To recap the story, Lori Drew’s then 13-year-old daughter, Sarah, and one of her best friends, Megan Meier, had a fight and ended their friendship; as is common when you are 13-years-old. Lori Drew and two others (an 18-year-old employee of Drew’s and Drew’s daughter) created a fake MySpace account and pretending to be a good-looking teenager named Josh. They had “Josh” become friends with Megan so they could see what Megan saying about Sarah. Megan began an online with relationship with “Josh” where “Josh” called Megan “sexi” and told her he loved her. Eventually Drew and accomplices ended the relationship with Megan by having “Josh” say some pretty nasty things to Megan including something to the effect that the world would be better off without her. After that online correspondence Megan killed herself.

The Missouri community in which Drew and the Meier family live in was outraged. However, Missouri does not have any cyberbulling laws and had nothing to charge her with. There are no federal laws on cyberbulling either, but prosecutors decided to charge her with violating the federal Computer Fraud & Abuse Act.

If always been kind of iffy on this case. The Computer Fraud & Abuse Act wasn’t created for this kind of case. And people create fake MySpace pages all the time for very innocent reasons. Part of the appeal of the internet is the ability to be anonymous.

But I also think Lori Drew needs to be held accountable. What kind of mother conspires with her daughter to create a fake MySpace page to spy on and torture an old friend? I always considered it my job as a mother to help my children learn from their mistakes. They need to learn that sometimes friendships end and we move on. We don’t come up with elaborate schemes to humiliate other people. I’m not surprised that a 13-year-old would do something like that, but an adult?

And Lori Drew didn’t just know this was going on. She encouraged it. And she participated in it. Where is her sense of morality? That is just disgusting to think a grown woman, a mother would partake in something like this.

Plus this wasn’t just some girl her daughter used to be friends with. Lori Drew knew Megan and her family. And she knew them well. Sarah and Megan had been friends nearly their whole lives. Megan had been to the Drew house many, man times. She had even vacationed with them. Lori was well aware that Megan had self-esteem issues and suffered from depression and still went along with this prank. It’s just unbelievable.

So what do you think? Do you think justice prevailed in this case? Are you happy to see a conviction for Lori Drew?

Post from: Blisstree

Lori Drew Is Guilty

Belinda Miller wrote a great post about her experiences at the Driving Skills for Live event in Chicago. She goes in to great detail about how to come out of a skid. It’s a great read for your teen driver.

Sribbit tells us what to do when your child lies. I could have used this a week ago when my oldest lied about his homework.

Does your teen know how to behave on a date?

Depression is on the rise in teen girls. “Depression is the leading cause of suicide, which in turn is the third-leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds in the United States.” Get the facts and protect your teen. WebMD has some tips on spotting depression in your teen.

Get your teenage girls active. Exercise in teenagers may protect them from breast cancer later in life.

Talking to your teens about sex.

One teen who felt like the legal system wronged her, went to YouTube to talk about her rape. She says she was raped by her 23-year-old boyfriend, but the prosecution dropped the case saying it was consensual.

Teens need to be aware that their right to free speech does not give them the right to defamation. Pranks on Facebook and MySpace can, not only get them in trouble, but could be against the law.

Are your teens sexting? “Privacy may be part of the appeal, but what many teens don’t realize is how easily the message or pictures they send can be forwarded to dozens of unwanted recipients.”

How does your city fare on Allstates list of cities with the highest rates of deadly crashes?

The weak dollar is causing some students to rethink their study abroad options.

If your teen doesn’t graduate from high school or get his/her GED you may face jail time. At least that’s what happened to one father in Ohio.

Kids with glasses are more intelligent and honest.

Vanessa Van Petten has some great tips to teach teens how to drink (or not drink as the case may be).

Does your teen have a curfew? Here are 10 tips on setting a curfew.

Is the next thing in texting nagging? Soon doctors may be texting teens to remind them to take their medication for anxiety, ADD and other ailments.

Now teen girls can charge up their cell phones with their bra. Um…ok.

Even good moms can have teens on drugs. How can you tell and what can you do to prevent it? BlogHer tells us.

How much do you tell your kids about what you did when you were a teen? What do you say when they ask you tough questions like “how old were you when you have sex?” and “have you ever smoked pot?”

Are social networks to blame for teen suicide?

One school banned single girls from the prom. What?!?

Post from: Blisstree

Sunday Reading

Who is Lori Drew?

Back in 2006, two thirteen-year-old girls, who had been friends their whole life, had a falling out. Lori Drew, the mother of one of those girls, decided to step in. She, along with a teenage co-worker in her store, decided to create a fake MySpace page for a sixteen-year-old boy named Josh Evans. Using this page, she befriended her daughter’s ex-friend, Megan Meier. Lori used this page to find out what Megan was saying about her daughter. Megan and “Josh” started an online romance. But then “Josh” decided he didn’t want to have a girlfriend who was mean and told Megan as much. In his last message to Megan he told Megan telling her the world would be a better place without her. Megan was devastated by the breakup and hung herself in her closet.

Previously the Missouri prosecutor (where the Drew’s and Meier’s live) said he couldn’t find a statute to charge Lori Drew with. But the federal grand jury in Los Angeles thinks differently. They have indicted her on charges of conspiracy and accessing protected computers to obtain information to inflict emotional distress. She faces up to 20 years in prison.

How do you feel about this new development? Do you think Lori Drew should be held accountable? Should it be illegal for adults to bully teenagers on the internet?

Post from: Blisstree

MySpace Mom Indicted