Today is Stop Cyberbullying Day, a date chosen by Andy Carvin and honored by lots of others in an attempt to recognize some of the difficulties that come when everyone has a voice.   Today’s also a day for folks to take notice of, and pledge not to accept, bullying online. 
    If you’re looking for specific resources because you’ve been inspired by this observance to take a stand against cyberbullying, I’d refer you to Nancy Willard’s Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use.  I’d also send you over the the Stop Cyberbullying group at Ning, where lots of smart folks are beginning some conversations about how to teach and promote responsible behavior online.  Andy’s also aggregating resources via a Twitter account and an RSS feed.   
    I’ll admit, I’m not an expert on speech or issues of harassment.  I believe that everyone should have the right to free speech as well as the awareness that speaking one’s mind comes with certain responsibilities.   (Robert left some good reminders about responsibility in this comment from earlier in the week.) 
    There’s a big gulf between what is legal and what is acceptable speech.  I respect anyone’s right to speak their mind online.  But what I cannot tolerate or condone is speech that is intended to chill others from participating in online community, even if those being attacked have attacked others.  Constructive criticism is always a useful tool for learning and growth.  Flaming and raging and making disgusting comments isn’t.  Ever.
    So how do we prevent cyberbullying?  I worry about the "righteous indignation" that develops sometimes with good causes.   An eye for an eye isn’t a good solution, while lashing out and attacking others is never helpful to anyone, especially the one who attacks.  It’s always complicated to "stop" speech with which you disagree, as Dave pointed out thoughtfully earlier this week. 
    Plenty of other folks are sharing lots of great resources today.  As you think about what you can do to help prevent cyberbullying, I’d ask you to make sure that your solution improves the climate for everybody and models the type of behavior that you’d like to see.  Mobs with torches and pitchforks, even those with good causes, are never useful.  I worry about what really gets communicated when anger is met with more anger.  Usually, things get a whole lot uglier, and very little, if anything, improves. 
    As I was composing this post, I saw a post by Dave Winer on the Kathy Sierra incident that inspired the Stop Cyberbullying Day idea.  While I don’t necessarily agree with everything Dave’s had to say on the matter, I do agree with this bit:

.  .  .  you can measure our humanity by how good
we are to people we don’t like.

    We’ve got an opportunity here to improve civic discourse and human relationships.  We should, in the words of Bill and Ted, "Be excellent to each other."   But we’re human beings, flawed and precious, everyone, and we’re going to make mistakes from time to time.   I’m sure that I have.  Let’s pledge that we’re all in this together, and let’s approach instances of attacking or hurtful speech as opportunities to improve communication and relationships instead of chances to pick fresh fights.
    I don’t want to be in an online world of flaming and rage.  I want to be in community with thoughtful people who don’t confuse debate and argument with attacks  and harassment.  I bet you do, too.   I owe it to my students, and to my own daughter, to try to build a kinder world, and to help them to understand how to contribute positively to it.