By Lee Hyo-sik
Some netizens are waging a “cyber terror” campaign against a 35-year-old female middle-school teacher found to have had an inappropriate relationship with a pupil by spreading photos of her and other private information in cyberspace.
Experts are referring to it as a “witch hunt,” which could destroy the life of the victim, as well as those of her family members, and are urging Internet users to refrain from “reckless” cyber bashing. They also warn that those spreading personal information of others could face criminal charges.
Since media outlets broke the news Monday that the female teacher, who is married and has three children, allegedly had sex with a 15-year-old student in her car in an underground parking lot last week, some netizens began using information from her personal homepage to disparage her.
They copied her photos, the name of her workplace, family background and other information, and uploaded them onto Internet community sites, such as DC Inside (www.dcinside.com) and Netizen Crime Scene Investigators (www.nsiclub.com).
Netizens also posted the photos and other personal data of the indecent teacher on their websites and blogs, enabling a larger number of Internet users to view her private information.
The homepage of the middle school at which the teacher works was inundated with critical comments when the news came out. The website has been shut down as too many people tried to access it.
On DC Inside, one Internet user posted a message that she has three children, one at pre-school and two at elementary school and that her husband is a lawyer. Another netizen said there are photos of her taken with her daughter at a public sauna and video clips of her two sons practicing martial arts on the website.
It is not the first time a group of Internet users have invaded the privacy of certain individuals. A while ago, a female university student in Seoul called short men “losers” in a popular TV program. Many netizens were furious about her comment and began searching for her name, the name of her school and other private information. They spread what they found all over cyberspace and the female student became public enemy No. 1.
In another incident, when another female college student was filmed cursing a middle-aged cleaning woman on campus, many Internet users disclosed her personal data in cyberspace, including the occupations of her parents.
“Such cyber terror cannot be justified under any circumstances, even if someone did something wrong. Digging for the personal information of people for defamation and spreading it in cyberspace has become a ‘fun’ game for many young netizens. I think it is possible because they do such things behind a veil of anonymity,” a university professor in Seoul said.
He said the government should oblige all Internet users to write comments and engage in other online activities under their real names. “Then, they will think twice about what they are going to do and refrain from saying negative things about others.”
Currently, if someone spreads false rumors or even real details with intent to harm certain individuals online and tarnish their reputations, he or she can be sentenced to up to two years in prison or given a maximum five million won fine.
사이버테러 과격해져
몇몇 네티즌들이 최근 중학생 제자와 성관계를 가진 것으로 알려진 35살의 중학교 여교사의 사진과 신상 정보를 인터넷상에 퍼트리는 등 소위 ``사이버 테러’’을 벌이고 있다.
하지만 전문가들은 이를 두고 21세기 마녀 사냥이라고 하며 이는 피해자의 인생은 물론 가족의 것까지 망칠 수 있다고 네티즌들의 주의를 당부했다. 또한 전문가들은 사실이든 아니던 타인의 사생활 정보를 인터넷에 유포 시키는 사람들은 형사 처벌을 받을 수 있다고 경고하고 있다
언론매체들이 여선생이 남자 제자와 성관계를 가졌다는 뉴스를 보도한 월요일부터 몇몇 네티즌들은 그녀의 홈페이지를 찾기 시작했으며 찾은 후에는 그녀의 사진, 직장, 가족 사항 등 사생활 정보들을 인터넷 커뮤니티 사이트에 올렸다
