Abraham Biggs died quietly in his room alone, except for the live audience that was watching the 19-year-old via his webcam.

Two weeks ago, Jonathan Hock allegedly performed various sex acts on an unconscious woman while streaming the incident live on the internet.

In both cases, the nearly all of the spectators did nothing, choosing simply to watch and comment. Some of the viewers of Abraham’s suicide, which was broadcast on Justintv.com even taunted him, but it wasn’t until eight to ten hours later that someone called the police. The woman in Hock’s broadcast did not learn of the alleged attack until her friends notified her that they had seen pictures of her on the internet. One single viewer, reportedly from Louisiana, had also alerted police.

Johnathon Richard Hock (accused of the rape) and Abraham K. Biggs (suicide on Justin.tv)

What is shocking about these incidents is not the subject matter – “date rape,” violence against women, depression and suicide are unfortunately all too common in our society. It is the reaction – actually, the lack of reaction – by the viewers that is distressing.

Abraham died in front of an audience of nearly 1,500 throughout his videostream, according to a CNN video.

Can you imagine saying to a purportedly suicidal man, “go ahead and do it” and “that’s not enough to kill you?” Abrahams was suffering and anguished, which is apparent from his last blog entry:

I want my life to end. I am tired of f@#$ing up everything. I am tired of people always telling me that they do not like me. I am tired of trying to be decent. I hope that someone finds this post and I hope that my parents know that I f@#$ed up not them. It is my fault I screwed up my own life. The hate that rages within me, rages not for those I love so dearly or those who have crossed my path. This hate rages full force towards me and only me.

I have long forgiven those who’ve hurt me, but I have not and cannot come to terms to forgive myself for the things I have done to myself, and the things I’ve done to hurt those in my life.

Image courtesy of YellowBirdPhotography, licensed under Creative Commons

Granted, the audience did not “know’ he was “really” going to end his life. According to media reports, the police were called when a viewer or viewers finally grew concerned – eight to ten hours later – because Mr. Biggs did not move, and had not moved, for an unnaturally long time.

How despicable that multiple responses to Abraham, when he first stated he would kill himself, were a simple “go ahead” – which is what he did. One person even reportedly wrote, “Stop giving the attention whore what he wanted.” Does webizenship come without human decency? Do we lose our moral compass when we enter cyberspace?

When we consume images and media without context or consequences, we become desensitized and indifferent to the suffering of others, focused only on our own enjoyment and entertainment. Chat rooms are social interactions but unlike having a conversation with others in real life, the consequences are minimal. Say the wrong thing to someone walking down the street and you may wind up with a broken jaw, but the same words said in an online chat would at worst get one booted or banned from the room.

And as for Hock’s video – perhaps the spectators thought it was all an act or staged. Or maybe they didn’t care, out of their own selfish enjoyment or for the sheer shock value of watching a 20-year-old male allegedly perform various sex acts on a young woman, purportedly without her knowledge.

Social media strategist David Griner, who was interviewed by both ABC News and the New York Daily News on Abraham’s suicide, stated people online are prone to “act like jerks” online because of the detachment the Internet offers. “I think that some people use that as an excuse to behave in really vile ways,” he said.

He further stated, “It’s impossible for sites like Justin.tv to monitor everything that’s going on, so that puts the burden on the community to help stop bad things from happening.”

Somehow, that doesn’t put anyone at ease.

Published on 16 June 2009 | 3 |