11/13
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20
A 20-year-old Raymond man threatened bodily harm against Jackson State University President Carolyn Meyers in a Facebook post, investigators and JSU officials allege. Jhamerius Darshawn Mack, who investigators say is not a JSU student, was arrested March 5 and charged with two counts of felony cyberstalking in connection with the alleged threats against Meyers via social media. Mack is jailed at the Hinds County Detention Center in Raymond under a total $10,000 bond.
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/03/1
An Indiana man got a Netflix tattoo on his torso and after posting it to Twitter, company representatives saw it and gave him a free year's subscription.
Myron Robinson of Kokomo said he's always been a big fan of the company and as an inside joke with a few friends, got the tattoo. He tweeted a picture, saying, "@netflix put me on a commercial I love you guys."
KGO-TV, San Francisco, said Netflix responded, retweeting "NO WAY! Free year for you."
A year's subscription to Netflix costs about $96, the San Francisco Chronicle said.
Reed Hastings, chief executive officer for the Los Gatos, Calif., company, also posted Robinson's story on his Facebook page.
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NEWS TO USE AND PASS ALONG!
(DISCLAIMER: The following news items were found on the web and were not written or endorsed by WHO@; they are for informational purposes only)
We're punks of our generation, say teen 'trolls' behind Facebeef - 03/11/13
http://www.cowraguardian.com.au/story/1
The teenagers behind the Facebook page known as "Facebeef" have a knack for creating publicity and courting controversy. Having built a large online following over the past year, the members of Facebeef have recently featured in mainstream media reports describing them as Australia's worst internet trolls for their subversive – or as critics say, offensive – antics.
N.Y. teacher fired for topless email pics - 03/09/13
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/03/0
A New York teacher got canned for using a shared school email account to send out shirtless pictures of himself to potential hook-ups on Craigslist.
Thief steals phone, posts pic to vic's FB - 03/09/13
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/03/0
A New York woman said a man mugged her for her cellphone and then mugged in a different way -- posting a photo on her Facebook page of himself smoking pot.
Discount website accused of ripping people off - 03/09/13
http://www.kptv.com/story/21561122/loca
It's a website claiming to give you discounts on products while helping out several nonprofits, but many businesses who use the company Sharing[] Spree said they were ripped off. Several business owners[] said they never received the money that was due to them. The website says you can save up to 90% on restaurants, entertainment, spas and more in your city. It even claims that a portion of every deal goes back to a local nonprofit. "That's one of the reasons why I went with this company," said Katie Maclaskey, who owns Lake Oswego and Happy Valley Adventure Boot Camp.
How Facebook could get you arrested - 03/09/13
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/20
The police have a very bright future ahead of them – and not just because they can now look up potential suspects on Google. As they embrace the latest technologies, their work is bound to become easier and more effective, raising thorny questions about privacy, civil liberties, and due process.
Pair sentenced in Internet-based fraud scheme - 03/09/13
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie
Two people from central Europe have been sentenced for their roles in an Internet-based fraud scheme involving opening bank accounts with false passports. U.S. District Judge Aleta A. Trauger said 34-year-old Beatrix Boka of Hungary and 40-year-old Aleksander Kunkin of Serbia played small, but crucial roles in a scheme that defrauded 36 people. Prosecutors say the victims believed they were wiring money to buy vehicles from eBay or AutoTrader.
Rosebush woman accused of cyberstalking - 03/08/13
http://www.themorningsun.com/article/20
Michigan State Police say they’ve arrested a Rosebush woman on charges of cyberstalking parole and probation officers. The 39-year-old woman is accused of making malicious posts in TheMorningSun.com’s comments section targeting members of the Isabella County adult parole and probation office. State Police Sgt. Gary Green said in a statement the arrest concluded a two-month investigation.
Englewood company fires Franklin Sain amid e-mail harassment case - 03/08/13
http://www.denverpost.com/breaking
A Colorado Springs man sent "vile" e-mails to Rep. Rhonda Fields and left her voice mails laced with sexual and racial epithets, but he did not send her an unsigned, threatening letter, the man's attorney said Friday. Judge James Breese advised Franklin Glenn Sain, 42, of the charges against him: harassment involving ethnic intimidation and attempting to influence a public servant.
Ten scams on the rise in 2013 - 03/07/13
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/pers
There is one industry that is growing rapidly: financial scams. These range from the sophisticated to the downright weird – but all have the same aim: to relieve you of your money. Recent figures from the National Fraud Authority show that the total lost to individuals from fraud and other scams is more than £6bn a year. Here are our top 10 scams to watch out for this year.
