I agree, you can find abuse anywhere, and l also a forum which was downright nasty if you went against their views. However, that is the great part of being online, you can always find a better place to try, and eventually like any community, you can find a group that brings out the very best elements of who you are. Ultimately, that is what it is all about isn't it?

Everything brainwashes than. When i see an add for something i like, i want it.

I feel the wording was just persusaive, and not mind control over the internet.

I cant believe people act like that. Think itsjust because they dont have to look you in the eye. I'v been to some harsh forums. Hang in there!

Hello,

Cults and destructive groups can grow almost everywhere. In my country(I don't come from USA) I observed a lot of situations like lessons led by sectarians in public schools, sect hidden in high school(covered by deans and rectors), sects operating as a company, as a political party(postcommunistic parties have semi-sectarian character) so I can't see any reason why would it be inpossible to fool people in the web. I know it is so obvious. A couple minutes ago I finished watching fantastic video in which Jim Bergin, former member of Gentle Wind Project, was telling among other things about essence of cults. Where are the same features that various cults and groups share - he said, and one of them is the feeling of power. Leaders can feel it only if they exploit people who only wanted to do something good for others and themselves. So the main issue is that in every abusive relation there's dick(sorry, but I hate sectarians) who is interested in exploiting somebody, and someone who is abused by him(or her).

I'm sure that a ot of people that lead their lives in our planet are good, but it's very possible that in most of them we can find a potency of evil that waits to explode in favorable conditions. It can be for example wrong political system or wrong local colour that allows to exceed the limit of decency. The internet creates a specifical atmosphere of anomity, that gives an opportunity to pretend someone different. So if it's normal to pretend and to lie that you've got some incredible features and talents, there's a quite good chance to manipulate others. Every cult I sow in my life was based on the lies, big lies about amazing or divine character of ideology, relationships and goals of group.

If children and youth can spend almost whole twenty-four hours imagining new incredible worlds in games, even adults are able to waste their time for looking a better existence in suspicious online groups. I suppose that every religious country filled with propaganda and commercial noise, underlie good ground for growth of new destructive groups. And one more interesting thing: I red an article in press about attitudes of parents whose children explore virtual world in the web. In poorer regions can occure situations in which parents that are not familiar with newest technologies permit their children to choose modus vivendii single-handedly. The reason why they do it, is that they feel unqualified to show their children the way of life. And young persons become lonely. In my opinion they are potential victims of web-psychomanipulations.

I hope my opinion was legible.

Salute!

Derick don't blame the victim, genius.

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Waysplusmeans

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SarahL
I've learned through experience that unsafe groups and abusive relationships can be found most everywhere, including online. I've also been reminded that it isn't necessarily the philosophy or theme or focus of a group that will indicate possible trouble, [b:c8fa1ec35b]it is the behavior.[/b:c8fa1ec35b]
Even chat rooms, online gaming, and other endeavors can be problematic. [b:c8fa1ec35b]People online can be manipulative, controlling, groups can and are formed that fit all the red flag signs of a destructive group.[/b:c8fa1ec35b]

Excellent Post!

Two websites to take cautionary measures: www.farrakhanfactor.com and www.seventhfam.com

I would like to add www.carm.org they are a Christian "Apologetics" board whose leadership recently decided to start labeling participants as "atheists" even if the participants profess belief as Catholics or other denominations and they have been encouraging hate postings that occasionally spill over into personal profiling, demands for identifying info, etc.

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nccg_concern
Abusive Online Groups and Relationships:

It's possible for people to be "brainwashed" over the internet. Text content on web pages can be presented in a way that invokes a suggestible state (like other written material can do, that's not an internet-only thing).

Sounds more like "persuasion" to me than a "suggestible state." If this is the case, then everything we read "brainwashes."

I think your redefinition of ideas and words could just as easily be called brainwashing.

Sincerely,
Derek

A lot of it has to do with how savvy a user is. Cults that are into recruitment often use subterfuge and inexperienced internet users might not be alert to some of the worst tactics, such as using information gained through surveys to profile individuals and then ganging up on the individuals. Recruiters can pretend to have special insight or common interests and the target should be wary of them, just like in real life, where recruiters sometimes collect gossip before aapproaching a target and offering "help".