Contact Forum Editor

Send an email to our Forum Editor:

PLEASE NOTE: Your name is used only to let the Forum Editor know who sent the message. Both your name and email address will not be used for any other purpose.

Speakers Corner

It's free to register, to post a question or to start / join a discussion

View Forum Rules | Contact Forum Editor

 

The Law & Twitter

1 next »

alan14

Likes # 0

Posted July 31, 2012 at 1:07PM

Last week Paul Chambers was finally let off by a judge that saw sense, and agreed that it was a joke

Last night a 17 year old lad was arrested after putting a message on Tom Daley's twitter feed suggesting he'd let his dad down.

Is it really a job for the boys & girls in blue to track down and arrest someone for what is little more than verbal abuse on a high-tech platform?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-19059127

Like this post
Forum Editor

Likes # 0

Posted July 31, 2012 at 1:19PM

Verbal abuse on the internet is a serious problem, and one which is rightly taken seriously by the Police.

Imagine how you might feel if you were in a similar situation and some anonymous fool sent you a message like the one in question,then tried to make it better by claiming it was a joke.

Like this post
alan14

Likes # 0

Posted July 31, 2012 at 3:31PM

Is verbal abuse any worse than bullying as found in schools and largely ignored because schools are loath to get a reputation that their pupils are bullying each other?

Yes, there's a problem with trolls on the internet, but is this justification for police action? Would the police have acted in the same way if a similar comment was directed at a member of the public and not someone who'd just been on the TV?

Like this post
Aitchbee

Likes # 0

Posted August 1, 2012 at 9:44PM

Commonsense tells me that twitter is used by twits...I hope I have offended someone...no guilt.

Like this post
Strawballs

Likes # 0

Posted August 1, 2012 at 9:56PM

I think the police over-reacted he said sorry shortly afterwards on twitter yet was still arrested, so does that mean that they will be arresting all cyber bullies around this country that are far worse with no remorse or just the ones with the high profile cases!!

Like this post
Aitchbee

Likes # 0

Posted August 1, 2012 at 10:59PM

fourm member - ignorence is bliss as far as I'm concerned.Other people can do what they want, as far as I'm concerned.(or not as the case may be).

Like this post
Aitchbee

Likes # 0

Posted August 1, 2012 at 11:02PM

...sloppy spelling 'a' in ignorance would have been better.

Like this post
Forum Editor

Likes # 0

Posted August 2, 2012 at 12:31AM

"I think the police over-reacted"

Possibly, but it depends on your point of view. Whichever way you look at it, personal abuse launched from the anonymity that the internet affords can be a very serious matter. Vulnerable people have committed suicide because of the relentless activities of internet trolls, and abuse is a widespread problem.

Like this post
Chegs ®™

Likes # 0

Posted August 2, 2012 at 3:25AM

A single instance of abuse does not warrant action by the police(depending somewhat on the actual abuse,in this case no action but were it racist then yes arrest the troll)When trolls repeatedly target someone,then swift action should result & the troll be prosecuted(& hopefully be banned from accessing the internet in the same way a sex offender is)This would certainly drive home to other trolls that their behaviour can result in loss of their beloved anonymity when their names are published in the media.

Like this post
morddwyd

Likes # 0

Posted August 2, 2012 at 7:13AM

It could be that there were initially suspicions that this was an attempt to influence a sports result for financial gain.

I must admit that my first comment to my wife when I read about this was that there was probably some betting involved.

Like this post
alan14

Likes # 0

Posted August 2, 2012 at 9:35AM

A bit of context behind FM's comment above

There is much rumour about that Apple is about to buy a fair sized chunk of Twitter, so it will want to appear whiter than white during any potential discussions. - Link

On a similar note, UBS Bank has reported halved profits after its investment in Facebook declined rapidly in value. Link

The second Dot Com Bubble appears to be about to burst, and all the investors seem to have failed to learn lessons... again

Like this post

1 next »

Reply to this topic

This thread has been locked.



Check out PC Advisor's other tech forums

Send to a friend

Email this article to a friend or colleague:

PLEASE NOTE: Your name is used only to let the recipient know who sent the story. Both your name and the recipient's name and address will not be used for any other purpose.