Posted on 10/20/2014 12:07:19 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
People found guilty of Internet "trolling" in Britain could be jailed for up to two years under government proposals outlined on Sunday, following a number of high-profile cases of abusive and threatening behaviour on Twitter.
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."
Victims have long been calling for police and prosecutors to take online abuse more seriously and lawyers had anticipated an increase in sentences for those convicted of trolling.
"There is a public interest in having people put away for a long time," Chris Holder, of London law firm Bristows, told AFP earlier this month.
"It is putting someone in fear of their life and fear of physical harm. I think the law will develop and the sentences will go up and up."(continued)
(Excerpt) Read more at afp.com ...
They say these trolls threaten people sometimes, sounds like that is the beef. May I be so bold as to say that does sound like a punishable offense. I heard about this. Peculiar story.
“These internet trolls are cowards who are poisoning our national life.”
And yet Sharia law is totally harmless.
Of course. How many pounds in taxes go to immigrants?
I wonder if this law will be applied to State funded trolls as well.
Dangerous law because it can easily be used to clamp down on political dissent. Of course there are abuses on the internet, but the legal trends are mostly for the left to use the law as a censorship club against the political right. I’m in Canada and involved in some of these cases, where efforts have been made to link political dissent to cyber-bullying. You may have somewhat more protection from the First Amendment, our constitution also guarantees freedom of speech but legal precedents about “balancing rights” open the door for erosion of civil liberties. I note that Americans are also facing assaults on free speech as with the recent reports about Houston’s city council wanting to preview sermons. These are all dangerous trends that need to be pushed back hard. As for actual hard core cyber bullying of vulnerable teens or ordinary citizens, that may be a different matter. But when it’s citizens expressing frustration and outrage about leftist politics and the policies they wish to impose on us all, that goes way too far and is an abuse of the term “troll” which should be limited to those who engage in destructive behaviour. Calling a leftist a communist is hardly what I would call destructive, more like amplification.
>> “That is why we are determined to quadruple the current six-month sentence.”
Grayhole — somewhat of a suitable name.
Yet, somehow why do I feel that the citation for the reasons of doing this are for those making threats is just a strawman? There are already laws that cover making threats. I just can’t help this would be used for censorship and punishment by whomever is “in charge”.
I think it is similar to the origination of the Patriot Act which now is used willy nilly to abridge all of our rights in one manner or another.
I agree.
what’s a troll?? I’ve engaged in online debates with leftists who said using the words Socialist, Communist and not agreeing with them is trollish hate speech.
I expect the first targets of this law will be those challenging the islamonazis.
That sounds a bit hateful. You might be looking at a month.
I'm no fan of personal threats, but it won't be a year before Leftists use the law to go after political dissent.
“In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
Imminent death of the internet in 3, 2, 1...
Maybe Brits can get on a VPN to a server in China to express their opinion on the internet.
What a bunch of self indulged narcissistic wimps. If you are so thin skinned you worry about what some pajamaboys are going to say about you on facebook and twitter don’t use it.
Very true...well said.
BS! This will be used to jail Christians who post thoughtful commentary as comments on various comment sections around the internet. Britain essentially seeks to imprison every dissenter under hate speech law
SL in the UK is a civil law. And yes, I opposed/oppose it.
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