I was a very reserved quiet shy child growing up, especially at school, looking back I must have had terrible anxiety for a child. I'm a completely different person to who I was back then. Children are quite accepting and understanding, Adults are not always so good at keeping an open mind. Becoming involved in a group like Urbex NZ has taught me many things in life and I've also meet some unique/crazy/awesome people, to which each brings something of their own to the group. But it's also subjected me to harassment/slander for my opinions, choices and actions. A Wellington Urbex group disagreed because of our connection to graffiti artists and tagging, and started making videos of themselves removing the tagging/stickers and then using my real name (which was really scary) in there YouTube videos and ripping our videos off, while spreading them throughout the Urbex community internationally. I would get constant Facebook messages from fake accounts and see my videos appear slandered on other pages/forums, yes I'd reply even though friends would tell me to let it go, but you can't not when your being attacked, I'd become to defensive. All these messages would go on about what sort of person I was and run me down, and it's frustrating because you just want to set them straight and meet them in person. This person had so much power behind a computer! Our YouTube videos would have sour comments by people I didn't even know, dislikes. They even brought a .com domain similar to ours to attempt to steal our website traffic. All of a sudden it was a competition to see who could post latest locations up the fastest, I gave up posting content online.
Within our group it had drawn serious conflict whether graffiti should even be associated. It was a really stressful time, especially for my ex, this isn't the first time I've been bullied for Urbex. Back in 2008 I was attacked online and someone put fake naked pictures on a forum and tried to say they were of me.
I do leave my name in a place sometimes when I explore, if that makes me a vandal, that's your opinion. Urban Exploration doesn't have a code of conduct (nor do we have any, were all grown up's and trust one another) it only takes common sense to do this hobby. I have never once cited 'take only photos leave only pictures' because I'm an explorer not photographer. I don't think you could find anyone else who would respect abandoned places more than myself in this country. After all I started this group. I do like to bend the rules and do things differently, it’s an illegal hobby. Can't put rules on that.
My Nana ended up in Wellington hospital mid last year (old girl nearly died on me) and I pretty much had a break down, were quite close and I grew up with her. I contacted one of the members of the group and after many emails exchanged they removed the videos. I still get casual Facebook message from one of the members. It's like common banter now. But it hasn't always been and online bullying really is degrading and pathetic. NetSafe tell me that currently there is legislation going through Parliament for a bill called the Harmful Digital Communications Bill, which will (if it is passed in the form it is currently suggested) strengthen measures able to be taken against people who harass and harm people online. Fingers crossed! The thing that troubles me the most about the behaviour of this Wellington Urbex group is, where really big on anti-bullying in NZ.
I hope these people aren't role models or have children.
Nathan,
Within our group it had drawn serious conflict whether graffiti should even be associated. It was a really stressful time, especially for my ex, this isn't the first time I've been bullied for Urbex. Back in 2008 I was attacked online and someone put fake naked pictures on a forum and tried to say they were of me.
I do leave my name in a place sometimes when I explore, if that makes me a vandal, that's your opinion. Urban Exploration doesn't have a code of conduct (nor do we have any, were all grown up's and trust one another) it only takes common sense to do this hobby. I have never once cited 'take only photos leave only pictures' because I'm an explorer not photographer. I don't think you could find anyone else who would respect abandoned places more than myself in this country. After all I started this group. I do like to bend the rules and do things differently, it’s an illegal hobby. Can't put rules on that.
My Nana ended up in Wellington hospital mid last year (old girl nearly died on me) and I pretty much had a break down, were quite close and I grew up with her. I contacted one of the members of the group and after many emails exchanged they removed the videos. I still get casual Facebook message from one of the members. It's like common banter now. But it hasn't always been and online bullying really is degrading and pathetic. NetSafe tell me that currently there is legislation going through Parliament for a bill called the Harmful Digital Communications Bill, which will (if it is passed in the form it is currently suggested) strengthen measures able to be taken against people who harass and harm people online. Fingers crossed! The thing that troubles me the most about the behaviour of this Wellington Urbex group is, where really big on anti-bullying in NZ.
I hope these people aren't role models or have children.
Nathan,
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