Kids beat up girl just for the YouTube value
Wed Apr 9, 2008 5:10PM EDT
See Comments (48)
Eight Florida teenagers are in custody for beating up a defenseless girl. Not news, no, but the reason behind it is: The kids who did the deed planned to put the video on YouTube in the hopes of becoming Internet celebrities once the video was widely seen online.
Six girls did the beating (which ended with a concussion) while two boys stood lookout. In a statement after the eight were all rounded up and arrested, one of the girls' mothers said that the victim of the attacks had "provoked" it by "threatening and insulting the girls on their MySpace pages."
The video did indeed make it to YouTube but it's since been removed. You can see snippets of it here or find it by searching YouTube, but it's largely what you're expecting.
Reaction has been pretty swift, with many naturally turning their ire not just on the teens but also on YouTube and MySpace for not policing content better. Does censorship work? Is it even possible for YouTube to vet every video that's uploaded to its site? YouTube serves some 100 million videos every day. What kind of manpower would it take to monitor all of it? And how would one distinguish between a real fight and a staged melee that's part of a (fictional) short film. (Heck, even Lonelygirl15, the YouTube darling, died in her eponymous show's last episode.) Censoring one type of content (which YouTube actually does plenty of, actually) is a slippery slope.
And really, what would be the point? If not YouTube, would the teens have posted pictures or video clips on their blogs? Or simply used another hosting service? Kids have been beating each other up for centuries, since well before YouTube came along, and they'll be doing it after it's gone, too.
Your thoughts, of course, are welcome.
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Comments on Kids beat up girl just for the YouTube value
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27 Posted by snowflakehenri on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:30PM EDT Report Abuse
Huh. Anyone ever hear of plea bargains. They'll probably only get a slap on the hand and learn nothing from this experience.
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28 Posted by jarshea on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:29PM EDT Report Abuse
I advise you not to watch this video...
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29 Posted by tedgeri@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:59PM EDT Report Abuse
I don't think these parents of the attackers know of the law suits that are coming and rightly so.
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30 Posted by jennifersaleem on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:32PM EDT Report Abuse
I am sick and tired of people blaming horror movies, video games and now youtube for what they do wrong. Those girls were flat out mean and had too much time on their hands. America needs to establish more consequences on the young people, but WAIT I know a lot of older people that do not show respect anymore so how are the younger people supposed to know what to do? Respect is gone!!!! The future of this country is doomed.
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31 Posted by leoqueen70 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:49PM EDT Report Abuse
I am a mother of a 20 year od and a 17 year old. Neither one of my kids are stupid enough to do something like this. I am a mom who thinks that parents have alot of involvement with their kids, and to teach them right from wrong. What makes parents and young children think that it is okay to beat someone up UNLESS it is self defense???? We have too many children running around today that get a slap on the wrist for punishment,and then continue to do it for the rest of their lives. I believe that if you are capable of a crime, stabbing, kidnapping, murder, rape,and under 18 you should be convicticed as an adult for that crime PERIOD!!!!!!!!! I DONT NOT WANT YOU IN MY SOCIETY!!!!!!!!!!!
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32 Posted by lillian_6327 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:51PM EDT Report Abuse
I am absolutely appalled by this vicious act. Those kids need to be prosecuted to the full max. I am so disgusted!!! I feel that they should be placed in a work camp, and doing very very hard work, and let the little gal who was beat up come and watch them work whenever she wants. She can bring friends, and hang out and just watch them work work work. I realize that what these kids did was horrific, and if my child was responsible, then they would need to be punished. I also know that they were just young stupid kids, and possibly not having the intent to kill. So if that is the case, then put them into a work based camp, and have them work themselves to the bones. No makeup, no nothing. Five long years to think about it. All I can say is I am disgusted!!!! And for the young lady who was beaten up, hold your head high, cuz they are going to get what they have coming. You will come out stronger and better from this. God Bless You.
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33 Posted by nena_08garcia on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:35PM EDT Report Abuse
well them teenagers are so scary there going to back on line before you know it!!! so i hope they see this yall "little"girls dont even know how to fight and if you all girls really wanted to fight her why didnt you all meet her some where where she could have someone jump in 4 her too, you all are nothing but some scary a** little girls that cant fight one on one !!! and for there parents :teach your kids how fight before they start a fight and so that they dont have to take a girl they dont like or are jeolus of to there granny's house and unfairly beat her up by more then 5 girls!!!
