A Twitter troll is harassing the family of a Sandy Hook victim, and it took 24 hours to help

originally posted by: sicksonezer0
This is a non-story, because... its twitter harassment lol.

Why is it any different? Why is it less important, or less threatening?

This is communication to another person, and when it's anonymous it's no different to getting constant phone calls in the night from someone threatening you and those you love. This is a crime, and it needs to be taken seriously.

I really don't understand this generational gap in basic decency, this belief that the Internet is somehow free reign to do and say whatever you like to anyone simply because it's "on the INTERNET".

I'm assuming you're probably in your 20's, or younger? It seems to me that those of a certain age know the difference between what is acceptable Human behaviour and what isn't, while far too many younger people (men, generally) seem to think that anonymity allows them to be the most disgusting examples of themselves they can possibly be.

It makes no difference if it's on Twitter or by phone, by email, by snail mail or in person outside someones home. Abuse and threats are abuse and threats, and you don't get to claim that it's okay simply because it's over the Internet.

originally posted by: hellobruce

originally posted by: neformore
But @InternetSheriff is unique in that he keeps registering Twitter accounts under Soto’s name, where he spouts theories about how Soto’s family was paid off, or Soto never existed, to anyone who will listen.

All the family has to do is avoid using twitter....

And here we have the equivalent of saying a disabled person should be hidden from view to avoid being abused by ignorant people in the street.

I despair at the level of stupidity on ATS sometimes, I really do.

I support the right to free speech and dont think people should get in trouble for what they say.

At the same time they guy was clearly out of order!

i cant see a sensible resolution.

originally posted by: IPFreely101
Reality shows that the official SH story is a lie.........

No, it really doesn't.
YouTube rants, Alex Jones nonsense and blogger opinions does not constitute "reality".
I have seen a lot of posts on here about this, and about the Boston bombing, and none of what I saw as supposed evidence of what "really" happened ever stood up to any real scrutiny. There was nothing about these events that would ever convince a sane and rational person that it was all a false flag by anyone.

There are those who think critically, and those who will believe whatever they want to believe and then attempt to force a manufactured reality around their belief. One is based on data, evidence, fact and known information, the other is based on delusion and fantasy.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. The problem is the too many conspiracy theorists will believe the most outlandish claim based on nothing more than a belief, even when all the available evidence tells them otherwise.

originally posted by: hellobruce

originally posted by: neformore
But @InternetSheriff is unique in that he keeps registering Twitter accounts under Soto’s name, where he spouts theories about how Soto’s family was paid off, or Soto never existed, to anyone who will listen.

All the family has to do is avoid using twitter....

That would not stop the defamation. I think every website that allows comments should be required to have your real life name and address securely stored, but not shared. In the event you defame someone it should be possible to sue the person and take them to court. This kind of harassment and defamation needs to stop. Perhaps a few of these people need to be made into examples with lawsuits.

originally posted by: PhoenixOD
I support the right to free speech and dont think people should get in trouble for what they say.

At the same time they guy was clearly out of order!

i cant see a sensible resolution.

You don't think people should get into trouble for what they say?
You don't have ANY limits on this, at all?

Do you believe that it's okay to say you're going to murder someone, or rape someone, or otherwise attack someone?

Does it only become important when it's too late and they've carried out their threats?

originally posted by: ngchunter

originally posted by: hellobruce

originally posted by: neformore
But @InternetSheriff is unique in that he keeps registering Twitter accounts under Soto’s name, where he spouts theories about how Soto’s family was paid off, or Soto never existed, to anyone who will listen.

All the family has to do is avoid using twitter....

That would not stop the defamation. I think every website that allows comments should be required to have your real life name and address securely stored, but not shared. In the event you defame someone it should be possible to sue the person and take them to court. This kind of harassment and defamation needs to stop. Perhaps a few of these people need to be made into examples with lawsuits.

I disagree with this solution.
All that's needed is for these companies to take their customers seriously and provide them with the means to confront and fix problems. These companies are providing a service, as businesses, to millions of people. In the same way your gas or electric company needs to have a customer service department, these businesses need to be able to deal with customer complaints properly.

They don't need real names and addresses of all users, they just need a customer service dept in each country in which they operate, conforming to the laws of that country, and acting when something is reported.

If a user breaks the laws of that country, they are passed on to the relevant authorities. If they are being abusive but not breaking a law, their account should be suspended or closed. If this was what was happening it wouldn't be too long before we saw a massive decline in this kind of trolling and abuse, and we wouldn't need to give up our information just to use their services either.

