Sorry Jen. :( but Myspace does suck.
 

Myspace does suck for not taking care of this. There will be a lot of sad people when you leave.


--Martin
 

I don't know if you're not complaining to the right people or what, but I have known people who have been banned for far less then just the message you've re-posted here. Usually they're right back on the next day, or sooner, under a new account but still an effort was made.

Either way, I'm sorry to see things come this far. I've added your blog to the one's I follow over on Blogger.
 

I think what really burns is that I was one of those folks that talked up MySpace when it had a reputation for only being for teens and porn stars. I told other writer's it was a fabulous networking tool. Heck, when I was the guest speaker at a writer's conference, I even urged everyone in the audience to join up, implying that today's author's really can't afford to ingore online options. From now on, I'll be detailing exactly why people should stay away.

Frankly, I don't even know why they have a Terms of Service agreement. Why not ditch all but the part where they won't be held liable for what happens here and then fire everyone they have copying and pasting in responses? They'd save a lot more money and new subsribers wouldn't be under the impression that there is *some* regulations on what can be posted and what can't be posted.

So, between now and Monday next week, I'm going to be cleaning up my Facebook account and setting up some fun and easy options for my readers here. (Thanks Hydra!)

Warmly,
Jenny:)
 

Jenny...you're leaving? NOOOOO! There's gotta be something else. Maybe create a new profile, keep it more...private. I don't know, but if you leave then myspace will suck even worse.
 

See you over at Facebook! :)
 

Sorry, Zach, but this latest nastiest was the straw that broke the camel's back. I won't be abused and have no recourse available to me. That's just not gonna happen. From what I understand, these boys wouldn't stand a chance of getting away with this crap over there. That better be the case or I'm going to have to start putting my writing skills to good use and warn others about what these guys have done and how they could be next. I have no doubt I'm not the only one out there that they've done this too--heck many of my readers here became readers because they suffered the same thing at the hands of these little boys.

Angelika--I'm looking forward to seeing you there!

Warmly,
Jenny


 

Well, Jenny, the sad thing is that bullies exist everywhere. And a move to Facebook is really more lateral than you think, if not a slight step down, although there are many Facebook members who'll disagree with me.

I am a member of both Facebook and MySpace, and I prefer the latter. Facebook has its own set of problems. But, what I dislike the most about the networking site is the way its owners claim the right to do whatever they wish with user content and that they permit the addition of harmful user apps. (SEE: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/08/AR2009020802365.html and http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/03/rogue-apps-raise-concerns-over-facebooks-reactive-policies.ars) Also, if you think that Facebook is free of haters, guess again. I found Facebook to be worse with regard to those harboring white supremacy, anti-Jew, racist and neo-Nazi. Upon first joining Facebook, I was bombarded with people from these groups attempting to befriend me and impose their crazy ideas.

If I may be frank, I think that one of the biggest problems that you have with MySpace and why your conflicts have escalated to this point is that you let these idiots get to you. THEY HAVE NO CLOUT, JENNY. They keep baiting you and you keep taking the bait. Were it not you, it would be someone else. Don't you see how they — and especially Jay — do this to EVERYONE? They're just there to self-aggrandize, belittle and hate. It's how they get their kicks. But, in the big picture, they are NOTHING.

Both MySpace and Facebook give you great control with regard to whom you admit and/or allow access to your profile and its various sections. On MySpace, you can set individual blog entries to be private or the entire section. (Because you're a writer with published works, you should not do this with your entire profile.) If I'm not mistaken, Facebook allows you to do the same.

But Jay and his lame-duck followers are nothing but name-callers, Jenny. And ANYONE with half a mind can see that this is NO WAY to promote yourself and/or your work; so, they are doing more harm to themselves than good. Jay is the biggest offender and what does he have to his credit? Even Roy is now showing the good sense to back away from him publicly, even though I've noticed him (Roy) making what he believes to be sly (but they are STUPID) backhanded references to you stalking him, which you clearly are NOT.

HOW ASININE IS THAT???

Jenny, just turn your nose and back on these fools! Shut them out and do not reply to them. They want your attention and want to upset you. Give them INDIFFERENCE. They're not worth firing one brain cell over. In fact, they are going to be their own undoing. They're ASSES — ALL of them!!! Who cares what an ASS thinks?

Have CONFIDENCE and LEAVE THEM ALONE. The caliber of your work speaks for itself, as does the way you conduct yourself — until you start playing into their hands. Time has proven that they are NOT worth responding to. It gets you NOWHERE. You can't instill sense and/or manners into a die-hard MORON.

