Stick To Your Guns have had enough with internet trolls and cyberbullying — the band took to their Facebook page today to address fans attacking each other on the social networking site, saying it’s a problem they can no longer ignore.
“We have thick skins,” the band said. “You don’t like a song? OK. You don’t like a photo? OK. But attacking fans on our page is unacceptable. Let’s be clear: Your speech is not protected here when it is used to harm others. This is not a safe place to bully kids.”
“We encourage a healthy debate, but attacks on others regarding weight, clothes, tattoos or looks are low and boring and will be deleted. We realize you are weak, afraid, small-minded and bored, but you have the potential to do some serious damage to your fellow human beings, and we’re not ok with that. We’d like to remind you that you are young now, but when you grow up and wish you could take it all back, there will be a permanent record of it – as the internet is more permanent than you think.”
“With the digital age, there is more engagement than ever, but with that comes responsibility. It is that much easier to reach out into someone’s home and hurt them, and we simply will not be the conduit to which you conduct you hatred.”
“Thank you to all the STYG fans who see the absurdity in the comments – you far out number the few. While we will delete these comments, we hope that this reminds you that you can’t turn a blind eye to ignorance but that there is an intelligent way to handle it. We’re all in this together.”