Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/...nternet-trolls

Excellent news.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

That's you screwed then

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Easy pickings, no effort required, crime rates boosted, any noddy could do it.

Not exactly the best use of the Police force service :rolleyes:

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

They should be out there catching pedos and rapists.

not "troll-hunting”

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Explain.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I'm sure you can figure it out :rolleyes:

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I want him/her to explain for themselves.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Got your legal team ready then :)

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Now where is my popcorn :LOL:

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I can't my sources have forbidden me

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Most sites have their own tools and procedures for "trolls", notably a 'block' or 'ignore' button. (the clues in the name what they do)

It seems some people just want to waste police time instead of using them

....while we're at it, a troll ≠ a cyber bully

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

The police can start here :)

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

So at a time when there's less police we're going to have them sorting internet bullying and having far more of their time wasted then managing to do any good.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

who decides when bullying has happened ? do we leave it to the courts to decide every case and thus swamp the system with people who think every negative word is bullying or is there a list of acceptable words and phrases ?

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

It really depends on what they mean by 'troll'. Those of us who've been on the internet for a long time define troll as someone who says something relatively harmless but designed to provoke a reaction, i.e. someone on a forum who intentionally spouts nonsense to get a rise out of people.

However the media has taken troll to mean someone who tweets, most often it's a tweet otherwise a Facebook comment/message, rape or death threats to someone. Whilst discussion on the internet used to be confined to random and anonymous people who largely knew what they were getting into it's now a part of life for 'normal' people who don't expect the abuse that comes with the internet because of the aforementioned anonymous people. They've quite rightly come to the conclusion that the way they're addressed is simply not on.

Go to a prominent woman's twitter account and see their replies, especially if they've posted an opinion on politics or feminism, it's awful. These people aren't trolls as we would know them but nasty, disturbed, people.

We should work on the assumption that if you wouldn't write it in a letter to someone or say it to their face then neither is it acceptable online.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

As silly as it may sound.

you might not know their address to send them a letter or to travel to, to say it to their face.
so is it the acceptable online?

if not then why not. and then is it all down to whether the person is offended?

is it down to alarm and distress?

what alarms me may not alarm the judger.
what distreeses the judger may not distress the onlooker.

it's a bit like one may not not like Marmite. but another one does.
which one's right?

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

There is a difference between offence and a threat. I don't think people should be arrested because they caused offence obviously. However a rape, death or sustained personal abuse is not 'offensive' it's an attack on someone.

You're right that unlike the real world the people on the internet are more distant from you but it's still possible to find out a lot about someone online and if you're in the public eye it's even more true. When someone tweets horrific abuse at a female MP because they're a Tory, against Corbyn, or a pro-EU liberal then that MP could easily be concerned they can be found. Same with other famous people.

Discussion and interaction on the internet is a part of everyday life now and a minority pursuit. It needs to grow up.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I think a lot of people see the internet as somewhere to complain. to say what they want. to get attention from the rest of the world.

pus you have the added problem that a lot of people just won't grow up. Chavs are in their 40's and even 50's and 60's now!

and a lot of them haven't got anything better to do.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

No chance, we have professionals now just looking to be outraged about.
Something/anything, it's pathetic really, plus now you have Gen Snowflake who have to have 'safe places' to talk, it's all getting a bit WTF, then again I'm an older person so I probably just don't 'get' it.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Well if anyone is generation snowflake it probably isn't the generation who've had to pay £9,000 per year in tuition fees and had all their benefits cut.

This isn't about generation snowflake though it's about what is acceptable online and what isn't and the internet as a wild-west for abuse might be coming to an end, at least in the UK. We're not talking about trolls here but, I hope, actual threats which is a common experience for women online.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I'm not big on successive generations bitching about how ***** it is for them, whilst their dads had it easy etc, it's life deal, with it.
I'm 'outraged' I can't buy a house for £500 like my Mum did back when, times change, circumstances change, each generation has it's share of advantages and disadvantages, trotting out the 'I have to pay my Uni fee' is a bit old now. so what? you still get the opportunity to have a job with a stonking wage to compensate, if not, why do Uni?

Another thing, I'm quite upset about. In my day we only had 3 TV channels, and they shut off about 11pm, that's not fair, todays lot has 1,000 channels, and all running 24/7 that's not fair, who can I complain too.

