How The Madeleine McCann Story Was Hijacked By Web Trolls
FROM the Anorak Forums - by AGW:
One of the most bizarre and troubling aspects of of the Madeleine McCann story has been the way the coverage of the story has itself become the story.
Anorak is not a site which has ever been (or ever will be) dedicated to the alleged crimes of abduction and subsequent claim and counter-claim of deeper, darker deeds involving in turn a resident Englishman in the Portuguese holiday complex where the McCann family had been staying and then the parents and their friends themselves.
Right at the beginning of all this I had predicted it was a complex story which would run and run. I confess to being bemused by the the tale’s longevity. The Madeline McCann story has become Dianaeque in its telling and re-telling, worse it is on a par with the empty and drifting ship the Mary Celeste.
The story of a photogenic, pretty little white girl from a professional and middle-class background was sure to attract attention.
I had always expressed serious doubts about the wisdom of the parents’ determination to avoid clear police advice and follow their own route to infamy…because that it what it has become.
The story divided neatly pro and anti. Not pro and anti the hunt for a little girl or her remains but pro and anti the parents. It has become a love-hate story. Every day in Anorak there are those who praise or condemn, support or vilify.
Professional journalists have watched with increasing bemusement, bordering on horror, at the activities of sites created and devoted exclusively to the Madeleine McCann story. They have risen, flowered and been cut down. The same individuals, only the names have been changed to protect the guilty, have in their turn raged or praised as each site flourished and then fell by the wayside.
The same experts and lost souls appeared again and again, and yet again, during the brief existence of these sites. Sometimes only the keystrokes or style and use of phrases and words revealed their true identity. They took full advantage and became legends in their own lunch-times, master spies, superheroes CyberMan or DigiWoman each using the Internet’s basic anonymity to change gender, location and re-invent themselves as brilliantly clear thinkers, defenders of the faith and public morale and morals or, very sad solicitors posing as desperate housewives.
The 3 Arguidos site is probably the strongest of the allegedly Madeleine McCann dedicated sites. I have no access to it nor seek any since it regularly appears to be an outrageous vipers nest of sad people, many of whom have had brief cyber-existences here. It has attracted an interesting group of supporters and helpers and we should genuinely wish them well. They are the Jerry Springer end of the coverage.
The McCann story can not sustain sites like this and they have to diversify. Recruitment from sites such as ours is one way of doing it.
The Moderators here at Anorak have noted a recent surge of activity as the once-again revamped team at the 3As have become our new friends. Avid letter writers to Anorak and when gently challenged, retreat to vent their spleen within their own site. We had such an incursion yesterday.
We are aware the 3As site has suffered dreadful problems lately and we sympathise but do have our own course to run.
There is always a suspicion, often borne out by later scurrilous attacks, the new best friends have their own agenda. That’s fine we all do…and I do not intend to give the 3As site any further creditability by association with us.
It is worth passing on one of the alleged solicitor types in there tried to publish our editor’s telephone number. Why? It is freely available on this site and he is more than well-equipped to be happily entertained by the odd moronic or dirty phone call.
We remain secure in the knowledge of many things but among them are:
Anorak is the leading site of its genre
It has the most experienced and competent team of Moderators
Its writers are skilled and entertaining
It is growing and constantly evolving which is a healthy thing
It is often not a comfortable place to be but remains vibrant and exciting
Imitation and jealous rages remain the sincerest forms of flattery.
…and the headline to this piece? It is often forgotten that the very next line in that quotation is:
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself”
Posted: 30th, June 2008 | In: Anorak Says, Madeleine McCann Comments (626) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
June 30th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
M and A
But in all honesty what is beefed about on sites is hardly going to have a bearing on police work, or even a court case. If a jury is called, the individuals concerned will be vetted carefully. And any Justices will probably be hearing other cases, not on line unduly?
The McC’s big error was in courting the media, they should have kept their privacy
—————————————————————-
I think in the years to come that will be seen to be the high water mark of the Teflon Tony Spin Machine; once you have opened the door to the media it is very difficult to close it again.
And the media can turn very quickly to bite the hand that feeds them; consider the case of the baby Charlotte which provided much sentimental copy for tabloid and broadsheets over many months.
The Mail’s stomach-turning headline ‘Surely Charlotte Wyatt deserves better?’ was a prelude to dishing a great deal of dirt on the parents who had, up until that point, been spun as devoutly religious semi-saints attempting to protect their baby from the homicidal mania of the medical team caring for her.
I would think that the McCanns are unlikely to fare any better should the gloves ever come off…
June 30th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
411 M&A:
” But in all honesty what is beefed about on sites is hardly going to have a bearing on police work, or even a court case. If a jury is called, the individuals concerned will be vetted carefully. And any Justices will probably be hearing other cases, not on line unduly? ”
One should assume that. If it wasn’t so, I couldn’t enjoy the madness.
” The McC’s big error was in courting the media, they should have kept their privacy.”
I don’t worry about their privacy. They are well protected.
M and A
But Ferdinand, there are 5 people within the family group, one who seems to be somewhat absent?
June 30th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
411 M&A………… I wasn’t meaning the court case or the McCanns themselves. I was talking about personal reputations of people who just had the misfortune to be there at that time.
The periferal players who have been dragged through the mud because of the internet. The nannies, the sisters, the yoga instructor, Jeremy W and his wife, etc etc. they were not at all involved in MM’s disappearance but they have had their private lives ripped apart just because they were there by chance and gave statements.
I was merely commenting that I would hate that to happen to me.
June 30th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
I have always used my own name - no anonimity for me! But what I did find was that there was a “club” who talked among themselves and did not notice much of what I was saying, therefore although I was not anonymous I was virtually non-existent to all of the others!
