Net blamed in Tokyo school killing

In Japanese society's search for answers in the killing of a 12-year-old girl by a classmate, "Japanese media have turned to the Internet as a culprit," Reuters reports. It cites Japanese media coverage as saying the 11-year-old girl who confessed to the murder told police that she'd asked the victim not to post messages about her appearance on an online discussion board, but "her friend had refused to stop." Reuters also quotes Hosei University media studies Prof. Tatsuo Inamasu as saying that, though it can be a factor in escalating emotional reactions, the Internet can't be blamed for a murder. He suggested that parents and teachers tend to blame technology because they don't understand it, but a great factor is "the inability to communicate skillfully with another human being." He pointed to the extra care needed when communicating online, without the benefit of seeing the face and body language of the person receiving the message. Reuters adds that the Net is part of everyday life for Japanese children - over 60% of children 6-12 use the Internet. As for this week's tragedy, the 11-year-old girl "will appear before a family court, which could send her to a special reformatory. Children under 14 cannot be prosecuted in Japan." [Thanks to BNA Internet Law for pointing this story out.]