Several Taiwanese celebrities on Thursday spoke out against cyberbullying in the latest response to the death of model and actress Peng Hsin-yi (彭馨逸), more commonly known by her stage name, Cindy Yang (楊又穎), who apparently committed suicide after online attacks.
In an apparent suicide note found on Tuesday, she said she had been bullied online and wanted — through her death — to turn a spotlight on “the dreadful power” of cyberbullying, her brother said on Thursday.
Upon learning about the message, pop diva Jody Chiang (江蕙) on Facebook said that she was saddened by the fall of a rising star and she urged other young adults to value their lives.
Photo: CNA
It seems there is “too much freedom of speech in Taiwan,” she said, calling for an end to cyberbullying.
“I hope Cindy’s sacrifice will force some people to engage in self-reflection,” Chiang wrote.
Singer-songwriter Christine Fan (范瑋琪) wrote a Facebook post calling for positive influences and for people to stop cyberbullying.
She also urged targets of cyberbullying not to be dispirited.
Scriptwriter and director Wu Nien-jen (吳念真), speaking at a news conference on Thursday, said that cyberspace is like an open market.
“Whatever netizens say, you just have to remember who you are,” he said. “As long as you are doing the right things, there is no need to worry about what others say.”
Singer and actress Kay Huang (黃韻玲) expressed sadness over Peng’s death.
Bullying is not uncommon, but “we have to uplift ourselves and be brave enough to face reality,” she said.
Huang said she was targeted after her first album was released.
At the time, an older actress told her: “You will see more of that in the future — setbacks are inevitable in life,” Huang said.
A 24-year-old entertainer, Peng was found dead at her residence in Taichung on Tuesday. A note and a metal canister reportedly containing helium were found nearby.
Much of the negative commentary concerning Peng appeared on a Facebook page that is not associated with any individual, but operates like a blog or a forum.
Meanwhile, Minister of Education Wu Se-hwa (吳思華) said that he would back legislation against cyberbullying, if Taiwan decided to introduce such laws.
He said Peng’s case highlights the problem of cyberbullying and the need for new regulations to protect personal freedom.
The Taichung District Prosecutors’ Office said cyberbullying is recognized in Taiwan as a potentially indictable offense, adding that it would launch an investigation into the circumstances of Peng’s death.
Chief prosecutor Chang Hsiao-wen (張曉雯) said cyberbullying that involves spreading rumors might constitute an indictable offense, such as public insult or libel, but only if a complaint is lodged.
LOUD AND PROUD Taiwan might have taken a drubbing against Australia and Japan, but you might not know it from the enthusiasm and numbers of the fans Taiwan might not be expected to win the World Baseball Classic (WBC) but their fans are making their presence felt in Tokyo, with tens of thousands decked out in the team’s blue, blowing horns and singing songs. Taiwanese fans have packed out the Tokyo Dome for all three of their games so far and even threatened to drown out home team supporters when their team played Japan on Friday. They blew trumpets, chanted for their favorite players and had their own cheerleading squad who dance on a stage during the game. The team struggled to match that exuberance on the field, with
Whether Japan would help defend Taiwan in case of a cross-strait conflict would depend on the US and the extent to which Japan would be allowed to act under the US-Japan Security Treaty, former Japanese minister of defense Satoshi Morimoto said. As China has not given up on the idea of invading Taiwan by force, to what extent Japan could support US military action would hinge on Washington’s intention and its negotiation with Tokyo, Morimoto said in an interview with the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) yesterday. There has to be sufficient mutual recognition of how Japan could provide
UPDATED TEST: The new rules aim to assess drivers’ awareness of risky behaviors and how they respond under certain circumstances, the Highway Bureau said Driver’s license applicants who fail to yield to pedestrians at intersections or to check blind spots, or omit pointing-and-calling procedures would fail the driving test, the Highway Bureau said yesterday. The change is set to be implemented at the end of the month, and is part of the bureau’s reform of the driving portion of the test, which has been criticized for failing to assess whether drivers can operate vehicles safely. Sedan drivers would be tested regarding yielding to pedestrians and turning their heads to check blind spots, while drivers of large vehicles would be tested on their familiarity with pointing-and-calling
A Taiwanese man apologized on Friday after saying in a social media post that he worked with Australia to provide scouting reports on Taiwan’s team, enabling Australia’s victory in this year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC), saying it was a joke and that he did not hold any position with foreign teams or Taiwan’s sports training center. Chen Po-hao (陳柏豪) drew the rage of many Taiwan baseball fans when he posted online on Thursday night, claiming credit for Australia’s 3-0 win over Taiwan in the opening game for Pool C, saying he worked as a physical therapist with the national team and
RSS