Stop Trolling with new legislation

[Munchickle38]

AIBU to think that more needs to be done on a legislative basis to bring into effect governance that a) bans abusive trolling on social media and b) instructs hard penalties for those who break the law.

Whilst SM has opened up many positive opportunities for individuals and businesses alike, we all know that the darker side of it is used as a platform for trolls to abuse others, currently without any fear of reprisal. Celebrities, vulnerable adults and younger individuals, politicians, artists, or indeed any member of the public can be assaulted in this way and there have been too many instances of mental health breakdown in connection with an individual becoming the persistent target of trolling.

I also think it's time that big social media giants agree to work with campaigners, local politicians and the Govt. on this to prevent it becoming normalised.

What do others think?

I think it's a slippery slope into ending free speech. What's "trolling" to a celebrity might be legitimate criticism to someone else. Would you like to see people locked up for being rude about the Prime Minister? Because that's exactly what such legislation would enable.

There is already legislation for malicious communication. Referring to potentially criminal behaviour as trolling is not helpful, it fails to draw a line between stupid but harmless posts, and posting, stalking etc that is intended to cause harm and distress.

YABVU. Censorship is unacceptable.

If you can’t deal with words on a screen from a stranger then you need to build up your resilience, not try to ban free speech.

@Hayeahnobut

There are stupid but harmless posts and there are targeted posts that are written by people with a more sinister agenda, to purposefully abuse and denigrate other individuals. And these "targets" have, on occasion, committed suicide, self-harmed, slipped into depression and/or anxiety and withdrawn from normal life. I agree that it would be a difficult piece of legislation to develop given the fine lines between free speech/non-malicious posting etc but I do think malicious trolling is criminal behaviour and stricter penalties need to be brought in to discourage it.

@emilyfrost

Censorship is unacceptable.

Even when it leads to suicide? I know this is the extreme, but it is, also a reality of targeted trolling. In what world is that ok?

If you make a living in the public eye, you have to expect that your actions will be put under a microscope and may attract criticism. If you can’t cope with that, it isn’t the job for you. Individuals should not be able to cry ‘mental health’ every time they do something objectionable and someone calls them out on it.

[quote Munchickle38]@emilyfrost

Censorship is unacceptable.

Even when it leads to suicide? I know this is the extreme, but it is, also a reality of targeted trolling. In what world is that ok?[/quote]
Yes, even then.

Free speech should be protected at all costs.

I think the word trolling needs to be better defined.

There is online bullying.

And then there is trolling like when someone posts wind up merchant stuff on MN (which I actually enjoy reading )

The legislation already exists. The phrase you are looking for is malicious communication, not trolling.

(There may be an example of the latter on this thread!)

@emilyfrost

In those cases the dubious right to be abusive (under the cover of "free speech") comes at the cost of a life, or lives. I'm not sure that's morally ok.

I think the word trolling needs to be better defined

Yes I don't understand what it is now.

If I say Donald Trump or Philip Schofield (can't spell) are dicks is that trolling?

One of my friends asked a question about buying an item on instagram, the influencer blocked her & called her a troll because the question inadvertently exposed a lie.

Tbh I'm sick of seeing celebrities and influencers moaning about being 'trolled', when for the most part what they mean is that people are commenting/gossiping/'tattling" online about what these celebs and instagrammers put out there themselves for public consumption, and they simply don't like what's being said about them.

As pps said, there already is a legidlation.

Can you give an example of what it is you want yours to cover?
What if someone comments on a post "This doesn't look good" and it's the last straw for a poster and they kill themselves. Would you hold the commenter responsible? That would be ridiculous. This is why legislation like this is difficult to create.

However, harassment (for example if the commenter wouldn't comment just once, but on every post "It sucks, you suck, kill yourself" and so on) is punishable and everyone should be advised on how to proceed.

I am waiting if our prolific pro censorship to save instamummies turns up.

The point is, whilst I agree with the principles of protecting free speech I think that right comes with great responsibility. When we abandon our duty of care as a society that seeks to protect the vulnerable, we're also on a slippery slope.

It could be said that the owness is upon the target of the abuse not to put themselves up for scrutiny in the first place, but I'm also referring to younger adults, children, individuals who access public social media sites and become targets of online bullying.

Why are you ignoring that there is already legislation that covers this? People have pointed it out. Malicious communications. If what you're posting online breaches the threshold for prosecution then its dealt with?

Just clicked who you are by your use of the word 'owness'.
This is obviously an issue that bothers you a lot but, as others have said, there already is legislation to deal with this.

online bullying.

Is it online bullying or trolling?

Making threats to kill, rape, maim, injure people, their children, their homes or pets? Inciting people to commit suicide, behaving in a way which is intended to cause distress, alarm or fear (harassment), etc: already illegal. Defamation, libel, also illegal. Disagreeing with somebody on the internet? Not illegal. Telling somebody they look fat? Or that they're ugly? Is nasty, but it's not illegal.

I reckon there's a bit of a difference between 'trolling' aka, 'taking the piss', and illegal activity.

'onus', not 'owness'.

@DameCelia

Just clicked who you are by your use of the word 'owness'

Who I am? I don't follow you?

You back again OP?

What about sites like tattle?

It's called trolling, but i really don't think it is if you make money by posting your life online.

Same for twitter, if you post it then people will give their thoughts. That isn't necessarily trolling if they have a negative opinion.

@pV5p

Sure, but there is a distinct difference between people presenting a negative (or opposing) opinion and targeted abuse, which often denigrates the individual based upon the foundation of a personal attack of some form or other. Healthy debates require two or more opposing points of view and that should be encouraged.

@GoldfishParade

I think the word trolling needs to be better defined.There is online bullying. And then there is trolling like when someone posts wind up merchant stuff on MN (which I actually enjoy reading grin)

Exactly this.

99% of the things described as 'trolling' these days are just straightforward hate and bullying. The word needs to be reclaimed and repurposed back to it's original context. Hate needs to be called hate, and online bullying needs to be dealt with in exactly the same way as if the perpetrator had walked up to and thumped the victim in person.

Trolling, actual genuine trolling, involves a degree of wit, intelligence, and humour. It should very definitely be funny or it simply isn't a good troll. The term has been hijacked and is now routinely used to describe any malicious attack on a person by electronic means, when this was never the original purpose of a troll at all.

I defy anyone to go look at the 'photoshop this photo for me pls' troll threads and not see the humour. Ok, it's juvenile, puerile, and serves no worthwhile purpose, but that covers about 99% of the entire internet, not just trolls.

It's doubly sad, because for those of us who remember what 'trolling' was originally, using the term to describe naked acts of hate and bullying makes it more difficult to put those acts in the context they deserve, and also, it has ruined what used to be something of an art form when executed well.

But @Munchickle38 do you see the difference in talking about an instamum who chooses to share their life to make money and someone that's an indididual?