Jade Goody website 'troll' from Manchester jailed

reply to post by rubbertramp


It doesn't seem to be a sanction available in this particular case, I believe because it wasn't directed at a single person but a variety of people. Also, the perceived severity of the case can altar how you are treated.

Jail for being nasty?

Next it will be if you're angry.

Originally posted by Monger
This should serve as a reminder to everybody, not just trolls, to protect and cherish your anonymity on these tubes.

It's that anonymity that lets them feel safe to say what ever they want, with no fear of reprisal



But if they start tossing internet trolls into jail.... it will be vewwy vewwy quiet around here

reply to post by rubbertramp


You know last week someone posted a really nasty reply to a comment i made on youtube, i want them arrested!

Seriously though, i have heard people saying some horrible stuff in the local pub about Jade Goody, whats the difference between that and posting it online? I'm not supporting his actions but he should be allowed to do it, free speech is important. The people who held up offensive signs to the returning UK troops are scum but it's their right to do so.

Originally posted by zorgon
It's that anonymity that lets them feel safe to say what ever they want, with no fear of reprisal

But if they start tossing internet trolls into jail.... it will be vewwy vewwy quiet around here

edit on 29-10-2010 by zorgon because: (no reason given)

The thing with anonymity is that it can be used for good and bad. For example on this website i happily discuss certain issues i wouldn't bring up with my friends, not because i'm ashamed of the standpoint i have but more because certain issues invoke deep emotional responses.

Well remember Officer Bubbles? He wants to sue everyone on youtube

reply to post by stumason


You know what stu, why are swear words illegal? Why should language be policed? Sorry but the law isn't always morally correct, it isn't always just. In normal conversation swearing isn't needed but swearing does have power, if it didn't then no one would bother with it. It depends on how it's used i suppose.

Originally posted by ImaginaryReality1984 I'm not supporting his actions but he should be allowed to do it, free speech is important. The people who held up offensive signs to the returning UK troops are scum but it's their right to do so.

Those people who held up inflamatory signs, such as "babykillers" and "Death to the UK" were arrested and charged with inciting racial and religious hatred, then sentenced to a short stay at her majesties pleasure.

reply to post by UnknownSheep


There's no defending the actions of sociopaths.

But, leave it up to people on here to stick up for such crap.

reply to post by ImaginaryReality1984


Because language can be used by people to cause alarm or distress on another, which is unacceptable. You may think people have the right to say and do as they please, but they shouldn't be able to if that infringes upon another persons right to go about their business unmolested.

I might swear alot myself, but my missus will have my nuts if I swear in front of the kids and woe betide anyone who swears in public when the kids are around and she hears them.

You may think this is an issue for free speech, but the law is their to set aside acceptable standards of behaviour in public.

You can say what you like in a dwelling, as an Englishmans home is his castle, but you must behave in a certain way in Public. This is the way it is done here and has been for a long time. It might be a mild infringment on free speech but I actually agree with it.

Besides, a better analog for this scenario the thread is discussing is stalking or harrassment, not public order. This guy deliberately sent malicious messages to specific people with the intent to cause distress. I do believe that even in the US, one cannot send malicious messages to a person without running the risk of legal sanction.

Plenty of people within the USA have been punished for stalking celebs or other people, sending unsolicited love messages for example, causing alarm and generally harrassing the person in question. Those people have either been restrained by the courts and in some cases incarcerated, so this is hardly a talking point where Yanks can take a moral high ground and lecture us about "free speech".

EDIT: Amusing irony here is that while one cannot swear in public, it is not an offence to walk stark-bollock naked in public in England & Wales unless there is intent to cause alarm or distress of a sexual nature (ie: flashing)

Originally posted by stumason
Because language can be used by people to cause alarm or distress on another, which is unacceptable. You may think people have the right to say and do as they please, but they shouldn't be able to if that infringes upon another persons right to go about their business unmolested.

You know i really get annoyed when people talk on their phones around me, therefore should i be able to make such a thing illegal? I'm sorry but we are sliding into policing behavior that should not be policed. A swear word is annoying, it should not be illegal. Morality and law are often at odds.

Originally posted by stumason
I might swear alot myself, but my missus will have my nuts if I swear in front of the kids and woe betide anyone who swears in public when the kids are around and she hears them.