M and A
We welcome all users, and the only non events end up in the bannage.
Hello
June 30th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Ferdinand said: It also gives me second thoughts about the “right of free speach” in anonymity.
………………….
I worry about that also. I also hope I never find myself caught up on the periphery of a high profile case like this!
M and A
But in all honesty what is beefed about on sites is hardly going to have a bearing on police work, or even a court case. If a jury is called, the individuals concerned will be vetted carefully. And any Justices will probably be hearing other cases, not on line unduly?
The McC’s big error was in courting the media, they should have kept their privacy
June 30th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
294 Marie Nicholas Says:
” I don’t agree at all with how you tell the story Ferdinand. You seem to be oblivious to one FACT : the MCs were named arguidos, it is not rumour or innuendo. ”
So what? Let the police do their work, with that portion of critical attitude towards “the authorities” that suits every citizen well. We will see if they come up with a case.
” They shoulodn’t be surprised now that the public are discussing the case so much.”
It’s not the public. It’s just a small minority which is addicted in one way or another. The general public has long shelved the matter.
“It is your view that allowing the PJ to suspect the suspects is “nasty”, instead of “sympathetic”. Should the public be “sympathetic” to suspects, for fear of being “nasty”? I find your vocabulary biased, while pretending to analyse the facts with objectivity. ”
The police is allowed to be “a bit nasty” to suspects (meaning that they intrude their life in an inconvenient way), that is part of their job. All within the boundaries of the law of course. Anyone who claims the right to personally mistrust police suspects should be well aware that he could be the next police suspect - since coming under suspicion can happen to anyone.
The McCanns have the privilege to be comparably well protected against the inconveniences it brings to be suspected by the police. They can be happy about that. But there seem to be those who demand inconveniences for them during the investigation phase, who would like to see their lifes to be destroyed or at least halted - and who spend considerable time of their life to share their vile fantasies in an anonymous forum.
I find it quite creepy, especially on the other site. As if there is madness which is fine as long as it’s confined to an Internet forum - but it gives you a feeling what could happen if - under different preconditions in a society - it could break out of it’s cage and become real. It also gives me second thoughts about the “right of free speach” in anonymity.
June 30th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
407
Julie
You are sooooo naughty…nothing new here
June 30th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
June,
The little man (as he referred to himself) set up a “dare” of sorts (don’t know if that’s the correct way to put it) today!
I quote :
“He can’t take a direct interaction and resorts to bans for no good reason - he is a totally classic example of a bully - go to the site and challenge him, you’ll see!” (end quote)
The dude with “small man syndrome” is worse than a stuck record!
M and A
Julie
we know what and who is saying things,its a bit like nails on a blackboard- a pointless screech.
June 30th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Jo - any yell sounds English to me
June 30th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
405
Julie
OoOohw
Does this sound english?
June 30th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Nah Fair, there’s a certain anti-child neglect poster (one that we all know and love so well) who’s jumped onto his pedestal again! He’s screeching from the bloody top floor again
M and A
It all began with a posting from Sad Git yesterday morning, hence todays leader….
June 30th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Anonymous
Yeah, but we don’t own the toys.
If Anorak wants us to comment on other stuff instead of MM all the time then that’s fair enough (I will plead for a reprieve obviously….).
June 30th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
398
BLONDIE
I think most posters in 3A spoke highly of you. more were in favour than against?
*****
Blondie , people in my favour?
I dont understand but never mind.
The real issue is Madeleine, not me nor you nor my cat
June 30th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Blimey an evasion from 3a’s!!
What’s happened there now? Melt down again?
June 30th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
bye melanie.
June 30th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
396
Julie Says:
June 30th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Sam, I’ve got used to the orange thingy bouncing up and down now.
I’m just waiting for that stick of his to break ………
thought it was a string ? not switching it on to have a look though.
June 30th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Read the few past posts
Did you like the last spins then?
June 30th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Hi Jo
Many thanks it it os course 3A’s
Brandon I am all for saving little cats!!
Gandolf aka Truth aka Grimly aka Rhodes aka alal the other nasty trolls.
It’s a friendly place ….easy to ignore the pests
I think most posters in 3A spoke highly of you. more were in favour than against?
June 30th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
bye everyone
June 30th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Sam, I’ve got used to the orange thingy bouncing up and down now.
I’m just waiting for that stick of his to break ………
June 30th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
of course having now disabled the oranage thing i’ve also managed to disable all emoticons, it looks all very somber here now. oh well.
June 30th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
386
Melanie Says:
June 30th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
who are the trolls melanie ? song is good btw, nice lyrics.
June 30th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
I did mean posts
June 30th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
378
Karen Says:
June 30th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Sam
Oh, I thought Melanie meant the thread!
hi karen, i assumed she meant posts.
June 30th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Julie
That is my ambition.
June 30th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
When two trolls go to war
A point is all you can score
When two trolls go to war
A point is all you can score
June 30th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
376
Melanie Says:
June 30th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Thanks Sam. I logged into forums and then camw back here. Posted about 3 times but none look like they have come through. If I try again I get a dupicate comment message.
it was the first message of yours i saw.
June 30th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
#
381
Melanie Says:
June 30th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
……….. Tomorrow is going to be 27 degrees.
__________________________
June 30th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
I wonder if Frankie Goes to Hollywood will re-release “Two Tribes” as “Two Trolls”
Anorak could have a new sub-title - “Welcome to the Pleasure Dome”
June 30th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Speaking of food: I am off to cook for 3 hungry dogs and thereafter for a hungry Maman [she's the more patient one]. BBL