It seems like every day you hear a Modern story about cyber - bullying , phishing or a unexampled computer virus . But when good masses get together on the World Wide Web , it ’s awing what they can attain .
1. Preventing Suicides
While you probably have heard tale about cyber - hooligan pushing someone to commit suicide , there are also lots of taradiddle about depressed people deciding not to wipe out themselves after talking to someone online whom they never even met . Unfortunately , we do n’t hear about these causa closely as often .
Despite all the trash talking in online play school term , there is also a real sense of camaraderie and friendly relationship . In one case , a teenager from Ontariocalled the law after one of his gaming pal in Texas said he was conceive of ending it all . An officer hail to the Ontario son ’s household and talked to the other teen over Xbox Live until he was able to realise the faith of the suicidal male child . Eventually , he convinced the teen in Texas to let him speak to his father , who reported that he had no mind his boy was feeling that way and would do whatever it necessitate to help his son get through this difficult metre .
These sort of incident are n’t limited to gaming sessions though;one womanhood in Australia save an English humanity ’s lifeafter seeing a post where the man said he would kill himself within the next 15 arcminute . She talk to him online for a while , gaining his trustingness until he gave his sound number to her . She then catch one of her Friend live in England to call the self-destructive man and mouth to him until the humans felt comfortable partake in his location . When the constabulary showed up at the depressed man ’s business firm , he already had a earphone electric cord wrapped around his neck , but had not yet seek to end it all . police force praise the activity of the Australian woman and her friend , pointing out that the untested man in all probability would n’t have made it if the two had n’t act so quickly and diligently .
[ paradigm good manners ofSamantha Marx ’s Flickr streamandDavid Shankbone . ]
2. Saving Lives
Internet users have also saved the lives of those who did n’t want to belt down themselves , but could n’t get themselves out of a dangerous situation . In January 2011 , Robert Chambers , who suffers from muscular dystrophy , was stake on his information processing system when his wassailer caught on fire and smoke quickly started filling his dwelling house . Since he was ineffective to move quickly due to his condition , getting to the phone to call 911 was not an choice , so instead he shared his address and asked others in a chat room to call for help for him . People from around the U.S.called his local firing departmentand it was n’t long before Robert was saved .
In a like story , Wales house physician Peter Casaru , who suffers from spinal problem , found himself paralyzed one dawning . With his cell earpiece battery all in , his only option was to ask for help online . After drop back himself across the room , and without being able to see the keyboard since he did n’t have his chalk , he was still able to post an update on Facebook asking for someone to call the medic . Almost immediately , his friend and family answer and just before Casaru passed out from annoyance , the ambulance arrived to take him to a infirmary .
[ 911 poster range good manners ofTricia Wang ’s Flickr stream . ]
3. Helping Victims of Crime – While It Happens
Sometimes crime victims have find oneself the net to be the best way to ask for help as well . In late 2011 , a fair sex and her one - year - older were being held prisoner by her ex - husband . While she was ineffective to utilize the phone during the intact ordeal , she was able topost a plea for help on Facebook . A cleaning lady who had never fill the abuse mother see the post and called the dominance , who found the victim and her nipper severely beaten , but alive , after four days of starvation and torture . Their tormentor was promptly stop and charged with aggravated snatch , aggravated ravishment , domestic violence , tike misuse , forcible anal intercourse , animal cruelty and more .
Just this calendar month , a South African carjacking victimwho was locked in his tree trunk by the stealer was spare thanks to Twitter . While the police in the country are anything but reliable , the man knew he was at an advantage since he had his prison cell speech sound in the trunk with him . He texted his girlfriend , who then put the selective information out on Twitter , where it was peck up by a roadblock notification service with over 110,000 follower include a number of private protection firms . Soon enough , the car was site and the homo was keep before he suffered any serious strong-arm abuse .
[ Crime scene tape image courtesy ofBrandon Anderson ’s Flickr flow . ]
4. Helping Crime Victims After the Fact
cyberspace users have also number through to help crime victim find after they have been victimized . For example , when a young girl had her 300 - quid TARDIS replica slip from her own front G , Redditors donate enough moneyto get a new box built , staring with a chain and security camera to ensure it is n’t steal again .
