Hello!
Just sent off an interview with The Straits Times on Formspring.
Thought I might post up exactly what I said :) xx Roseanne
Hi Roseanne, Thanks for agreeing to help. Here are my questions: – What do you enjoy most about using formspring? – Are you aware that formspring.me has been used as a platform for cyber bullying in the US? (some youths were sent a flood of offensive messages, and 2 youths ended up committing suicide) – What, in your opinion, are the characteristics of this site that make it easy for cyber bullying to take place? – Have you ever received any rude / offensive questions on your formspring account? If so, what were the nature of these questions? – Were you bothered at all by these questions? – Despite the potential for misuse of this site, what do you think is the allure of formspring, for youths at least? – Are most of your peers on this site too? How did you / they learn of this site?
Finally, could you tell me your age and occupation?
Thanks again! :)
Hanqing
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Liew Hanqing Correspondent
The Straits Times Singapore Press Holdings Limited
1000 Toa Payoh North, News Centre, Singapore 318994″
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“Hi Hanqing, No worries. I would like to see the article after though! Is there someway to scan it to me once its published? :D
What do you enjoy most about Formspring?
As I am a YouTuber and Blogger, it helps me to connect to my viewers and fans by answering their beauty related questions or my personal preferences on things including where I’m from and who I am basically. They get to know more about me and not the fact that I’m just a distant beauty personality on their computer screens.
Are you aware that formspring.me has been used as a platform for cyber bullying in the US? (some youths were sent a flood of offensive messages, and 2 youths ended up committing suicide).
Nope, I wasn’t aware but I can understand why people might get affected. I personally think that this is simply a matter of being stupid enough to let things like this get to you but that’s a whole other topic. Some youths who are too ignorant might just fall for it, people like that aren’t ready for formspring if they aren’t used to the public opinion.
What, in your opinion, are the characteristics of this site that make it easy for cyber bullying to take place?
It’s very easy for sites like these to be ready ground for cyber bullying. It’s anonymous, and you get to ask anything or say anything you want. No one else sees it. It’s like a private email that you an choose to respond to or to discard. Cyber bullies get excited with places like these because they can say anything they want to say without being penalised and that person won’t even know who they are. They feed off the freedom and the ability to cause any emotion that they couldn’t otherwise do in their everyday lives.
Have you ever received any rude / offensive questions on your formspring account? If so, what were the nature of these questions?
I haven’t received comments that I would consider rude or offensive. Were you bothered at all by these questions? No, usually they’re decent questions that viewers want to know like where I’m from and things like that. If there is a question in the future that is offensive, I would just delete it and not answer it. Avoiding cyber bullies shuts them up.
Despite the potential for misuse of this site, what do you think is the allure of formspring, for youths at least?
For me, I use Formspring to connect to my audience. For others, I think it’s the fact that they are answering questions about themselves, the fact that people are interested in knowing more about them probably excites them. People do surveys and post them on their blogs or Facebook notes all the time. They want people to know them better and to know more about who they are as a person. To make themselves unique and different from everyone else.
Are most of your peers on this site too? How did you / they learn of this site?
Beauty peers, yes. And not most of them as Formspring is pretty new. I learned about the site from a fellow Youtube friend and decided to create my own account.
Age: 19
Occupation: Youtube Beauty Guru and Blogger:
Profile:
With over 180,000 total upload views and Youtube Partner, I am currently a Celebrity VIP on TheBeautyClub, an Australian Cosmetics online marketplace for high-end brands like Chanel, Lancome, SKII, Biotherm, Nars and many more which helps sponsor products so that I can review them for my viewers. I have also been sponsored by Elizabeth Arden, Shiseido, Urban Decay and Erno Laszlo (patrons including Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe) to review skincare and make-up and have been celebrity blogger for Loreal Melbourne Fashion week and have been a guest speaker on careersuccessradio.com. I have also been invited to Blogging Events by Pearlin Siow around Singapore including Elizabeth Arden Singapore, Shiseido Singapore and Orchard Scotts Dental. I love all my subscribers/followers (2,142/youtube, 171/onsugar, 780 fans on facebook and counting) and love randomly meeting you when I’m out and about.
Youtube: www.youtube.com/roseannetangrs
Blog: www.roseannebeauty.onsugar.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/roseannetangrs
I’m a Celebrity VIP on The Beauty Club (an awesome website that ships international if you want high end cosmetics at very reduced prices!) Check out my profile:
http://thebeautyclub.com.au/PG-roseanne-tang.aspx
Careersuccessradio: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/careercommunique/2010/03/21/international-students-in-australia-special-report
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/roseannetangrs/319351314600?ref=ts
Hope that helped you out!
Roseanne”