:D

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I think the thing is the internet is a choice people make social interaction on the internet is a choice and one that comes with risks but i honestly cannot see how the police are the best organisation to work out real from hissy fit or bad mood. I've lost count over the years how many times I've been abused and threatened on the internet but i have never thought about reporting it or letting it get to me. I think too many people these days are way too thin skinned and even looking to be offended or upset and knowing the police have to take it seriously if reported is just asking for a whole lot of trouble.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I don't know why folks are fretting at all. I mean it's not as though the police aren't coping supremely well with what's already being asked of them is it. Take burglary for example, it's not as though people get burgled, phone the cops, have to wait for hours/days for someone to come round (if at all), get given a crime number and told to call their insurers is it...

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

How do you define "hate speech"? There is a danger that it can be defined if the "recipient" says it is which can open up a whole can of worms.

Trolling to me is more a repeated and consistent "nastiness" than a single posting. It's probably one of those things that will be hard to define and then hard to prosecute because defence will try to show how it doesn't exactly fit that definition.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Waste of time.

The hardcore lunatics that need dealt with can already be dealt with, the moderately intelligent ones will cover their tracks well enough to cover evidence for most cases and yet more cops will be taken off the front line to create yet another department for glory hunting and headline grabbing.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Well said.

It is a bit worrying and dare I say it a bit Stasi like.

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...nt-trolls.html


Yes yes I know its the Fail but...

Just imagine, now that there's the will and the way, the amount of people with a grudge or some reason good enough for them to 'report someone to the Stasi police.

We used to joke about the poor people living in places like Russia/East Germany and chortle about how that would never happen here, well... it's getting closer all the time.

Still not convinced I'm not in WTF Earth, my Earth seemed to disappear 30 years ago.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I doubt the Police are concerned about someone on Facebook or a forum just posting some random crap to slightly offend people and get a reaction. They are annoying, but not really doing any harm..

The problem comes when people threaten death, rape or other serious injury online, and mere trolling becomes bullying. Remember Gamergate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamergate_controversy)? That started with some people objecting on various forums to a game put out by a female developer, then escalated into people threatening to rape or kill her, as well as publishing her own personal details online.

I think the problem is that we have a generation of people that in some ways are so au fait with internet communications that they consider it the same as using the phone or speaking in person, but they are not aware (or don't care) that while they may consider what they are saying to be a laugh or a joke, not everyone does.

Another part of the problem is we still have a pack mentality. Some people see someone being abused online, and rather than think "that's awful", and report it, or question it in the thread, think "that looks fun" and join in.

A good moderating team should be able to spot that sort of thing, and take appropriate action, but the problem is that facebook and twitter (where a lot of this stuff happens) are effectively unmoderated.

We've even seen the sort of threats here, actually made against Russ. An ex member told Russ that if Russ ever went to Manchester, as soon as he got off the train, this ex-member would be waiting for him.

The only slight logistical problem with that is that, at the time, Russ didn't have a facebook account, and he hadn't uploaded any photos here, so the member would not have known what he looked like, what station Russ would have got off the at, or even when Russ was going to arrive. Bought to mind visions of a dishevelled ex member of the forum just randomly popping to the railway station beating up random Welsh people.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

It's simple really.Read the article but don't bother with the 'debate' underneath.

As for forum trolls..if people stick to sites that have strong moderation you should be fine.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Exactly it's two different worlds. We're used to a conventional troll where keyboard warriors act tough online and say things to provoke people. What we're talking about here is not trolling, it's not 'causing offensive', it's harassment and threats.

Putting a woman's address online accompanied by a threat of rape or death because she said something about gaming some dweeb has taken offensive over is something the police should deal with.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I agree but I somehow doubt it, I'd expect instead to see things like:

Source as before.

So you'll have to excuse me being rather sceptical, I'd expect to see many more of this type rather than the examples posted further up the thread.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

The Government has cut back Legal Aid so much that people in your position no longer have any effective legal protection in many essential areas.

It's rather unfair that I should obtain free legal representation, whilst you now have to pay for any quality legal advice out of your benefits.

One can't even get help for a divorce now, unless domestic violence is involved.

No, all of these crimes should be investigated. People have committed suicide because of internet trolls.

