Ethical Dilemma of the Day

From CNN: Teens are using social networking sites, such as You Tube and Facebook, to announce that they have been sexually assaulted. According the CNN report, the teens reach out through online technology because:

the Web offers what traditional counseling does not. It's a chance to communicate without having to face someone or fear their judgment. Some people are seeking legal advice and medical information, and many younger victims believe they can warn others about their accused attacker.There also are people like XXXXXX, whose case was dropped by the Orange County, Florida, state attorney's office, who feel slighted by the justice system.

This seems like a very good way for young teens to speak through a medium they trust on a subject that is very hard to discuss. It certainly provides more coverage and visibility to the topic and specific incidents. After seeing a broadcast others may speak out against what happened to them.

The downside to this, of course, seems to be that some of those involve may provide too much personal information about themselves or they may skirt the legal system and falsely accuse someone. There are repercussions if the were a false accusation though the public damage to the reputation of the person falsely accused may mean that that person may never clear his/her name. Words and images on the internet never seem to disappear.