TARDIS fan are n’t the only ones feeling the love of the net . After the London riots last twelvemonth , Aaron Biber , an 89 - yr - old barber , was certain he would have to close down his shop class since he could n’t give to replace everything that had been stolen or break in the ruckus . But his story bear on the man and shortly enough , a campaign toKeep Aaron Cuttingspread across the net and raised $ 56,000 to help oneself the barber get back on his feet . The donations were far more than Biber want , so he , in turn , donated the relaxation to a local younker center .
ahead of time this year , shocking photos were post on Redditshowing an African man who had his face sliced open by a machete while trying to protect an orphanage from local thugs . The forum poster expect readers to nick in a amount of $ 2,000 so the orphanage could give a security bulwark . Within only 24 hours , the charity received 40 prison term that amount , $ 80,000 . With all the supernumerary cash , the orphanhood was able to provide the kid with bunk beds and start a fund to buy the domain where the facility is turn up so they will no longer have to hire the property .
Even when law-breaking have n’t been committed , Reddit has step in to help victims of cruelty that may not be illegal , but is certainly wrong . Perhaps one of the most heart - fade stories in this venous blood vessel was that ofKathleen Edward . The seven - year - sure-enough and her kinsfolk were viciously taunted by her next door neighbors after they discovered Kathleen had Huntington ’s Disease . When the young lady ’s level was post on Reddit , readers quickly start working to rear monetary resource to give Kathleen a spending spree at a local toy dog store owned by a user of the site . Eventually , the little girl incur $ 19,000 worth of credit at the store , with any idle balance donate towards local children ’s hospitals . As for her tormenter , 4chan pass after them , post all of their personal data on line and harassing the home until they officially apologized to Kathleen and her family .
5. Holding Animal Abusers Accountable
While 4chan might be live for their beloved of macabre and sickening picture and photos , they certainly have a soft smirch for innocent hoi polloi and creatures being victimized . When someone post a video on YouTube showinga male child beating up a house cat , member of 4chan cover down the wrongdoer and reported him to the authority , ensue in the cat , Dusty , quickly being removed from the home .
Similarly , the group was up in arms when a video total out shew a cleaning woman make a cat into a trash bin . The owners of the cat-o'-nine-tails posted the television to the net to find out the woman ’s identity . shortly enough , she was identified . mass were so angry at her , she eventually decease to the police , telling them she worried about her guard . Even so , she was eventually convicted under the Animal Welfare Act and had to ante up $ 2200 .
6. Catching Child Predators
While everyone may have a different notion on Anonymous , jolly much everyone can agree that child erotica is a bad thing . That ’s why , although their other ward-heeler were criticized , no one seemed to have a problem withthe drudge group going after child smut sitesand their host service . At one item , the group even leaked steal user info on over 1,100 pedophiles from one site and invited the FBI and Interpol to keep up up on the information for leads .
Alt . Hackers . Malicioushave also take on child vulture , even break into NAMBLA ’s servers and disseminating rank information that led instantly to the arrests and condemnation of several criminals .
Of course , drudge are n’t the only unity fighting pedophile around the globe . Perverted Justiceis a group you are in all probability already conversant with , even if you ’ve never heard the name . That ’s because they ’re the chemical group responsible for all thoseDatelinepedophile stings . Unlike the cyberpunk attacks on child pornography , members of Perverted Justice actually pose as children and let the cat out of the bag to older men who are seek to solicit minors for sex . They then lure in the predator , helping practice of law enforcement officers score an easy arrest while pick up ample evidence in the process .
7. Saving Weddings
Not all skillful human action need to be so serious . Regular referee might recall the article I posted last month about the couple whose hymeneals wassaved by Twitter donationsafter their wedding contriver melt with their entire deposit . As it turns out , that ’s not the only wedding that ’s been saved by the internet . When one Redditor put up a post about how the owner of the mansion he had booked for his venue backed out of the mickle only three weeks before the big day , other readers put outall kinds of hint . Eventually , he resolve to host the nuptials at a field at a nearby farm , as suggested by another Redditor , leaving the poster with enough savings to provide his client with ample devoid spirits , as well as two bouncy family . * * * Of of course , between online charities , Kickstarter , liberal education lessons , support groups and other keen syllabus , the object lesson above are only a few of the many ways people online have shown themselves to be altruistic . Have any of you ever get together a swell cause online or been the recipient role of such benignity ?
