The internet: How can a medium so conceptually full of potential win attract so many people full of utter lose and fail?

Wired reports that "griefers" (which is a polite euphemism, I suppose, for a term Weblogs Inc really wouldn't want me to use) lodged an attack on the non-profit Epilepsy Foundation last weekend.

Epilepsy is one of those really fun conditions that can vary wildly in seizure type and severity. About 3% of people with epilepsy have visual triggers. Griefers first put up a few GIFs that flashed, and then begin using links (with legitimate sounding names) to entire pages with flashing lights and color patterns.

There were seizures of various types and migraines reported from the event. Ever had a true migraine? Not a bad headache, but a true migraine? It's something you wouldn't wish even on a griefer.

Sorry, but why would anyone find this particularly amusing? And before anyone (again) ventures the comment spotted on Wired ("Why didn't the EF disable GIFs?"), really, let's think about this. How freaking low do you have to be to do this sort of thing? Hello? Maybe they should have disabled GIFs. And maybe we should all have some personal freaking responsibility to each other as, you know, people.

Full disclosure. As a person with a neurological condition (not epilepsy) I've found the internet is a lifeline in meeting other people with the same condition. I learn things from them I can not learn from my doctors. Doctors are very good, but they don't have the experiences I have. When these sites have issues, real live people do suffer. Sometimes not medically, but definitely in terms of support.

I don't believe any Download Squad readers are, or aspire to be, griefers. Our readers are way too cool for that. But restore my faith in the citizens of the interwebs. Do something nice to someone, anyone, online today.

[via Wired by way of Slashdot]