How you behave in front of your children is up to you. As for your wife berating someone who swears in front of her kids, well that's up to her as well. Of course it's easily argued that your wife could calmly explain to her children it's an adult word and shouldn't be used by them rather than harass the individual involved. Afterall her confronting the individual could be considered as threatening behavior.

Originally posted by stumason
You may think this is an issue for free speech, but the law is their to set aside acceptable standards of behaviour in public.

Absolutely wrong, sorry no but the law should only control behavior that causes harm or takes away something from another person. If we are to police by law what is acceptable general behavior then we would live in a horribly sterile society. Some people hate religion being shouted about in public, others hate swearing, some people hate women showing their faces. The point being that everyone hates something or other in public, maybe instead of policing such things we should learn to accept other peoples none harmful behavior.

A swear word itself is not harmful.

Originally posted by stumason
You can say what you like in a dwelling, as an Englishmans home is his castle, but you must behave in a certain way in Public. This is the way it is done here and has been for a long time. It might be a mild infringment on free speech but I actually agree with it.

And free speech means you can agree with it, but i'm sorry i refuse to accept the police telling people what they can and cannot say. I don't agree with what the guy did but he should be allowed to do it. Simply deleting his postings would have solved the issue. The only time people need to be stopped from saying something is when they make direct threats.

Originally posted by stumason
Besides, a better analog for this scenario the thread is discussing is stalking or harrassment, not public order. This guy deliberately sent malicious messages to specific people with the intent to cause distress. I do believe that even in the US, one cannot send malicious messages to a person without running the risk of legal sanction.

Stalking is of course a serious crime as it often leads to other dangerous behavior. However there are ways to avoid online stalking so i think the law needs to be carefully reconsidered in this specific area. As for malicious messages, sending them directly to people is a seperate issue and of course i would agree he needs prosecuting for that because it's not a free speech issue.

Originally posted by stumason
Plenty of people within the USA have been punished for stalking celebs or other people, sending unsolicited love messages for example, causing alarm and generally harrassing the person in question. Those people have either been restrained by the courts and in some cases incarcerated, so this is hardly a talking point where Yanks can take a moral high ground and lecture us about "free speech".

Not sure why you are bringing the USA into this, i'll just stick to the UK for now. Free speech as far as i'm concerned means you may hear things that upset you, it's a part of free life. Sending individuals insulting messages is a whole other issue that surrounds harrassment law. However it does appear people want to police what is said online and more importantly what is said in public. Sorry but if i want to swear in public then i will (note i don't do this, i'm usually quite polite) and i should be allowed to as long as my behavior is not threatening.

Originally posted by stumason
EDIT: Amusing irony here is that while one cannot swear in public, it is not an offence to walk stark-bollock naked in public in England & Wales unless there is intent to cause alarm or distress of a sexual nature (ie: flashing)

edit on 30/10/10 by stumason because: (no reason given)

Yeah that law is shaky at best. There were a couple of nudists walking the UK in the last couple of years who were regularly arrested.

All i'm saying is that for me it comes down to a simple phrase. You can do whatever you like as long as you don't hurt anyone else. Swearing in public is itself not harmful, if it were then we would be arresting pretty much everyone on a building site

Wait....Jade Goody is dead??

When did that happen?

I thought this thread was about her being a real life troll.

-m0r

reply to post by Soshh

oddly yes. he also turned up at a neighbours house and told his mother he was a friend, so she let him in to wait for him. Mate returned home to find purp sitting on his bed!

just googled him and he's just been locked up again for touching muscles in wales!

Freedom of speech infringement. You have to ADD someone as a friend to leave a message on Facebook. If people leave messages you don't like or find offensive - delete them.

Some people have a mild sense of humor, some people (Like this douchebag) have a sick sense of humor, some people have zero sense of humor.

I've seen on National TV a South Park episode where they kill an animal in a sacrificial manner to the devil and then have a blood orgy.

It is ridiculous people going to jail for anything related to words that are typed. Meanwhile we have rapists, murderers, crack and heroin dealers, killers on the streets - REAL problems - yet we're wasting money on something that could have been solved with an easy 'Delete' click.

This story makes me want to setup anonymous accounts and repeat his messages on the mentioned memorial pages to make a political point.

I'm not in the UK. So I would like to see "malicious communications" be held against me.

reply to post by mryanbrown


You could instead choose the sensible option and get over it, but I too would be interested to see what happens.

I think that you should use your real name like a true political crusader.