LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio – Is it entertainment or online bullying?
That`s what many are asking after looking at a Facebook fan page called ‘The Creatures of Lorain County’
Users submit photographs of people in Lorain County, and then fans unleash their comments. The page has more than 800 pictures since it launched in April.
“Well, I never go to sites like that because I’m not really interested in small-minded people,” said Chuck Wallace of Lorain.
“I`m not going to lie. I thought it was kind of, some of it was kind of funny, but at the end of the day, it`s almost like adult bullying,” added Shelli Booker of Lorain.
A viewer contacted Fox 8 this week, saying she was frustrated because a relative was featured on the web page. The relative is mentally disabled.
The Creatures of Lorain County founder Amy Clark said posts are not meant to target any group. She dubs it a fashion police of Northeast Ohio.
“There’s no hate involved in any of this,” Clark said. “We love any picture we get. Our repeat offenders, we love them. Like, we had one old woman who had pink hair. We love her. We want to meet you!”
With 19,000 fans, Clark said the site comes with its critics too.
Avon resident Christopher Cox said the site is in bad taste.
“If they don`t like what someone`s wearing, they shouldn`t judge them, they should try to help them,” he said. “Maybe they don`t know their situation or their circumstance.”
Clark said she and her co-founder have received threats online and are frequently scanning the site’s comments. She said she only posts public pictures of people, unless permission is given otherwise.
If a person finds a picture in bad taste, Clark said they may take it down.
“It’s all in fun,” Clark said. “I was covered from head to toe in mud, and I blurred out my cat’s face because I didn’t want my cat to come back and do me. It’s just a joke. It’s all for fun and entertainment. We’re not meaning anything bad by it.”
Facebook has a no-tolerance policy for bullying. If a person is ever harassed in an online post or picture, they can report it to the website.