Cruelty on the Internet - by Peta.org

The Internet is rife with Web sites and Web pages depicting cruelty to animals. Some sources are educational, depicting the cruel behind-the-scenes reality of industries that thrive on animal exploitation and abuse. Other sources are merely depicting cruelty for shock value. Often, these sites will also carry videos and images that are gory and/or pornographic in nature. These Web sites are counting on you to be upset by what you see, inadvertently bringing them more traffic—and consequently more advertising dollars—with your complaints to friends, family, and coworkers. The site owners thrive on your angry messages, often posting them for their sympathetic audiences to enjoy.

Social-networking sites like Myspace and media-sharing sites like Youtube allow users to create their own Web pages (in the case of Myspace) and to post blogs, photos, videos, and music. Some people abuse this service by posting videos depicting crimes against animals. Many abusers have been brought to justice after flaunting these crimes online. With your help, we will continue to put these abusers behind bars.

Cleaning Up the Internet

Regarding sites like Myspace and Youtube, please immediately bring any offensive videos to PETA’s attention by e-mailing us at Info@peta.org. We require a direct link to the video and to the poster’s Web page. Do not post angry comments, and do not complain to the social-networking or video-sharing site about the video, as it might remove the video before PETA has the opportunity to investigate. As a precaution, please download the video and save the Web page/user profile so that PETA can be sure to view both. After our investigation, we will petition the site to remove the video and delete the user’s account.

In cases involving commercial gore- and pornography-based Web sites carrying videos of animal abuse for shock purposes, your response will be different. Find the contact address for the Web site, and identify the Web site’s Internet Service Provider (ISP). DNSstuff.com can help you do both:

Using DNSstuff.com to find contact information for a Web site is easy. Use the “WHOIS Lookup” option (on the left side of DNSstuff.com’s home page) to perform a search using the domain name. The domain name for PETA’s Web site, for example, is “PETA.org.” Again, don’t complain directly to the offending site, as this will only encourage the site owner. Instead, report it to the appropriate FBI branch office.

DNSstuff.com also makes it easy to find information about the offending Web site’s Internet service provider (ISP). First, use the “Ping” tool on DNSstuff’s home page to find the IP (Internet Protocol) address for the Web site; all you have to do is enter the domain name! Then, enter the IP address into DNSstuff’s “IPWHOIS Lookup” search field, and you’ll get the ISP information! In addition to contacting the ISP representatives directly and explaining to them why the site and/or the offensive files should be removed, ISP information should also be included in your FBI complaint.