A little over a year has passed since Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked established a committee that is trying to deal with the hot potato, which has devastating consequences - known as 'online shaming.'.
The days were days of shock over the suicide of the late Ephraim Bracha, head of the National Fraud Investigations Unit in the Israel Police. The man left behind a wife, three sons and a daughter - and also a feeling that incessant media reports were what led to his decision to end his life.
The Minister of Justice has decided to take action and try to put an end to the shameful phenomenon of shaming a person before their guilt has been proven. In the age of social media, it is so easy to do this - just a few keystrokes on the keyboard separate a person's peace of mind from becoming the object of shaming, which is spread at a terrifying rate.
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Judge Edna Arbel was elected to head the committee. As a member of the committee, I can attest to the seriousness of the work being done, work that includes listening to experts from all fields, while attempting to learn about the scope of the phenomenon and the ways in which it can be dealt with.
To the judge's credit, it should be said that it was important to her from the beginning to give expression to a variety of participants in the committee: from the fields of law, education, ethics, and the media.
My invitation to participate as a member of the committee, as an ultra-Orthodox journalist, was more than a signal that it was important for the judge to hear the opinions of all audiences, in their various shades.
When the committee began its work, a 'call to the public' was published. My feeling is that the Haredi public was less exposed to it, which is why we decided to repeat the publication here - in Haredim 10.
This is what was written in the call for papers, which was published as mentioned at the beginning of the committee's work:
""Recently, a committee under the authority of (retired) Supreme Court Justice Edna Arbel, appointed by the Minister of Justice, MK Ayelet Shaked, began work on the subject of protecting the public and public service officials from offensive activity and publications, as well as online bullying.".
The committee discussed means to deal with these phenomena, and will examine, among other things, proposals for legislation and tools from other fields. The committee hereby appeals to the general public to receive written positions and proposals regarding the issues arising from the subject. Anyone interested in addressing the committee on these issues will compile their comments in a document that includes as many proposals for a solution as possible.".
As mentioned, many members of the public sent their positions as well as suggestions for solving the complex problem, one that the more one digs into, the more one understands its strength and alarming scope.
The members of the committee and Judge Edna Arbel, who heads it, will be happy to receive, even in these days, when the committee's work is in full swing, positions and suggestions from the Haredi surfing public, who are probably also exposed to malicious and other evil phenomena that occur every day, and in cyberspace in particular.
Inquiries can be sent by mail:
Ministry of Justice 29 Salah a-Din Street P.O. Box 49029 Jerusalem 9149001, by fax, or by using the application form that appears on the committee's website: www.vaadatarbel.justice.gov.il
You can also send it to me by email ([email protected]) and I will forward it to the committee secretariat.
Hopefully, we will be able to put an end to shameful phenomena, after which no one will be able to predict.
