When a slam book is passed around in a class room it is almost always discovered by an authority figure who then issues strict retribution. Formspring is the dark side of adolescence that only fully incubates when there is no authority figure to step in and to point out the harm in such immoral actions. It has become a virtual world without parents or teachers. It is further evidence that parents need to be as aware of their child’s virtual activities as they are their physical activities. I don’t feel we can expect kids to make the right choice and keep things from like this happening- kids will be kids. The responsibility falls on the parents.

What’s the difference from the past when rumors/slanders were spread anonymously or not? Isn’t this a way of clearing the air the way you might have wanted to when someone called you a slut behind your back and the rumor spread around?

“What is it about today’s cultural dynamics that encourages teens to not only act tough when they’re attacked but to actively share the attacks of others as a marker of toughness pride?

Didn’t they want to act tough in the past when they were slandered? Might not formspring even make this easier as its easier to write things online than to actually announce to everyone or spread a counter-slander? In the past didn’t you sometimes have to confront that person face to face and risk crying or getting into a physical fight, detention, police, etc?

“And what is it about the way we’ve raised our children that makes it acceptable to actively humiliate and provoke?”"

Why do we have bullying? Low-self esteem? Not-fully developed moral systems? Jealousy/resentment? Outside factors/trauma being expressed in other ways that allow the attacker to avoid their pain or even find pleasure?

I’m not sure why we have bullying, but it’s clear people online, with anonymity, semi-anonymity, or no anonymity, are more likely to ratchet up their rhetoric to new levels. You don’t get stuff like this very often in “real life”:

Q: “I’d rape you so hard. You’re fucking hot”
A: “Gross on the first part. Sanks on the second part I think?”

I think of it like the very old-school ‘slam book’. each kid gets a page, and then it’s passed around the class, everyone having a chance to write, anonymously of course, either a compliment or a mean thing. when it came to you, you (okay, I) was quaking…to see what my peers had written about me.

formspring questions i’ve seen kids ask, “are you gay?” “when will you have sex?” in addition to the others you’ve mentioned. the kid who was asked if he WAS gay, actually probably IS, in this mother’s opinion, but he won’t dare say so, not at 13, with everyone having access to the ‘slam book’ formspring.

i don’t like it. it’s just another way for the popular kids to stroke each other and the bullies to gang up on the weaklings and weirdos.

Fantastic work as always Danah, always a pleasure to read your analyses.

I imagine that, were Formspring around back then, the same girls would’ve taken part.