Even the most nutty troll would soon become tired of creating yet another email account, another Twitter account, and then seeing everything they've posted for a month or two deleted... and even if they are delusional enough to carry on, they will eventually make a mistake, reveal their genuine IP, use their genuine Email addy, befriend a genuine friend who can then be used to track them down...

There are ways to find out who people are, even when they use one service with a fake name and email addy etc. I can almost guarantee that if I had access to the account details this person has used over the course of their abusive career I would be able to create a shortlist of suspects within a week, and probably identify them within two.

a reply to: Rocker2013

This is communication to another person,

This guy was not talking to the family members, he was talking about them.

Allegedly.

I have seen no proof that this actually happened.

I've seen this rhetoric quite a bit from the born again people. Dave Mustaine (from the band Megadeth) has made several wacky public comments alluding to these massacres being a plot from Obama to take the guns away.

originally posted by: neformore
Its the mind of a very, very sick individual

Persistent trolling is - to me - a sign of severe psychosis. I've seen so much of it during my time on many different internet forums - ATS gets more than its fair share of returnees who can't let things go - and while I expect replies to this post crying "freedom of speech" it goes WAY beyond that. No one has freedom to harass or belittle and abuse.

Sorry, but no. Everyone has the freedom to say and do whatever they want, and pay the consequences, as well. I suppose you want to censor everything, and eventually you'll want to form a Thought Police, as well.

A sign of severe psychosis? What a load of confused hyperbole.

The only thing more annoying than internet trolls are internet soapbox moralists. I take both with the tiniest grains of salt.

a reply to: Calalini

Nope.

I just want to see the asshole who is doing this bought out into the street by a mob and beaten to a bloody pulp.

Bloodthirsty? Definitely, but there is no problem with me saying that according to you - and others in this thread - because I have the freedom to say whatever I want on the internet.



Obviously, I don't want that to happen, because I'm not a rampant psycopath - I'd just like to see Twitter track the guy and his ilk down and hand over their details to law enforcement.

However the point stands. Karma is a bitch and the perpetrator of the act, and those who defend it are riding a karma train of epic proportions.

Persistent trolling is - to me - a sign of severe psychosis.

Hear, hear!

Modern day trolls on the internet make Tolkien's trolls seem like Shrek-wannabes. It is worth pausing to digest that sentence as it reflects how horrible internet trolling can be from blackmail/harassment to just plain bullying. Ultimately, if you need to hide behind a fake name to repeatedly engage someone in an unwanted conversation, perhaps you should re-evaluate why you are doing what you do and if you could be part of the problem versus part of the solution.

a reply to: neformore

I just want to see the asshole who is doing this bought out into the street by a mob and beaten to a bloody pulp as an example to others of what epic moronic stupidity can bring about, before someone double taps a bullet through his/her head, and for anyone who defends what they are doing and who propagates this particular conspiracy theory to be rounded up into a field and napalmed.

I see, you want him beaten to a bloody pulp in order to prevent him from being killed, even though he and anyone supporting his theory should be killed anyway by napalm.

I find this more disturbing than anything.

I propagate this theory.

Now do you want others to do your dirty work for you or are you going to do it yourself?

Man, talking about mental issues.

Obviously, I don't want that to happen, because I'm not a rampant psycopath - I'd just like to see Twitter track the guy and his ilk down and hand over their details to law enforcement.

The guy didn't threaten with violence and he wasn't even speaking to the family.

Supporters of the theory weren't either.

Nice loaded comparison.

because I have the freedom to say whatever I want on the internet.

You sure have, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

I wish everyone who thinks comments on the internet are harassment, would be actually harassed so they can learn what harassment actually is. Can't ignore trolls, then you should be banned from the internet IMO.

a reply to: IPFreely101

Glad you liked it. Thanks.

a reply to: neformore

Can you come up with a comparison that is not complete BS?

a reply to: TKDRL

Its disturbing that you can't possibly comprehend what it must be like to lose a loved one and then have idiots telling you that you haven't, and that you are a liar.

a reply to: IPFreely101

Why should I? Its the internet remember, I can say what I want.

It seems to me that those of a certain age know the difference between what is acceptable Human behaviour and what isn't, while far too many younger people (men, generally) seem to think that anonymity allows them to be the most disgusting examples of themselves they can possibly be.

This seems to be the current peer level mark of manhood, success and proper behavior. Reality just might reach out and slap the crap out of them one day.

a reply to: neformore

Why should I? Its the internet remember, I can say what I want.

You sure can, that doesn't mean that anything you say doesn't make you look like an idiot.