---------- Post added at 17:34 ---------- Previous post was at 17:29 ----------

The simple answer is to reverse the cuts to the police force. The Government can afford to let companies off paying tax, write off the overpaid expenses by MP's etc, so they can obviously afford to protect citizens in this country.

Exactly Damien.

---------- Post added at 17:41 ---------- Previous post was at 17:34 ----------

As I understand the legal position, if an individual deems a remark to be offensive, hate speech etc, then it has to be investigated on that basis.

Some people are naturally sensitive, mentally unstable, timid etc and need to be protected from bullies.

---------- Post added at 17:48 ---------- Previous post was at 17:41 ----------

The "pack mentality" works both ways though. After being a member for many years I 'came out' as disabled. After a couple of members started harrassing me, the pack mentality kicked in and others followed like sheep.

Facebook is notoriously bad for allowing bullying (and, in the main, not moderated).

I think that in time forums, social networking sites etc will have to be regulated.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Bullying is sadly a part of life has been since forever and it's unpleasant and cowardly but most people either rise to it or remove themselves from the usual situations and that's in real life. As i said participation on the internet is a choice you don't have to do it and if you encounter bullies in one area there are dozens of others to migrate too add in that there are some people who say the stupidest and borderline offensive thibgs to illicit a backlash which often has overblown language used in response and this is a recipe for disaster.

As heartless as it might sound but anyone who was bullied on the internet and ended their life probably wasn't going to live long anyway because the world is full of people and things that would tip them over the edge. We live in an age where some people seem to think everything should be perfectly safe and have people to ensure that, not sure when it happened but it has and the group are getting larger and so are their demands for insulation from anything they perceive as threatening and it just isn't possible.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I'll post one last time before I call it a day, as I don't want to come across as anti-trolls etc, just the really ill considered and stupid laws/police resources dedicated to this, when there's rather better use of said resources easily available.

In particular this:


That has to be so subjective that it's not even possible to have any kind of legal judgment made on that basis, given how so many people are offended about anything.

Far better if some clear legal outlines were in place, where if breached, then there'd be some basis for pursuing a prosecution, rather than because Jilly WetSock was upset because some bloke told her to 'calm down dear' and she wasn't in her 'safe space'


Christ how did we get so so .. pathetic and wet in this Country.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Careful now, you will upset multiple people with such an obviously religious and hateful outburst, I feel a troll report coming on.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I define a troll as someone who winds somebody up.

so already we have 2 different definitions.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

The media has taken troll to mean someone who sends threats online or otherwise engages in sustained abuse of a individual, it's not people winding up others in a comment section.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

And some young people think trolled means they've just been pranked.

so if we don't know the real definition of the word troll then we have no hope.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

As well as women, children, the disabled (both mental and physical) are singled out by trolls.

Children are amongst those who have committed suicide due to relentless bullying, people suffering with anorexia have been encouraged not to eat or told that they are overweight out of malice, those contemplating suicide have been encouraged to go through with it etc.

Often trolls will start with something low level like following them round the internet making snide comments purposely designed and crafted to undermine their credibility and cause upset.

This new initiative was formulated after consultation and evidence from people who know what they are talking about because they are/have been affected by this issue ;)

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

And internet trolls have committed suicide because of being investigated! Go figure.

---------- Post added at 20:09 ---------- Previous post was at 20:07 ----------

I define a troll as somebody who lives under a bridge, and eats goats.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

It is the subjective nature of the hate laws that is the problem. There is a difference between deliberate, repeated and targeted comments to expressing an opinion that someone finds offensive or "hurtful".

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

There was a programme last night that focussed on trolls targeting 'celebrities'.

Now, I don't have a lot of time for these so called celebrities and they do need to realise that there is a downside to their quest for fame and fortune, but these trolls take it too far.

I remember some attacking Tom Daly about his late father.

http://www.channel5.com/show/celeb-t...ing-to-get-you

These keyboard warriors are usually lost for words when challenged.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

It's just a legal extension of The Snoopers Charter AFAIC.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I think that it's is a double edged sword, on the one hand something is needed to stamp out bullying on the internet, I'm amazed in how many still seem to think that the internet is anonymous and that they cannot be traced.

