Proposal Gives 2-Year Prison Terms To Internet Trolls
Lucky for my trolls, this is being proposed in Britain, where speech isn’t as free as in the United States.
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Justice Secretary Chris Grayling told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: “This is a law to combat cruelty — and marks our determination to take a stand against a baying cyber-mob.”
There has been increasing concern in Britain about the growing scourge of Internet “trolls” who post hate-filled messages on social media, often threatening their targets.
The parents of missing girl Madeleine McCann are among the most recent victims, and last month a man was jailed for 18 weeks for what prosecutors described as “a campaign of hatred” against a female lawmaker.
“These internet trolls are cowards who are poisoning our national life. No-one would permit such venom in person, so there should be no place for it on social media,” Grayling said.
“That is why we are determined to quadruple the current six-month sentence.”[su_csky_ad]
whatthe46 October 20th, 2014 at 12:04 am
“These internet trolls are cowards who are poisoning our national life. No-one would permit such venom in person…’
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If such a thing were to start here, i’d elect that we start with Rand!!!!!! carry on.
Candide Thirtythree October 20th, 2014 at 4:39 am
The trolls are not paying for their platform, the comment sections and social media are owned by private companies and none of them owe the troll a platform. if people want to be douchebags then they should have to buy their own website.
Carla Akins October 20th, 2014 at 7:01 am
If they really want to be shocked they should follow Alan’s twitter feed. Oy vey!
edmeyer_able October 20th, 2014 at 7:13 am
While I believe trolls are “bothersome” threatening physical harm is another matter. Don’t most sites have the ability to censor their comments?
Kat Bullington October 20th, 2014 at 7:48 am
I think if your thread is open for public comment, then you should expect criticism. threats of violence are a different story.
Rusty Shackleford October 20th, 2014 at 10:03 am
Some states already have laws that could apply. Stalking and harassment exist online too.
Mainah October 20th, 2014 at 11:56 am
It kind of says a lot about people. In person, we wouldn’t think of doing such things but put them behind a computer screen where there is no face to look into, and people become hateful, mean and well … degenerate. What a sad thing. Here we have a technology that allows us to speak to all sorts of people and this is what we do with it?
It’s all becoming angry noise. I will still have hope that we can do better as human beings.
Intolerantcentrist October 20th, 2014 at 12:47 pm
Trouble is, some folks who make threats or are overtly aggressive Troll also use browsers that mask their tracks. Not sure its even possible for legislation, either here in the US or in the UK, to be effective when enforcement resources (technology) are lacking and the priority to enforce such laws may not be all that high compared to other crimes. If this sort of thing is going to work, there has to be a technological system that can make it easier to enforce…?
Schmuddel October 20th, 2014 at 2:55 pm
These laws will be used to suppress actual criticism while genuine threats of violence will continue as they are (in other words, very rarely). You don’t get to say “I think the Internet should be free and neutral” and “People who say things I don’t like should go away.”