UK: Trolling On The Internet Can Now Land You In Jail

[Desert Fox]

Trouble for trolls: Unleashing online abuse & harassment may now end in jail sentence ​

Internet trolls will face prosecution for certain types of online harassment and abuse, including posting degrading photoshopped images or creating derogatory hashtags, under new legal guidelines.
The new rules, released by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on Monday, detail an extensive list of examples of online behavior that could result in legal penalties. The updated guidelines attempt to widen police recourse against online abusers and help protect victims.

“The internet's not an anonymous place where people can post without any consequences. People should think about their own conduct,” Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders told BBC Radio 4.

“If you are grossly abusive to people, if you are bullying or harassing people online, then we will prosecute in the same way as if you did it offline.”

Behavior now classified as criminal activity includes ‘doxxing’ (the publishing of personal information such as home addresses or bank details), encouraging others to retweet grossly-offensive images, and virtual mobbing (encouraging people to harass others online).

Those who humiliate others online by branding them sexually-promiscuous could also face prosecution under the new rules."

Delighted & relieved CPS are taking abuse on social media seriously by producing legal guidelines. Prosecutions will focus trolls attention!

— Sarah Champion MP (@SarahChampionMP) October 10, 2016

The guidelines, however, hold that sexting (exchanging sexualized images) between minors of a similar age should not automatically be considered a criminal offense. Instead, the guidelines propose that only cases where, grooming, bullying or exploitation is suspected should the suspects be prosecuted.

“If they are children, they are the same age [and] there's no suggestion or any coercion or bad motives, then we would not expect that case to be prosecuted. It shows you how careful you have to be about the context of it,” Saunders told the broadcaster.

The guidelines come after a report published in February found that one in four teenagers faces online harassment. Twenty-four per cent of 13- to 18-year-olds reported that they had been targeted because of their gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, disability or transgender identity.


@C130 @Nilgiri @T-72 @Hamartia Antidote @flamer84 @Vergennes

 

[Mugwop]

@Syed.Ali.Haider This is a great way to curb racism, Racist Trolls online think they are invincible but now their bubble will be burst

 

[VCheng]

@Syed.Ali.Haider This is a great way to curb racism, Racist Trolls online think they are invincible but now their bubble will be burst

Not just racism, but other types of inappropriate behavior too, so it is a good step. However, how such guidelines can work if the two parties are in separate jurisdictions remains problematic.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

but other types of inappropriate behavior too

Good. If so I am reporting you for being a serial sourpuss. Although the plaintiff (me) lives in a separate jurisdiction from the defandant (you) but we can try this out as a test case.

I am off to Levi Goldstien & Michalowsky Abrahamovitch Topol Beni Yitzhak LLP solicitors to get legal advice.

 

[anon45]

My question is who decides what is trolling and what is parody and opinion?

For example, what is 'grossly offensive'?

I can easily see how this could be abused if those who decide are absent of integrity.

For example, is it possible that riffing on the queen or the Prime Minister would eventually become 'grossly offensive'?

Policies that they consider critical to national security?

Dangerous path...

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

I am off to Levi Goldstien & Michalowsky Abrahamovitch Topol Beni Yitzhak LLP solicitors to get legal advice.

May be better than my lawyers
https://m.yelp.com/biz/dewey-cheetham-and-howe-cambridge

 

[xenon54 out]

@mike2000 is back see? Be careful.

 

[C130]

@Syed.Ali.Haider This is a great way to curb racism, Racist Trolls online think they are invincible but now their bubble will be burst

the PC police will do more than shut down the racist trolls.

I rather our internet not be censored like China and Turkey.

 

[Desert Fox]

@Syed.Ali.Haider This is a great way to curb racism, Racist Trolls online think they are invincible but now their bubble will be burst

Not really. There are ways to easily by pass this, one of which is for example if you're outside of the UK. But that aside, why should someone else's freedom of speech be silenced because it "offends" another person?

Because by that definition anything can be deemed offensive by anyone because different people will find different things offensive.

People who get offended by silly memes and cartoons need to grow up.

 

[bsruzm]

I rather our internet not be censored like China and Turkey.

US internet censorship mirrors China's