On the other hand, these trolls (terrorists too) have ensured that our civil liberties are eroded even further, because it gives Governments a perfect excuse to use it to their own advantage.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Maybe if people didn't attach so much importance to Facebook and Twitter there wouldn't be so much of a problem.I don't use either and i don't get bullied....... go figure

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Trouble is some people live their life online they invite the whole world in and cannot handle criticism and you could be a saint but you'll still get someone crticising because that's just what some people do. As far as the internet goes as I've said it's a choice and if you have a hard time leave it for a while you don't need the internet to survive and allocating police resources to this is a slap in the face to the growing victims of burglary that usually get a crime number and nothing else.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

There's a big difference between criticism and death threats & rape threats...

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

There's a big difference between Trolling and making threats to kill or rape ,one is subjective dependant on how sensitive the victim is the other is a crime punishable by jail .Trolling someone on facebook or twitter by calling them names or insulting them is not in any way the same as threatening to kill or rape ,we have rules and procedure in place for the latter we do not need them for the former

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Yet people appear to be conflating them...

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

which says a lot about how dumb some people are

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

If i seriously threaten someone online there were already laws to deal with that no need for additional administritive levels and as years have passed certain people have gotten used to saying the stupidest things. I just see this as being next to useless in dealing with the actual problem but taking officers away from usual day to day activities that are already suffering.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I think there's quite a few people around who like to whine about and exaggerate abuse, bullying, intimidation, threats etc. but don't mind indulging in some very unpleasant behaviour when it suits them. Of course when it's them doling out the nastiness and threats they don't see it as a problem at all. No doubt when the police scrutiny they welcomed turns up on their front door it'll be yet another excuse to claim they're being victimised. Sad, pathetic, people...

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I watched some rubbish about trolling celebrities the other day, one of these talent show reject wannabes had a load of surgery because of what the mean people said and then they showed some of the comments, the usual hope you die stuff or why don't you drink bleach etc mildly unpleasant and quiet unoriginal when one said he was going to track down this guys grandmother and chop her hands of to stop her keep ringing in incessantly to vote for him, I found that pretty funny tbh, he got all upset I thought oh no perhaps she is dead or hand less but no she didn't appear to be either and it's then I lost the will to live and switched the drivel of, are people really so sensitive or was it just another excuse to get on the telly.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

'Hope you die' and 'drink bleach' are a bit more than mildly unpleasant, imho...

Pretty sure if those terms were used on a forum, it would get the poster banned...

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Really, some stranger you've never met hopes you die, mildly unpleasant is being a bit kind imo, big deal just block them and get on with your life, enjoy the satisfaction that any further success you enjoy will really, really cheese them of

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I've had people online say they were going to stake me out for animals to kill, put a bullet between my eye's, stab me in numerous bodily places, rape my mother,sister any female family member and burn down my house that one's coming back in popularity. Did i go report them no has a single threat actually been carried out nope not a one because the internet is a place where people vent and say things they never would face to face. Despite the reality a lot of people still think they can say what they like on the internet as it's anonymous and does no physical harm it makes them stupid not serious and certainly not worth the attention of the police.

Sorry but the idea that someone who gets hassled on the internet gets police time when people whose house has been broken into and ransacked and real physical and mental damage done gets a crime number is a joke. There are too many thin skinned precious people getting overly worked up by words on a screen and equally as many who think all aspects with any possible risk should have some protection afforded to it how did we manage to live before all this.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

There's more to it than that. I believe some people/groups are trying to engineer a situation in which they can effectively stifle opinions they don't like in the name of hate crimes. It's the same sort of warped 'mentality' demonstrated by the rent a mob thugs whose chosen method by which to demonstrate about brutality and violence is to attack the police, smash things up, set fire to buildings, intimidate staff etc.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

We have so many angles to this that make it an utter nightmare to have any specialist unit to deal with it any realistic threats made on or off the internet have sufficient laws in place to deal with them we don't need more. This will end up with police officers spending time more often then not dealing with hurt feelings and bruised ego's not the best use of their time.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

All the incidents that i'm aware of have been a one way street.

It's the norm for those who discriminate and bully those in minority groups to try to think of an excuse or make up lies. Most right thinking people now believe that it is no longer socially acceptable to call someone out for being black/disabled/gay etc.

Claims of "they don't pull their weight", "they don't work as part of a team" etc will be used to try and mask their behaviour.