What Happens When You Post Revenge Porn? - 03/07/13
http://www.nerve.com/love-sex/i-po
Usually when it comes to revenge porn, there are two distinct parties involved: the person doing the revenge, and the person receiving the revenge (aka the person whose photos or videos become porn). But if one party posts revenge porn to get back at their ex, then what's to stop that ex from posting revenge porn to avenge revenge porn?
Conwoman posed as counsellor on Facebook to get grieving mother to pay for therapy sessions after she suffered miscarriages - 03/07/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
A conwoman posing as a counsellor took money from a vulnerable mother who was grieving over two miscarriages. Cold-hearted Christine Stevens, 47, advertised herself on Facebook and duped vulnerable Lisa Williams, 39, into paying £185 for nine counselling sessions.
Revealed: How immigrants are gaining U.S. citizenship by getting married on Skype - to people thousands of miles away - 03/06/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
A rise in Skype weddings is allowing immigrants to legally gain American citizenship by exchanging vows from opposite ends of the globe, it was revealed today. Many fear that the proxy online marriages, which allow a couple to wed in the absence of one or both spouses, will help facilitate marriage fraud, as well as see an increase in the number of sex trafficking victims.
Man facing cyberstalking, fire charges - 03/06/13
http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/crime/nc-m
A North Carolina man charged for threatening persons at a Dare County school Wednesday is facing additional charges for cyber stalking and malicious burning charges.
Bill would force cops to get a warrant before reading your e-mail - 03/06/13
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2
Last fall we wrote about how easy it probably was for the FBI to get the e-mails it needed to bring down CIA chief David Petraeus over allegations of infidelity. Under the ancient Electronic Communications Privacy Act, passed in 1986, the police can often obtain the contents of private e-mails without getting a warrant from a judge.
Internet stalking: When fan obsession goes too far - 03/05/13
http://communities.washingtontimes.c
What is wrong with people today? Why would people go out of their way to hurt someone they don’t even know and possibly cost another person his life? Not much in our world surprises me anymore, but this takes the cake. This is fan obsession at its worst.
Fake vicar stole £30,000 from charity after buying clerical title from a Canadian website and calling himself The Reverend - 03/05/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
A man, who falsely claimed he was a vicar, stole up to £30,000 in charity funds after buying a clerical title online. 'Clever trickster' George Gordon, 51, faces jail after he siphoned off European grant funding for voluntary groups set up to help some of the most vulnerable people in Britain.
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2013/02/2
A Reddit user who says he's a ranger at Yosemite National Park shared a letter from a junior ranger that apologizes for taking home two sticks from the park.
The Reddit user, who goes by the name of bestmattever, uploaded a photo of a hand written letter from a girl identified as Evie, KPIX-TV, San Francisco, reported Wednesday.
In the letter, Evie said she accidentally brought home two sticks -- which were attached to the note -- from her time as a junior ranger in the park.
"I know I'm not supposed to take things from the park, so I am sending them back. Please put them in nature," Evie wrote.
Bestmattever said he wrote back to the girl and her parents, commending her for her honesty and promising to put the sticks back in the park.
The letter was trending on Reddit on Wednesday and has received more than 7,000 likes on Yosemite National Park's Facebook page.
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NEWS TO USE AND PASS ALONG!
(DISCLAIMER: The following news items were found on the web and were not written or endorsed by WHO@; they are for informational purposes only)
Indian women use smartphones to ‘pin the creeps’ - 03/04/13
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-n
With virtual bodyguards, panic buttons and maps to pinpoint harassment blackspots, women in urban India are using their smartphones for protection after a notorious gang-rape in New Delhi. Interest in safety apps and websites has surged since the fatal December attack, in which a 23-year-old student was set upon by a drunken gang on her way home from a cinema in the Indian capital.
Skier Death Threat: Tina Maze Gets Threatening Emails Before Super-G Race, Star Gets Bodyguards At Event After Deadly Message - 03/04/13
http://www.sportsworldreport.com/articl
The Super-G race event in Austria on Sunday was marred by an emailed death threat to star Tina Maze, who was put underpolice protection after receiving threats against her prior to the race. According to the Associated Press, World Cup skier Tina Maze received bodyguards and police protection at the event after she received an email on Saturday afternoon with a death threat. The Slovenian skier finished fourth in the race, which was won by Anna Fenninger of Austria.
Bode Miller’s baby mama, Sara McKenna, claims skier’s wife is threatening her - 03/03/13
http://www.examiner.com/article/bode-mi
Sara McKenna, who gave birth to Bode Miller’s baby in February, has filed a complaint with police alleging the skier’s wife, Morgan Beck, is attacking her via the Internet, according to a Mar. 3, 2013 TMZ report. The New York Police Dept. complaint alleges aggravated harassment and says Beck has been sending McKenna threatening messages online using various fake social media accounts, including Twitter.
