Social media: common thread in stars' suicides

The tragedy of South Korean pop star Goo Hara's death is another chapter in the dangers of scandals compounded by social media.

Goo, only 28 and with everything to live for, apparently succeeded in a second suicide attempt on Saturday, although no cause of death has been released.

"A handwritten note that was pessimistic about her life was found on a living room table," said Lee Yong-pyo, commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police, according to the South China Morning Post.

Among Goo's troubles were rumors that an ex-boyfriend threatened to release videos of the couple having sex.

Last year, tens of thousands of women protested in Seoul, calling for tougher punishment for those who post secretly obtained sex videos online. The penalties include up to five years in prison or fines of $25,500.

On Oct 14, another former K-pop girl band member, Sulli, 25, a close friend of Goo's, was found dead in her Seoul apartment after a bout of depression. Sulli had faced online abuse in what became known as the "no-bra" scandal, after which the singer suspended her musical career due to the hostility she faced in South Korea.

"We will root out malicious commenters, and we will make requests and petitions to investigative bodies and to the government so that the commenters can be strictly punished," the Korea Entertainment Management Association said after Sulli's death.

"Just like with Sulli, people failed to respect celebrities as humans and thoughtlessly post comments behind the mask of anonymity," Lee Hyun-cheol, a middle school teacher who recently visited a shrine for Goo, told NPR. "Celebrities, too, have parts of their lives they want to keep private."

"Many K-pop stars face tremendous pressure to look and behave perfectly in an industry powered by so-called 'fandoms' — groups of well-organized admirers who spend enormous amounts of time and money to help their favored stars climb up the charts and attack their perceived rivals," the Daily Mail of London reported in May.

The website wrote that "in return, the stars are expected to tread carefully in an industry where today's most fervent fans can be tomorrow's most vicious critics if their idols fail to meet their expectations — or 'betray' them".

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 1.53 million people around the world will die by suicide this year.

There are countless stories of people, usually young, ending their lives as a result of cyberbullying or other online harassment. In fact, a term has been coined to describe the phenomenon — "cyberbullicide".

A 2017 analysis by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that an increase in suicide rates among US teenagers occurred at the same time social media use surged. Suicide rates for teens rose between 2010 and 2015, after declining for nearly two decades, according to the CDC.

While social media provides an instant opportunity for people to express themselves to anyone in the world with an internet connection, it also can be a hellish prison for those caught in its vengeance.

Before the rise of the internet, when people had personal problems or scandals, unless the person was a celebrity of sorts, the rumors or innuendo usually stayed confined to one area or town — there was no electronic paper trail.

But now, practically any bit of negative information about someone can easily be found at a web user's fingertips. The thought of being humiliated around the world and having that information permanently accessible has driven people to take their lives.

The world has embraced the advance of technology, and few would consider giving up their smartphones or Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Kakao (South Korea) or WeChat (China) accounts.

And the risk does appear greater to people in the public eye, particularly many young, talented people seeking fame and fortune, who probably don't have enough life experiences to cope with the consequences of a scandal.

There also is no shortage of mean-spirited people, or trolls in internet speak, who are likely dissatisfied with their own lives and anonymously pounce on others at the first hint of weakness.

Social media harassment is a 21st century problem that likely will continue until enough of the public realizes that it needs to be addressed.