Of course, this doesn't mean that those in minority groups are above criticism where warranted.

Some opinions are illegal to express in certain situations. It's always worth remembering that we do not have complete freedom of speech in this country and for very sound reasons.

In addition, despite us all being very different, as a society we all need to rub along together.

Part of this includes expressing ourselves tactfully, respectfully and politely; at other times it might mean having some self control and not saying anything if it is likely to lead to upset and hurt.

I remember you posting that this is something that you've tried to instill into your son.

Research has shown that the "sticks and stones may break my bones, but calling will never hurt me" stance to be ineffective and wholly untrue. As a result, plans are afoot to treat verbal abuse in exactly the same way as physical abuse.

This is because sustained verbal or online bullying can do as much, if not more, damage than a physical attack.

What you may just brush off could end up with someone else taking their own life.

I've seen forum posts where those clearly suffering from mental health problems/disabilities have been castigated, vilified and bullied because of their 'behaviour'.

It's certainly a problematic and difficult area and i'm glad that it's being addressed at last.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

My mind casts back to some of Alan Fry's highly offensive postings elsewhere. Wonder if he's at all worried... :D

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

It's not being addressed any more than it is now simply because it cannot be anymore addressed .It simply is not a clear cut ,black and white issue like theft or murder where evidence is available to make the decision .Bullying and name calling is subjective ,what may be bullying to some is simple teasing to others ,there is already enough legislation and procedure in place to deal with it

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Yes, and now they are putting resources in to follow up on those breaking existing laws, who thought they were hiding behind internet anonymity...

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

The resources are already there

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Evidence will be available by virtue of it being posted on the internet. During the consultation period it was unearthed that, even if someone posts something innapropriate and then subsequently deletes it, that the information remains there indefinitly to be used as evidence.

Some people employ the use of 'banter', where insults are traded between people.

Whilst it's not really my sense of humour, I understand that to some people it is. Where two people do this and nobody is offended, this is unlikely to constitute an offence.

If, however, the recipient made it clear that they did not appreciate this form of humour and it continued regardless, then it probably would constitute an offence.

I expect it to follow the social model of disability discrimination, where the test of whether something is discriminatory or offensive lies in what the recipient perceives it to be.

In essence, even if you genuinly say something meant as a joke, if the recipient perceives it to be offensive as opposed to humourous, then it is not a joke.

As an example, how do you know that someone on a forum, chatroom, social networking site isn't, for example, autistic or on suicide watch?

The short answer is that you don't, so it's always more prudent to treat others with respect, dignity and courtesy at all times ;)

Absolutely right Hugh :tu:

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

just because a person thinks they are being bullied does not make it so .You are talking about tying up valuable extra resources based on some idiots belief that because someone else disagreed with them they are being bullied.Utterly ridiculous

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

The Law disagrees with you...

https://www.avonandsomerset.police.u...crime/threats/

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I believe the term is harassment, alarm or distress, the police can get involved if any of those particular boxes are ticked

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

No it doesn't ,in no way are threats to kill the same as bullying or name calling. your comparison is quite frankly bizarre



yes and the resources and laws are already in place to deal with it

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

As people expose more of their lives to the entire world via social media it's not really a big surprise that problems such as this arise. The simple answer is to be a bit more careful about what you post and the places you post it. There is a life outside the world of social media, it's called reality. :)

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

i simply don't understand why people expose so much of their personal life for everyone to see .I would say they deserve what they get but i'm scared of being trolled

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

We appear to be at cross-purposes - I believe the additional resources are being focused at those internet trolls who are threatening others, thus breaking existing laws...

https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do...-decisions-206

Regarding resource already being there, the Mayor of London disagrees with you

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

But death threats are not always serious whilst i agree it's a stupid way to vent frustration it is very often that simple and that is not worthy of police time anyone that has online gamed has either had threats made to them or seen them and no police involvement and no deaths. There is nothing more serious about this now then before and the apparatus has always been in place to deal with the one in a million that means it seriously.

Whilst i don't support or condone bullying in any form online and real life are very different online bullying is easily avoided and should not be thought of as as serious as real life physical bullying where victims cannot easily avoid it. Nor do i believe verbal or online bullying is the same as physical attack or should be treated the same a physical beating leaves not only psychological damage but often serious physical damage as well.

