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Internet trolls face up to two years in jail in Britain

Just like you can't walk into a 7-11 and tell the employee that you're going to rape them, or that you'll kill them -- you can't do it online either. I really see no harm in this type of legislation. If you threaten to kill someone, or in the case of the cited story, threaten to rape someone, then it's no longer "freedom of speech" and, frankly, way past the realm of "trolling". Is there potential for abuse of this power? Of course there is, but pretty much every drop of legislation has the potential for abuse. That's why we have a checks and balance type of system, so the kid who makes a rape joke in poor taste isn't going to go to jail, but the crazy write4u type of stalkers who actually go out of their way to make contact with people outside of the internet, end up behind bars.
 
E.J. Wells said:
Just like you can't walk into a 7-11 and tell the employee that you're going to rape them, or that you'll kill them -- you can't do it online either. I really see no harm in this type of legislation. If you threaten to kill someone, or in the case of the cited story, threaten to rape someone, then it's no longer "freedom of speech" and, frankly, way past the realm of "trolling". Is there potential for abuse of this power? Of course there is, but pretty much every drop of legislation has the potential for abuse. That's why we have a checks and balance type of system, so the kid who makes a rape joke in poor taste isn't going to go to jail, but the crazy write4u type of stalkers who actually go out of their way to make contact with people outside of the internet, end up behind bars.
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Is there a similar legislation in the US at the moment?
 
Not that I am aware of. Then again, I don't follow national politics all that much, and I'm too lazy to google.
 
E.J. Wells said:
Just like you can't walk into a 7-11 and tell the employee that you're going to rape them, or that you'll kill them -- you can't do it online either. I really see no harm in this type of legislation.
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The law prohibits more than just threats. It prohibits one from intending to cause a person "distress or anxiety" with any communication that is "indecent or grossly offensive," or that is "false and known or believed to be false by the sender."(https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/27/section/1)

It was famously used to arrest a man who claimed that a certain Olympian had let his father down.

Fascist nonsense, really.
 
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Siro said:
Even without being abused, that's a blatant violation of free speech. I don't think that would fly in the U.S.
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Never know.. with the government successfully instituting "Free Speech Zones" whereby you must stand within a roped off area if you care to voice your opinion. Didn't know it worked that way until recently.
 
PKM said:
Never know.. with the government successfully instituting "Free Speech Zones" whereby you must stand within a roped off area if you care to voice your opinion. Didn't know it worked that way until recently.
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I was going to respond to this with an opinion, but I need to check my zoning and local laws first. I'll get back to you in a few weeks, after my lawyer has had a chance to go over everything and ok my response.
 
PKM said:
Never know.. with the government successfully instituting "Free Speech Zones" whereby you must stand within a roped off area if you care to voice your opinion. Didn't know it worked that way until recently.
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Which are usually conveniently located far away from whatever you're trying to protest - at least at major events.
 
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