SAN ANTONIO, Texas Like most parents, AliceAnn Meyer started sharing pictures of her son online right after he was born in 2012.
But unlike most social media users, she had a unique reason: to raise awareness about her sons genetic disorder. Jameson Meyer was born with Pfeiffer syndrome, which causes certain skull bones to fuse together too early, according to the National Institutes of Health. This disorder affects the shape of his head and face. Jameson has type 1 so neurologically hes 100 percent normal, Meyer told ABC News, despite having some speech delays.
Meyer shared pictures of their day-to-day lives on her Facebook page, Jamesons Journey, to show that he could live a normal life. She received an overwhelmingly positive response to her sons disorder until she discovered a few weeks ago that someone had turned one of his photos into a cruel Internet meme and it was being shared by thousands.
The photo has been altered. Someone, somewhere, decided for who knows what reason, to take that picture and create a meme comparing my son to a pug, Meyer wrote on her blog. What compels a person to do such a thing I will never understand."
Meyer then began a crusade to get the meme taken down from every site she could find it on. She was successful in getting the picture taken off Twitter within minutes and it was taken off of Instagram within a day. Meyer, along with thousands of her followers, had to fight take the picture down on Facebook. It took over 48 hours and left her frustrated.
"I wish there were more safeguards for our children in circumstances like this," Meyer told today.com. "It seems that if a report by anyone involves a child, the content should immediately be disabled until the issue is reviewed by a staff member.
Shes using the experience to continue to raise awareness about Pfeiffer syndrome and to humanize the little boy in the picture.
To all of you out there that are laughing so hard at my son, know that this in fact could be your child, Meyer wrote. And if one day this does happen to one of you that are out there laughing and making fun, I hope and pray you change your heart and welcome that child with loving arms.
Even though Jameson has some communication delays, he acts like a normal 4-year-old, Meyer told ABC News.
"He's a little prankster. He's very mischievous," she said. "He loves to get a laugh out of people. We hear from his teachers and therapist how much he plays jokes and he's just a super fun kid."
Meyer said she wont stop issuing copyright claims to get the meme taken down and asks if anyone sees the picture, to take a screenshot and share it with her.
You can also report it, as many times as you want. Unfortunately, thats really about it for now, she wrote. Once something is out there, its there. Nonetheless, I refuse not to fight. It is absurd to me that it will ever be ok to target children to degrade and humiliate them.
But unlike most social media users, she had a unique reason: to raise awareness about her sons genetic disorder. Jameson Meyer was born with Pfeiffer syndrome, which causes certain skull bones to fuse together too early, according to the National Institutes of Health. This disorder affects the shape of his head and face. Jameson has type 1 so neurologically hes 100 percent normal, Meyer told ABC News, despite having some speech delays.
Meyer shared pictures of their day-to-day lives on her Facebook page, Jamesons Journey, to show that he could live a normal life. She received an overwhelmingly positive response to her sons disorder until she discovered a few weeks ago that someone had turned one of his photos into a cruel Internet meme and it was being shared by thousands.
The photo has been altered. Someone, somewhere, decided for who knows what reason, to take that picture and create a meme comparing my son to a pug, Meyer wrote on her blog. What compels a person to do such a thing I will never understand."
Meyer then began a crusade to get the meme taken down from every site she could find it on. She was successful in getting the picture taken off Twitter within minutes and it was taken off of Instagram within a day. Meyer, along with thousands of her followers, had to fight take the picture down on Facebook. It took over 48 hours and left her frustrated.
"I wish there were more safeguards for our children in circumstances like this," Meyer told today.com. "It seems that if a report by anyone involves a child, the content should immediately be disabled until the issue is reviewed by a staff member.
Shes using the experience to continue to raise awareness about Pfeiffer syndrome and to humanize the little boy in the picture.
To all of you out there that are laughing so hard at my son, know that this in fact could be your child, Meyer wrote. And if one day this does happen to one of you that are out there laughing and making fun, I hope and pray you change your heart and welcome that child with loving arms.
Even though Jameson has some communication delays, he acts like a normal 4-year-old, Meyer told ABC News.
"He's a little prankster. He's very mischievous," she said. "He loves to get a laugh out of people. We hear from his teachers and therapist how much he plays jokes and he's just a super fun kid."
Meyer said she wont stop issuing copyright claims to get the meme taken down and asks if anyone sees the picture, to take a screenshot and share it with her.
You can also report it, as many times as you want. Unfortunately, thats really about it for now, she wrote. Once something is out there, its there. Nonetheless, I refuse not to fight. It is absurd to me that it will ever be ok to target children to degrade and humiliate them.