The invention of the internet and a way to communicate through social media has expanded the reach of our circle of friends. Today, social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter have become a part of almost everyone’s lives. How long has it been since you checked your news feed? Be honest!

    When you post a photograph or a status online, it is circulated through the World Wide Web into the hands of those you call your “friends.” Depending on your privacy settings, that photo of your drunken night surfing with a llama could be fair game for anyone who comes across your profile. All it takes is a quick copy and paste and your face is open for Photoshop destruction.

    Are you confident that your image won’t become the next meme?

    How about finding the picture of your deceased daughter on a website dating advertisement? That is exactly what happened to the family of Rehtaeh Parsons.

    If you’re not familiar with the story, Rehtaeh Parsons was a 17-year-old Nova Scotia high school student who committed suicide after an alleged sexual assault and cyber bullying. Her family says that she was raped by four boys at the age of 15. A photograph of the alleged assault was circulated around the internet, and she was mocked and humiliated by classmates.

    In August, two teenage boys were charged with child porn distribution in the case, and are currently awaiting trial.

    So how did Rehtaeh Parsons’ Facebook photo wind up on the advertisement for ionechat.com, calling for people to “Meet Canadian girls and women for friendship, dating or relationships?”

    It was a simple tool that takes random photos from Google Images and places them in the ad. Try it, type in her name and see what comes up. Now, type in YOUR name….. Hopefully your face doesn’t pop up.

    The Parsons mistake was discovered by the keen eye of a Toronto copy editor, who recognized her familiar face from the media headlines and alerted Facebook.

    The administrator for the website has since apologized and the site has been removed from Facebook for breaking their ad policy.

    However, this opens up the question of how safe are the images we post online? How can we be certain that they are not being stolen and used inappropriately? It is incredibly heartbreaking that this young girl could be violated physically, and then emotionally, for months due to the freedom to circulate photos around the internet. To be violated again, in death, due to a ridiculously simple error.

Read the full story here: http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/dating-website-regrets-using-rehtaeh-parsons-photo-in-ad-1.1459673

Another interesting and ironic read: http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/teen-charged-in-rehtaeh-parsons-case-facing-online-lynch-mob-lawyer-1.1411792