Indeed, you are a "freaking book doctor." How is that a bad thing? Being a book doctor means that you're masterful enough at your craft to competently assist others. You're a multi-time published author, Jenny! They can laugh all they want, but they can't match your talent. Doesn't the fact that you sold all your inventory in no time flat at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books and that Amazon.com can barely keep "Dead Friends Forever" in stock mean ANYTHING to you?

FORGET ABOUT THEM! Just live your life and keep doing what you do: being a GREAT person and cranking out FABULOUS works.
 

You mean kind of like the kid on the playground who gets punched in the head by the same three kids at recess every day should just keep walking out onto the playground, keep smiling and taking it because really, it only makes those three bullies look bad to the ring of people chanting them on?

As I said, I've done what I can. I tried a short hiatus, letting things die down. That didn't work.

I tried leaving the groups they were in and finding new ones, even moderated ones. That didn't work.

I tried resigning from ALL MySpace groups. That didn't work.

I tried to ignore the continued commentary even when I was no longer there. That didn't work.

I hired an attorney. That didn't work.

I tried getting through to MySpace. That didn't work.

I tried contacting the owners of the groups. That didn't work.

In every single instance, there's been a breakdown between these three guys and moderation. They take advantage of this and will continue to take advantage of this. You're right that I'm not the only one they do this to, but I do have a lot more at stake then many others do. Between having to protect my career and earning a living to support my children, I can't afford this crap.

Did I accomplish anything?

No.

Did I do everything I could?

Yes.

Do I want to support MySpace allowing this to happen to more and more people?

No.

In the end, my biggest regret is that I couldn't inspire changes in those who hold the power in these groups and in MySpace in general to be more active in upholding thier terms of service because I'm fully aware I won't be their last target.

I'm also fully aware that cyber-bullies are everywhere and if Facebook allows these "men" to follow me over there and continue the harassment on their network, I'll leave there too.

Warmly,
Jenny
 

You believe them to have more power than they have, and therein lies the problem. But you must do what you think is best for yourself.
 

Oops! Should be "...neo-Nazi beliefs."
 

I happen to like this "trailer park" and prefer it to the cardboard box called "Facebook."

 

I can't agree with you more Izzy. By Jenny leaving myspace, the 3 stooges have another victory under their belts, even if Jenny leaves for nonsupporting myspace reasons. In the end the publicity miss, you may encounter not using myspace may do more financial damage in the long run than the slander radiating from these 3 morons.

Ignorance is ultimately the key in solving this problem, cause if you think about it. Had some mutual member messaged you on Facebook and made you aware that these 3 clowns are doing their slander on myspace, you would have probably gotten just as upset and opened a myspace just so you can fire back at them.

I don't see no good in leaving myspace for it, facebook has just as many potential problems and how hard is it for those clowns to harass you there?, No problem at all.

By leaving myspace and announcing it the way you have been all over the place, you're letting them know that they gotten to you and I'm almost positive they will gather their gear and followers now that they know, and get you started again on Facebook until you leave there defeated as well.

In my opinion and this is what I would have done, is fighting them with their own weapons. Write a blog, get peoples attention and point your finger without calling them by name. And when they get offended, ignore them.

Their timely end is just in sight as they don't seem to have lives as we speak and frankly, you're not losing any sales over their blabber, not in my opinion anyways.

--Martin


 

>>>>You mean kind of like the kid on the playground who gets punched in the head by the same three kids at recess every day should just keep walking out onto the playground, keep smiling and taking it because really, it only makes those three bullies look bad to the ring of people chanting them on?<<<<<<

So when I was bullied in school and gave my mom a fit every morning--not wanting to go to school, she should have let me stay home? The school got involved, talked to all the parents, but guess what, they found a way to continue and I had to go to school, no choice.

Are you gonna disappear off the Internet when all fails? I hate to see you go and I believe it's the wrong move, but I will respect any decision you make.

--Martin
 

Jenny, So sorry to hear about all the problems you have been having, guess I am glad we already where hooked up on Facebook. I like Facebook alot more than I like MySpace so this works for me..lol
Tell Eddie I said HI!!
--Laurie
 

After seeing what these jerks have done, all I can say is that myspace needs to rethink the way they do things. If something does pop up in the forums in facebook, let us know. That way, you can have our support.
 

I'm so sorry Jenny, I'll look for you on facebook and hope you have a better experience there.