On Wednesday, Rutgers University disclosed that freshman Tyler Clementi had committed suicide after fellow students surreptiously videotaped his sexual encounter with another man and livestreamed the recording online. Clementi's roommate, Dharun Ravi, and Molly Wei, both 18, have been charged with two counts each of invasion of privacy. While the full story of what happened remains unclear, the case has sparked global outrage — and commentary about the disturbing side of social-media technology. Here's a sampling of first reactions:
"This 'stunt' isn’t just a college prank gone bad. It is evidence of the dehumanizing effects that technology is having on young people. I very much doubt that Ravi and Wei are murderers at heart. The 'thrill' of using a Webcam and Skype and Twitter to play-act as producers and directors turned their victim [Clementi] into nothing more than another contestant on a mean-spirited, ill-conceived reality show." —Dr. Keith Ablow, psychiatry correspondent for Fox News
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