"Jessi Slaughter" Videos A Lightning Rod
Foul language an 11-year-old girl uses in video postings on YouTube has gotten reaction from people viewing them ranging from shock and anger to concern.
The girl, who uses the fake name "Jessi Slaughter," has responded to her critics by, among other things, saying they should all get AIDS to saying she'll "put a Glock (pistol) in their mouths and make a brain slushy," to her crying hysterically and telling them that they have "ruined her life." She says she's torn and "has been having emotional breakdowns, one-after-another."
In one video, she says, "I read the comments. I read the messages, and I reply to them. But, you know what? I don't give a f**k. I'm happy with my life, OK?"
"Early Show," contributor and child pcychologist Dr. Jennifer Hartstein agreed with co-anchor Harry Smith that the videos do "take your breath away. I'm rarely speechless, as we know, and this one took - I really just sat and shook my head, and just wondered, who is really guiding this young woman? It's really scary."
"What's her motivation is the question I keep going to. Is she looking for friendship? Is she looking for a group to belong to? Is she looking for a sense of camaraderie and connection? And it's really hard to know. But there's something she's looking for. She's reaching out to make these connections with people. She's replying to their comments. She's having these conversations. So, at 11, she's seeing the power of the Internet, but not the full scope of how far it can go."
Hartstein concurred when Smith said the videos show a desparation on the girl's part. "Absolutely," Hartstein said.
Later, she added, "It's very sad that an 11 yr old needs to go to this length to feel connected to somebody, and we have to worry about that in the long-term for her."
Her parents apparently didn't realize at first what was going on, and Smith called that a "cautionary tale" about parents needing to stay on top of their kids' online activities. Hartstein said, "It's what we talk about all the time."
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To see some clips of "Jessi" and the Hartstein interview, follow this link to CBS News.
To read an interview with the girl's mother, visit this link to momlogic.com. (Please Note: The videos on momlogic.com are unedited and contain explicit lauguage)
