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The father of a son who committed suicide on the Internet this week is “appalled” by the audience that watched his son die and is calling for regulations to oversee the Internet.
Abraham Biggs, 19, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, took an overdose of medication for bipolar disorder. While he was lying on the bed looking like he was sleeping, he was actually dying while an unknown number of online viewers egged on the teen.
Abraham Biggs Sr. says the Web site operators and those who watched did nothing.
"I think they are all equally wrong," he said. "It's a person's life that we're talking about. And as a human being, you don't watch someone in trouble and sit back and just watch."
The college student died in his father’s bed Wednesday after he told the Internet community that he planned to take his own life.
Some who watched him take a fatal overdose thought Abraham was kidding because he had threatened suicide on the site before. Some made snide comments. Eventually some people did notify police and Abraham was found by police 12 hours later after his address was tracked down by the Web site.
Biggs, who has said he was at work during the episode, said he had not known about his son's online presence. He believes the attempt to die was a cry for help from a young person opening up his life willingly to an uncaring virtual audience.
"I think after this incident and probably other incidents that have occurred in the past, they all point to some kind of regulation is necessary," Biggs said. "I think it is wrong to have this happen for hours without any action being taken from the people in charge. Where were they all the time?"
The younger Biggs posted a link from the Web site to Justin.tv, which allows users to broadcast live with their webcams.
Expect to see precedent setting laws evolve from the harm that the internet can impose as people anonymously add to the hurt of others. #