Unmasked: Tristan Barker, Australia's worst internet troll, being investigated by police - 03/02/13
http://www.news.com.au/technology/unmas
THE son of a top musician has been unmasked as this country's most prolific internet troll and is being investigated by detectives for online "stalking''. Tristan Barker, 18, who has a track record of terrorising vulnerable members of the community, said his aim was to see how far he can push his 300,000-plus teenage internet-subscribed fans.
Cannibal Cop plot: Arrested British nurse says he wrote 'stupid things' online because it was 'funny' - 03/02/13
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/ca
A British nurse arrested as part of an international investigation into cannibalism has insisted his involvement was because of "fantasy" and his "stupid" online writing. Dale Bolinger said he had written "stupid things" online because it was "funny".
Former teacher accused of posting threatening tweets - 03/01/13
http://www.turnto10.com/story/21438
Coventry police on Friday arrested a former Coventry High School teacher for what they called a series of so-called threatening messages on Twitter. Todd Gillheeney, 33, was arraigned in Kent County District Court on charges of threats to public officials, cyber stalking, and harassing phone calls.
Bob Woodward releases copy of email threat from White House aide Gene Sperling - 02/28/13
http://www.examiner.com/article/bob-woo
Bob Woodward has released a copy of the email exchange between White House senior official Gene Sperling and Bob Woodward in which Sperling issued what is being viewed as a threat to Woodward. The emails were published on Feb. 28 on Politico. Woodward has been criticized for his polite response to Gene Sperling, included also with the original email for your viewing here.
Franklin Sain's Attorney Says Alleged Death Threats To Rep. Rhonda Fields Over Gun Bills Are Just Free Speech - 02/28/13
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/2
The attorney for Franklin Sain, the 42-year-old Colorado Springs man who was arrested last week for allegedly threatening Rep. Rhonda Fields (D-Aurora) over gun bills that she currently sponsors and which passed in the state House, says that his client's messages to Rep. Fields were simply free speech and protected under law.
Ex-student accused of e-mail threats - 02/28/13
http://www.sfgate.com/crime/articl
A former student at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill has been charged in federal court with making racially tinged, online death threats to professors at the college - including one who served as the city's mayor - and at the University of Oregon.
Judge blames 15-year-old boy's internet porn obsession for his rape of girl, 14, in a 'heinous' attack - 02/27/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
A distraught father has demanded ministers take action after his teenage daughter was raped by a boy obsessed with hardcore online porn. The schoolgirl, who was 14 at the time, was bound, gagged, beaten up and raped by the 15-year-old as he tried to re-enact sadistic scenes he had viewed on the internet.
Drunken thug, 25, ripped Sikh man's turban off his head for a joke causing the victim to be shunned by his own community - 02/26/13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar
A man ripped a Sikh supermarket worker's turban off his head and told friends to film the incident and put it on YouTube during a drunken joke, a court has heard. Ashley Cicatello, 25, had spent the afternoon drinking beer and Jagerbomb shots when he spotted the victim in a Sainsbury's supermarket on December 27, last year.
Cyberstalking victims speak out - 02/26/13
http://myfox8.com/2013/02/26/cyberstakl
A Greensboro family is pleased with a jury’s guilty verdict for the woman who cyberstalked them for more than two years. 25-year-old Meghan McCarthy was convicted on seven counts that included making harassing phone calls, computer trespassing and cyberstalking. The Pfisters say the harassing phone calls and emails from McCarthy started when she and their 26-year-old son broke-up.
NC woman gets probation for cyberstalking charges - 02/26/13
http://myfox8.com/2013/02/26/nc-woman-g
An Apex woman was found guilty Monday on charges related to cyberstalking and harassing her ex-boyfriend. According to the Greensboro News & Record, Meghan McCarthy, 25, was convicted in Guilford County Superior Court of four counts of making harassing phone calls, two counts of cyberstalking and one count of computer trespass.
YOUTH RESOURCES: Cyberbullying is a downside to technology - 02/26/13
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2013/f
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” This phrase often has been heard on elementary school playgrounds. The real truth is that while mean-spirited words may not produce physical harm, words do have the power to hurt and leave lasting wounds.
Facebook agrees to pull pages that harass, exploit Newtown - 02/25/13
http://www.kfvs12.com/story/21325100/la
Facebook has agreed to remove some of the pages related to the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown after concerns were being raised by family members of victims saying they're being harassed and exploited.