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34 Posted by nena_08garcia on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:35PM EDT Report Abuse
and u tube had nothing to do with this it was just the ignorance of them girls to do that and there parents should also be accountable just for taking up for them!!! if my child ever have done that i would give her a good a** butt whopping !!! thats my opinion.......... ?
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35 Posted by sweetpea826@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:52PM EDT Report Abuse
this is what happens when somebody runs their mouth. She deserved it
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36 Posted by katchei00 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:47PM EDT Report Abuse
There's a little difference from a fight on a playground from which you can escape but begin trapped in a house and beaten by several people is something that happens in war prison camps. I'm very afraid of all of these people that call this a fight. A real fight would, at the very least be one on one.
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37 Posted by nena_08garcia on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:35PM EDT Report Abuse
HEY SWEETPEA, READ THIS look little girl no one deserves to get beat up like that i bet you are one of them little bed wetters friends, or are one of them lil h**s you or your "friends" are so immature!! what ever happened to 1on 1? you all with you all scary a**es !! punk a** little bi***es !! but dont worry what goes around comes around!! and believe you me when i say the tables WILL turn !! payback is a Bi***!!
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38 Posted by silverkitty2001 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:23PM EDT Report Abuse
I know this is wrong but I would like to take each one of those girls individually behind a dumpster and use a steel bat on them...I'm only aiming for a concussion and you tube popularity so it's ok because they provoked it anyway....
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39 Posted by mike.harrington@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:19PM EDT Report Abuse
wher can u see the video of the girls fighting?
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40 Posted by hongkongkongo on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:20PM EDT Report Abuse
the girls didnt do this for fame. how stupid would that be? beat someone to become famous? any smart person would know that you'll get lots of shame and embarrassment. this wasnt about fame, but its about violence, cyber bullying.
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41 Posted by emmym70 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:54PM EDT Report Abuse
No, I don't think the kids should've done this. But I don't think it's the huge deal they're making it out to be. Things like this happen all the time, although not all are posted online. That was stupid of them. But they should not be tried as adults. And the press should really stop hassling them. They made an extremely stupid mistake, but having the whole country knowing about it doesn't make it any easier for them to fix it.
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42 Posted by ma65p on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:01PM EDT Report Abuse
Teenagers...When they screw up, I blame the parents. Yes, that sounds unfair, but in this mess, all I heard is about the girls; where are the parents? How the heck they let this happen in their house? It's their house! and they let someone get beaten up in their house! by their kids! We call those irresponsible parents. Come on, these girls are at least 15 years old, there must be a slightest chance that they know beating someone up is a "big no no." (Well, assuming that their parents tell them so) Regarding youtube, it is not the cause of violence so there is no reason to shut it down or impose more restrictions. Saying that the content is so disturbing that no one should see it is just lame. It's like saying that I don't want to see people dying; well, they die anyway. Denying to witness the existence of something does not make it disappear. Youtube is one of the strongest symbol of freedom of speech around the world. I was not born in America, but I believe that youtube is one the greatest media revolution. Don't blame youtube, blame the parents and the girls...But I still hold the parents' responsibility the most. And, excuse my English
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43 Posted by nwoye_nwamaka on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:42PM EDT Report Abuse
Those 'teens' should be tried as adults cos they were definitely backed by 'some' of their parents. and their parents should also be apprehended
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44 Posted by als_3_5 on Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:58PM EDT Report Abuse
what a bunch of lousy girls. and the mom, what a joke. no wonder your daughter is as trashy as you. maybe she will beat the crap out of you mom one day!
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45 Posted by ejjtorres on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:52PM EDT Report Abuse
IT'S CRASY HOW THIS HAPPEN BUT IF THE GIRL WAS GETTING BEAT UP SHE SHOULD OF RETURNED THE FAVOR.. I MEAN IF ANY1 GETTING BEAT..DEFEND YOURSELF..THEY PROBLY WOULDNT HAVE CONTINUED FOR SO LONG.
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26 Posted by ecarpent@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:51PM EDT Report Abuse
Wow! Do parents just birth children now and let them loose in the wild to raise themselves? I strongly believe that children should be held accountable for their actions, but obviously these children were raised without a clue of what is right and what is wrong. That brief video clip looked like a pack of wolves attacking their prey. Too bad the law does not allow for parents of minors accused of a felony to share in the punishment. Ideally, these minors will not be returned to the "parents" who let them down so horribly. I agree with another poster, if these children had not been caught, who knows what kind of illegal activity they would have pursued next... murder? Of course I am sure the one girl's mother would have found a way to excuse any crime her daughter may commit, as this girl's "mother" is actually little more than a DNA donor.