Anyone seriously damaged by verbal attacks is in more need of a psychologist not a police officer.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Normal people haven't spent a youth dealing with online trolls.

A death threat is illegal so is being asked is for the police to deal with a crime.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Yes it does, it's the contemporary way of dealing with bullying, abuse etc.

For years, victims of child sex abuse, workplace bullying, domestic violence weren't listened to. They were told that they were liars, to "get on with it", to "put up and shut up" etc.

It's not about disagreeing with somebody, it's about interacting with them in a respectful and courteous manner, treating them with dignity, without harassment, bullying or discrimination.

This even applies to people with learning difficulties that you refer to as "idiots".

Yup.

It's not about disclosing personal information online (although that is unwise), it's about how you treat, refer to and speak to people.

Which people "get what they deserve"?

- The disabled member on here who was told that he should have been killed at birth?

- The middle aged man with learning difficulties who locked himself away and then killed himself because of how he was treated? (Those with learning difficulties are ten times more likely to commit suicide).

- The 13 year old girl who committed suicide after relentless bullying at school because she was unusually tall?

- The young person being mocked because of their sexuality, whilst barely understanding it themselves? (LGBT people are two to three times more likely to commit suicide).

It isn't just the law that you have to worry about, Virgin Media now carry truTV. There's a programme on there about how people who feel aggrieved about they way that they have been treated online have gone on to trace and murder people.

This is an American programme, but I have personal knowledge of a one sentence post that led to the tragic death of a young man in Yorkshire after he was knifed.

The world is changing and if you don't follow suit, you could find yourself on the wrong side of the law, or even worse.

Wouldn't it just be easier and kinder to be nice to other people?

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

It most certainly does not ,i suppose you are one of those people who think that all people accused of rape or child abuse must be guilty because someone said they where :rolleyes: People do make stuff up you know ,they also exaggerate or see insults where there isn't any .Following your logic the courts would be full of cases dealing with potential online bullying and the police would be able to deal with serious crime because they are to busy chasing down some nutter on facebook

The law states that every piece of electrical equipment must have an off button some people need to learn how to use it


Those that spend every waking moment on facebook or twitter ,posting pictures of themselves having a crap or telling the world how bad a hair day they are having .The human gene pool could do without oxygen wasters like those

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Should we suppose you are one of those people who thinks that anyone who accuses someone of rape or child abuse is making it up, because the accused denies it? :rolleyes:

It's not an either/or situation - if someone is accused of a serious crime, it should be investigated; if the accuser is found to have made it up (as opposed to there not being enough evidence to convict, which is a completely separate thing), they should be charged with wasting police time.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I think they should be charged with a lot more than that. False accusations of abuse, rape etc. can have a devastating effect on people's lives.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I'd make it so a false accuser got the same sentence as the accused would have got if found guilty personally. It'd stop pretty quick I bet.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

I was actually addressing Richards statement that everyone who thinks they are bullied are actually being bullied which is clearly not the case .The logical train of thought for that way of thinking is that everyone is guilty of whatever they are accused of just because someone thinks they are

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Totally agree

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

as can people who make false accusations of bullying and harassment without any real grounds they can cost people their jobs and families .The last thing we need is people like that given the ability to involve police at every little bit of perceived bullying .Once a complaint is made the police have to investigate ,they would be run ragged

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Exactly.

It was not a statement of my view, it's the law.

It really isn't sinking in is it- you have further caused offense by using the term "nutters" to describe those you believe to have mental health problems or disabilities.

It's like time travelling back to the seventies. The world, the law and society has moved on and it's time that you did too- for your own sake as much as anyone else's.

I was on the 'phone to our firm of solicitors early this morning about someone who has been harrassing somebody both in public and in private. Apparently, there are lots of eager young lawyers out there looking for test cases to put before the courts.

Interestingly, lots of low level repeated rudeness, jokes, snide sarcasm, claims made without foundation to discredit a persons character etc etc aimed at an individual can be used to create a bigger picture of harassment if this is unwanted and/or causing distress to any individual. If they are in a protected minority group, this could lead to an even more serious charge of carrying out a Hate Crime.

