Charlotte Dawson confronts cyber bullies

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Dawson confronts cyber bullies

3News NZ

Charlotte Dawson confronts Twitter troll Jordan McGuire

Charlotte Dawson confronts Twitter troll Jordan McGuire

By Australia Correspondent Rachel Morton

Charlotte Dawson is back in the headlines in Australia - this time for taking on cyber bullies.

In August the television presenter attempted to take her own life, after being bombarded with abuse on Twitter. Now she's fighting back.

Dawson went face-to-face with one of the online bullies who drove her to a suicide attempt, to expose the people who hide behind their computers.

Australia's Seven News tracked down six of the Twitter trolls who attacked her, including 20-year-old Jordan McGuire.

This is what Dawson said to him: “I suppose the first thing I want to say to you is, because I’m face-to-face with you is, how would you feel if I turned around to you and said ‘F*** you you c***?’ How do you feel?”

Mr McGuire then explained why he sends nasty messages to people.

“They're just things that I say, things that I say on Twitter and Twitter isn't real life.”

But for Dawson it was very real, and the hundreds of messages she received had a devastating effect.

"Somebody called Louis tweeted me and said, ‘On behalf of New Zealand please go hang yourself.’”

Psychologists recommend people who are bullied online to report and delete the tweets - but Dawson wants to expose them.

And confronting the trolls did lead to one reconsidering his online approach.

“I think after all this I will definitely like, reconsider certain things that I say to people,” troll Caspian Shields says.

But Mr McGuire was unrepentant saying it's just a bit of fun.

“Most people find them highly offensive and they can't understand the mindset behind them or the logic behind them,” Dawson told him.

“Well that's just their interpretation,” Mr McGuire says. “I can understand why some people think that was disrespectful however me, I have a very, very dulled sense of what is disrespectful and what isn't because that's just what the majority of Gen-Y is.”

But he did eventually say sorry.

“I apologise to anyone who's taken offense to my tweets, however that's not my interpretation.”

Dawson says it's hard to interpret it any other way - and she's now learned the people who send these messages are just cowards.

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Comments

28/03/2013 4:24:51 p.m.

hike108 wrote:

Jordan is a loser.

20/12/2012 4:30:42 p.m.

Corn wrote:

Isn't the media taking on Charlotte Dawson's side too much? She literally got away with posting her harsh opinion on New Zealand. Does that mean everyone in New Zealand can call that she cyber bullied New Zealand?

27/10/2012 6:55:12 p.m.

Doomas wrote:

She wants to confront them? She's lucky they're not the violent type, that wouldn't have ended nicely for her if they were. It's best just to ignore them, unless of course you're a drama queen starving for attention.

26/10/2012 8:35:07 p.m.

dave wrote:

why are these cyber bullies alkl gay men?

26/10/2012 9:24:45 a.m.

Alex wrote:

She brought it on herself. Lesson to learn - don't feed the trolls

25/10/2012 10:14:29 p.m.

Jill wrote:

Try that with me lady, the reaction would be entirely different. Anything to get on the cover of the women's weekly.

25/10/2012 11:22:10 a.m.

benny wrote:

He is so right Twitter isnt real life! People hide on the internet and pretend so much crap its just like government!

25/10/2012 9:57:11 a.m.

Kevin wrote:

I watched the show till Charlotte screamed in that young guy's face. All of 5 minutes. Charlotte? Are you reading this? (oops ego showing, lol) To the independent thinkers you look like you are still trying to "win". You will be a better person if you grasp the concept of giving someone a damn good ignoring. You abused your position and power to point score in a revengeful and hostile manner. I would have put my hand in front of my face, palm out, for spray protection. The interview would have ended then and there.

25/10/2012 8:43:51 a.m.

Jordan wrote:

HHHHEEEEWWWWWWOOO!

25/10/2012 8:37:56 a.m.

Nicki wrote:

That was a gutsy move by Charlotte but I hope she hasn't set herself up for even more abuse. I agree with Gary who suggested she stop going on twitter.