To feel sorry for the police re reporting of tweets?

[crunchymint]

Just seeing more and more people reporting or being reported to the police for hate crimes based on tweets or other social media communications. And I can just imagine being a police officer who is having to deal with actual real crime, having to waste time dealing with this shit.

If someone tweets something you don't like, unless they are an MP or similar, just block them or ignore them. Such a monumental waste of police time.

so what about hate crime? what if the tweet is a threat?

Is it a credible threat? Then yes it needs reporting. If not just ignore.

I think I disagree. The way people engage with each other online filters into real life. I think threatening and abusive tweets need to be taken much more seriously. Although I do think the tech firms themselves should be doing much, much more to stamp out hate speech online so that the police don’t have to.

So you don’t believe those who post vile messages online after a tragedy or similar should be reported and prosecuted? What about online bullying, which has lead to deaths (especially in the teen age bracket)? Where is the line in your opinion?

I think what it is that the abusive tweets just keep coming if not reported. Even if blocked. It takes seconds to set up a new twitter account if the first account is blocked.
Also, if someone unhinged enough to send nasty messages in the first place, the danger is if they get blocked they will escalate to other less computer based harrassment.

Edmund Where it is a real pattern of bullying it is totally different.
And I do agree that people posting terrible tweets when there are tragedies should be prosecuted.
So I am disagreeing with myself!

I knew someone who was reported to the police for a series of tweets. He disclosed incidents of a tv commentator who had been arrested and 'asked to leave' his job for meeting and grooming underage girls. It was reported by the tv station that this bloke had depression. He was also not charged with an offence.

Once the the guy who outed it all on twitter sent the tweets they were reported to the police by the tv commentator. The tweeting bloke got a visit from the police.

I could say more about the whole thing, but I don't think I can.

Unless it is an incitement to violence or a credible threat it is ridiculous to report posts to police.

What do you think of verbal abuse in the physical sense? If someone is screaming racist abuse at someone in the street, without provocation, do you think they should be prosecuted?

If it's reportable to say something in person it should be reportable if someone says it online too. It's still being said to a person.