Fraping - The old fashioned jokes substituted with intruding privacy.
Do you remember the time when we used to make harmless jokes on behalf of somebody, laugh a bit and move on? Well, digital media has made it possible to take these jokes to another level - a level where your pranks can get you in prison for 10 years and cost you $2700. Frape is a term that emerged in the beginning of 21st century with the increasing popularity of social media platforms. It is described in the dictionary as “The act of Raping someones Facebook profile when they leave it logged in. Profile pictures, sexuality and interests are commonly changed however fraping can include the poking or messaging of strangers from someone else's Facebook account.”
It is used mainly by teenagers who frape not only their friends but their parents, teachers and dates. A girl shares in a forum that she fraped her mother by posting on her Facebook wall “OH god.. I'm pregnant again.. not sure whether to be down or excited!! x” She had a good laugh for certain but imagine her mother’s shock when she started receiving congratulation calls, messages and posts! Other people joke with their friends sexuality: “is it wrong that I find squirrels attractive?”, add new friends to their profile or delete old ones, change their names or relationship status.
Most of today’s youngsters can openly admit that they have fraped their friends before. They do it with the intention to make a joke, laugh a bit and delete the post. But what happens when people use fraping as a revenge? You may get fined and end up being sent to jail. On 6th April 2011 an Irish man found out his girlfriend cheated on him and decided to confront her. His revenge included taking her phone and posting on her Facebook wall that she was a “whore” and “would take any offers”. People would judge her, make a few mean comments and she would learn her lesson, right? But this story had a different turnout. The man had been prosecuted under the country's Criminal Damages Act, which imposes a maximum prison sentence of 10 years and $13,600 fine. The case marked the first time someone had been held liable for damages involving a social media account. He avoided prison time when the judge determined a monetary penalty was more appropriate, fining the defendant $2,700. This particular man might have found his way out of jail for the offence on his ex-girlfriend but others who try and follow his example may spend the next 10 years of their lives locked behind bars.
Even though the fraping trend has emerged as means of joking with people and having fun, it has gone too far. Far enough so that is could be called “Facebook rape”. And far enough that the issue of its consequences is being discussed by politicians.
Fraping offends millions of people every year especially when used for the purpose of “getting back” at somebody. The only way for that trend to stop is if the problem reaches a wider range of people and more countries follow Ireland’s example and make it illegal and prohibited.