I agree that those guilty of posting every triviality about their life on line are foolish and irritating, but are you actually suggesting that they deserve to be bullied to the point of suicide for doing this?

Edit: Apparently, we do not have the absolute right to freedom of expression or the right to impart information, as these rights can be restricted by the law when appropriate.

I was also quoted a case where a pub landlord (part of our trade) repeatedly directed snide remarks, jokes etc at someone with a mental health problem. When the landlord subsequently barred him for pointing out that this was unlawful and causing offense, he barred him from the premises. The landlord was found guilty of a much more serious crime* as a result.

* I wrote it down, but I can't read my own handwriting :blush:

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

No it's not you need to check the basics of our legal system , innocent until proven guilty and all that

who said i describing people with mental health issues as nutters please feel free to show me .You need to stop making things up or you may find yourself on the wrong side of this new internet troll hunting force

that sound very much like a veiled threat to me .you do realise that people are allowed to disagree with you don't you

Richard we know all of that but just because someone thinks they are the victim of "low level repeated rudeness, jokes, snide sarcasm, claims made without foundation to discredit a persons character etc" does not mean they are.They could simply be people like you who has just accused me of calling people with mental health issues "nutters" .You have read what you wanted to read not what is written as you always do therefor causing me distress and making me upset .Now i could make an issue of this and report you to the forum mods or i could make like a big boy and dismiss you for the troll you are

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

It's now clear that you are unable or unwilling to discuss this extremely serious subject in an adult fashion, so let's leave it at that.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Seems more like neither of you are going to agree, so no need to resort to veiled insults either. Both move on.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Just noticed that 'Celeb Trolls: Were Coming To Get You' is being repeated in the early hours of this morning (3:10am) on Channel 5 for anybody that wants to watch it :)

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

My advice is don't, you'll never get that time back again

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Lol, too late for me, I watched it last week :D

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Love to watch it Richard but I've got an episode of Hi De Hi recorded so can't fit it in ;)

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

It was interesting, I'm not usually interested in celeb type programmes.

Legally speaking, the following is defined as a hate crime:

Any offence can be a hate crime if it was carried out because of hostility or prejudice based on disability, race, religion, transgender identity or sexual orientation.

Some useful links:

To report a hate crime-

www.report-it.org.uk

For support if you have been affected by a hate crime-

www.stophateuk.org

Stop Hate UK is a charity that provides independent and confidential support to people affected by Hate Crime.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

:)

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

At least online you can just walk away..The choice is yours.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

The problem is that it isn't as simple as that where children and vulnerable adults are concerned.

I also believe that online bullying does need to be addressed as opposed to being ignored, if one person doesn't give these people the attention that they crave, they are very likely to move onto someone else who they percieve to be weaker than themselves due to disability, age, sex etc.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

We cannot defend everyone every minute of the day on the internet be lovely if we could but it just cannot be done and sorry Maggy is right online it is easy to remove yourself from an unpleasant situation. Where are all these resources coming from to deal with this???? cuts are being made in so many area's but we're meant to allocate resources to protecting people online. This is why the country's in a mess too much expected of too little and personal initiative and responsibility becoming alien concepts to some people.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Agree 100%.

For an increasing number of people it seems far easier for them the absolve themselves of any responsibility for the situations they place themselves in.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Or cause in some cases. I've witnessed a few trolls getting comeback quite often.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Well I think it's easy to be 'tough' hiding behind a keyboard but a dose of reality isn't quite so palatable to them.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

The whole thread can be summed up as: Good intentioned law, soon to be abused by many ill informed, thin skinned looking for compensation/revenge professional victims.

Shortly found to be unmanageable due to the ever increasing numbers of people who feel butt hurt about something. Because for some reason today we've all turned into pc jellyfish.

And you know the biggest shame of all?
The biggest shame will be that the genuine people in there will be hidden amongst the ranks of bs claims.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

Not a truer word spoken! The result of a nanny state.

Children at sports days are no longer allowed to lose. WTF I did many times at certain things but won, or nearly did, on others. It stood me in good stead for the REAL life ahead.

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

A transgender councillor has prompted a police investigation after another member deliberately referred to her as a male:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016...er-being-addr/

Re: Police to get tough on internet trolls.
 

so instead of sorting it out in private the idiot reports a hate crime .That is exactly the sort of stupidity this new force will encourage