Grieving parents back our Websafe campaign

Alex Bell

November 17, 2009

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THE parents of a schoolgirl who died of an overdose after she received hate messages on the internet have backed the Websafe campaign launched this week by the M.E.N. and our sister radio station Real Radio.

Since 15-year-old Megan Gillan's body was found by her dad, Mark, at their home in January this year, cyber bullying has been a central issue surrounding the tragedy.

And now Mark and wife Margaret are convinced social networking sites like Facebook and Bebo should be banned.

Shortly before she died, messages targeting the Macclesfield schoolgirl's clothes and appearance had been posted by classmates on the social networking site Bebo.

How to protect your kids on the net

Margaret, 55, said: "I do believe these sites should go. I don't think people who own these sites have control."

According to her parents Megan was like any 15-year-old - she loved shopping, the cinema and spending time with mates. Both Margaret and Mark say they still can't believe their `beautiful' and `bright' daughter - who wanted to be a midwife - was intimidated by cyber bullies.

Margaret said: "You wouldn't think she'd be the kind of person who could let it get to her.

"She was never off the computer and was always laughing on MSN talking to her mates."

A survey carried out by Real Radio, reveals two thirds of 11 to 15-year-olds have internet access in their bedrooms.

Megan's dad Mark was shocked by the figures. The Gillans' computer was in the family's dining room when Megan was alive. "After Megan died it worried me when the police told me about Bebo. I thought: `Why haven't I heard about it? We didn't see any sign of Megan being bullied on the internet." Mark, 54, said.

Now Mark's advice to parents with teenage children is to get real and be aware.

"The computer in the bedroom is a recipe for disaster," said Mark.

"I think you need to talk to young kids more and don't let them be isolated at home on their computer."

He added: "Sites should be monitored more strictly than they are. If everyone is aware and everyone gets on board then something can be done."

An inquest in July recorded the cause of Megan's death as accidental.

Internet peril facing our kids

Don't be scared to keep your kids safe

How to protect your kids on the net

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Showing comments 1 to 13 and replies | View All

Silky Blue. The Golden Moment has arrived, Manchester (17/11/2009 at 12:53)

It's can be a cruel world and kids can be susceptible to bullying, but parents need to work together with their kids and the kids need to tell parents when they are being bullied and the kids should be able to tell their parents without fear from the parents otherwise they keep it hidden.

Bullies are on a lower level than the rest and are nothing more than muppets. Just stand tall against these Divs, and learn to laugh them off. Bullies tend to go down hill in some form and the victim ends up going up the hill to better things in the long run. Positive mental attitude. Life is in stages you have ups and downs and the downs pass.

I am a grown person but I have had bullies in the council, the NHS and the police, but they don't beat me. The bullies are the lower order despite their jobs. Onwards and upwards.

Jodie (17/11/2009 at 12:53)

Whilst this is a very sad and tragic case, and I can fully sympathise with Megan's parents views about these sites, I do not believe that banning them would prevent things like this happening. The majority of people who use them do it for fun. If the bullies who targeted Megan did not have Bebo and facebook they would have found another way to do it. I do believe that these sites should be monitored and perhaps the parents of these awful bullies should be checking what their kids are doing. They are to blame for this girls death, not the networking sites.

Bucko (17/11/2009 at 16:25)

Where does the law stand on bullying because the identity of Megan's class "mates" would be traceable
surely. Or do they just get away with it once the verdict is recorded as accidental. Unfortunately
we seem to live in a society where everybody has to fit in and individuality is frowned upon or ridiculed. Plus our education system seems more obsessed with children having a perfect body mass index than anything else. Such a sad story.

Silky Blue. The Golden Moment has arrived, Manchester (17/11/2009 at 16:59)

where as perdopolisanopolis gone

Alan Partridge, Linton Travel Tavern (17/11/2009 at 17:04)

I know someone who was bullied at school so we should ban that too, I also know somebody who was bullied at work, ban it. Oh and I know somebody that was bullied at football practice, I'll get on to banning that. The list is endless!

You can't justify banning something because occasionally it is misused, if we lived by this theory nothing would exist. The key to dealing with teasing is to talk to our children and educate children on how to deal with bullies.
I'm a grown man who frequntly uses facebook, i've never been bullied whilst using it, nor have I ever picked on anybody else. As a child she shouldn't even be using these sites as most carry an age warning.

Cappa (17/11/2009 at 17:21)

Wot a beautiful looking girl.........most bullying occurs because of jealousy. If a child/teenager is being bullied, please, please tell a trusted grown up, do not suffer in silence

Angie33 , Manchester (17/11/2009 at 17:37)

Malicious describes the type of bullying that happens online.They have learned from an early age that if they want revenge or are jealous of others malice is the way to hurt them.Thats how they have learned to defend themselves.Ordinary people tend to reject malicious people when they see that streak and steer clear of them.Young people sometimes dont see it until they become a victim.If malice was described clearly they may be able to avoid it.Bullying is unchecked malice.

bluemark12008, oldham (17/11/2009 at 18:57)

all our thoughts should be with megans parents at this sad time what a tragic waste of what looks like a lovely young girls life im sure that the people concerned in bullying megan can be traced and should be if facebook and bebo have anything about them they will do there best to find these nasty people and remove them from there sites we can only hope that other children who are being bullied talk to people before they get to the stage poor megan did i know some will say megan should not of let bullies beat her but it can be very hard at times so come on facebook and bebo do the right thing find these people and turn them in also remove them it is the least you can do

Andy NZ (17/11/2009 at 19:24)

I think Megan's Dad say's it all - "After Megan died it worried me when the police told me about Bebo. I thought: `Why haven't I heard about it?

Why hadn't he heard about it? Parents should be more educated on IT and computers then their kids so that they understand about bebo and facebook, myspace etc etc.

The story is a tragedy, but we can not go around banning things that the majority enjoy and use safely. MEN and Real Radio's campaign should be around educting PARENTS about the dangers of the internet, not the kids.

The best way to deal with bullies is to stand up to them, they are cowards after all. Even more so when they hide behind their computer.

Scoobydoo, Manchester (17/11/2009 at 19:34)

As Bucko says, surely the cyber bullies are traceable ? If they can't be prosecuted, perhaps the schools involved should name and shame them, or at least have a police officer visit their parents - I know I know, what about their human rights is going to be the scream from the do-gooders.

Terrible that these cowards subjected this young girl to such a torrent of bullying that she felt she had no other recourse than to take her own life. Shame on them.

Rasputin II, >Forward Manchester> (17/11/2009 at 22:08)

The Internet is a good thing and a bad thing. The good to it is commerce, the bad is the drifting away of family members. We live in our own little bubbles through the Internet and I fully back the Gillian's family in banning all social networking sites. Why do we need cyber-space friend making facilities when we should be living in the real world and going out to meet friends. I fear that having a kind of second personality to release all your greivances onto another person is wrong and dangerous.

This is a really tragic story, my heart goes out to the family. Be strong and do good.

CorneredAllTheLuck, Tameside (18/11/2009 at 00:13)

There are bullies all over the internet not just on social networking sites, I guess it's easier when you don't have to face people in person. Pity they can't be named and shamed.

Ian, Salford, Salford (17/12/2009 at 18:46)

Given that allowing people to post using psuedonyms can facilitate bullying, then by the same logic which says ban Facebook, shouldn't this site be banned as well?

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