It turns out that a 40-year-old white male University of Edinburgh student was the voice behind A Gay Girl in Damascus, a fictional blog about the plight of an Arab lesbian that was kidnapped. You can read all about it here.
I find this disturbing for several reasons. I read personal blogs because they give insight into someone’s life. I fully expect the author to be authentic and for the content not to be made up. If a blog is fictional, that should be disclosed upfront so readers don’t feel duped. Also, the Internet cloak highlights that you never really know who is on the other side of that keyboard!
Thoughts?
-Susanna (A Modern Mother)
Photo credit: Orbmiser
Molly
Tuesday 14th of June 2011
I started following this blog after reading an article about it in The Guardian. I'm disappointed to find out it's fictional. I thought it was a really inspiring story about a REAL person. Looks like the press were just as fooled as I was.
Karin @ Cafe Bebe
Tuesday 14th of June 2011
Just goes to show that the internet can be a very strange place sometimes! I too find it bizarre that someone would go to the trouble of setting up a fictional blog. For attention? For fame? They have to know that the truth will come out at some point...it always does! There have been several parent blogs in the past who have been a bit sly to say the least but they also tend to be flashes in the pan as well. They get caught out pretty quickly as parent bloggers seem to be better sniffer dogs than the mainstream press. Karin
Helen Grounds
Tuesday 14th of June 2011
In the end of the day people tell lies to get attention in real life and on the internet, it's just here we have a bigger audience to scream "look at me" and some feel being behind a screen is more comforting then being seen face-to-face by the public outside. I'm not saying what he did is right, just trying to understand why a person would do this. I've met many people who have lied online in the same way he has, some girl once told everyone she had cancer and was going to die but it was all a lie just because she wanted the lads online to feel for her in a way she's never felt before.
Susanna
Tuesday 14th of June 2011
Possibly, but I still don't like the idea of someone posing as a fictional character unless it was made clear up front.
Ellen A
Tuesday 14th of June 2011
Would this whole debacle have been less troubling if the girl hadn't have been gay? Just a thought.