Man arrested for trolling on Facebook

[Vykrel]

normally, i would say he should not be punished (other than being banned from facebook, perhaps) but seeing as he caused an attempted suicide, it means his trolling has become an actual threat.

 

[xplay3r]

OK, good. He was arrested for being abusive and offensive in relation to several peoples deaths....Does this mean we can arrest those Westboro Baptist Church assholes?

I mean picketing a funeral is the same thing is it not?
Especially if its a soldiers funeral.

So can we toss those assholes in the smallest cell possible?

The Westboro Baptist Church is in the US. This was in the UK. The WBC also, apparently, is quite aware of what the limitations of the US Constitution are and are abusing some loopholes.

Ah I see....Well just like the US would invade a country to get terrorists, the UK should come over here get those assholes. lol

 

[Vanguard_Ex]

I guess freedom of speech doesn't exist any more. This reminds me of V or Vendetta. They can't throw him in jail for this. Sure he's a ****, but if you allow things like these to happen you're next. The governments are slowly taking away your rights. None of this shit was possible before you gave up your rights to the government in order to feel a little safer from the terrorists. Ah the terrorists, the bogyman for the adults.

Freedom of speech is not what you think it is. I refer you to my other post ^

 

[MaxwellEdison]

He's a dick, the state is a bigger dick.

 

[Slacko]

I guess freedom of speech doesn't exist any more. This reminds me of V or Vendetta. They can't throw him in jail for this. Sure he's a ****, but if you allow things like these to happen you're next. The governments are slowly taking away your rights. None of this shit was possible before you gave up your rights to the government in order to feel a little safer from the terrorists. Ah the terrorists, the bogyman for the adults.

Not really - The Malicious Communications Act 1988 banned sending people indecent/grossly offensive messages, including by electronic means so this has been illegal in the UK for decades, this wasn't a knee jerk reaction to terrorism. I'm a firm believer in freedom of speech, but there are a few exceptional circumstances where there should be restrictions (e.g. inciting people to violence etc). Even as a liberal/left leaning person I think if you send horrific and deliberately offensive messages to the families of dead teenages just for your own entertainment, isn't it reasonable to expect punishment for that?

 

[Dogstile]

There was a thread about this, i'm pretty sure it was an official one.

Either way, jail isn't really a fair sentence here. A fine, a restraining order, something of the like would have been appropriate here.

 

[Glerken]

I guess freedom of speech doesn't exist any more. This reminds me of V or Vendetta. They can't throw him in jail for this. Sure he's a ****, but if you allow things like these to happen you're next. The governments are slowly taking away your rights. None of this shit was possible before you gave up your rights to the government in order to feel a little safer from the terrorists. Ah the terrorists, the bogyman for the adults.

You realize the first amendment doesn't work like that right?
Also this was in the UK.

 

[Neaco]

Jail time: a bit too much but was probably used to make him an example
Fining him: pointless because he is unemployed

I personally like the punishment he received I read in a different article. The anti-social behavior order banning him from social networking sites for 5 years and having to inform the police should he buy a phone with Internet access. "If you arnt mature enough to talk online, we'll kick you out until you do mature" kinda ring.

 

[Kenny Kondom]

OK. Aspie without Family support, so the 'reasoning' behind his actions may have been he had had it inflicted upon himself before, and that is considered the 'norm' or him. However, he was warned once, so a punishment is in order. And in terms of the 'Oh, dont we have freedom of Speech?' yesh, we do. But this isn't a freedom of speech issue. Its grounds for Harassment and invasion of private property (Although... the dedicated web page was on a social networking site, which makes the second factor Moot).

Personally, I think everyone involve (except for Duffy) has done the right thing. The distressed parents asking for something to be done instead of a vigilante style justice, Facebook for helping Police track him and the courts for actually dishing out a punishment. People will always say it was too harsh, But personal opinion i guess. Just don't use the same lame arguments.

 

[jopomeister]

TL;DR
This guy should have been given an official warning and if he continued after that, sure, do whatever you want. But immediate action is ridiculous.

 

[poleboy]

This is a pretty messy case. I don't think anyone condones what the guy did, but every time you toss someone in jail for statements, not actions, that hurt only a very few people, you're moving a little bit closer to censure and police state. I think a fine would have been more appropriate.

 

[daftnoize]

He was clearly taking trolling several low gravity leaps too far...

P.S. The daily mail isn't a real newspaper...

 

[catalyst8]

There's no freedom of speech in the UK. That's widely accepted.

By whom? Please substantiate your claim.

Don't we not have the right to free speech here in the UK? Pretty sure we don't.

We certainly do but our constitution protects the citizen, even after death, from unfounded allegations & defamation of character. It's part of the libel & slander laws, & works very much along the lines that an individual is innocent until proven guilty; The burden of proof is always on the claimant, not the defendant.

I guess freedom of speech doesn't exist any more. This reminds me of V or Vendetta. They can't throw him in jail for this. Sure he's a ****, but if you allow things like these to happen you're next. The governments are slowly taking away your rights. None of this shit was possible before you gave up your rights to the government in order to feel a little safer from the terrorists.

Slander & libel have been offences in England since before it was England. 130AD to be exact. I think you also need to re-examine the message Moore was making in V, especially considering his condemnation of the immunity from prosecution for libel that internet anonymity frequently gives.

OT: Oh great, they mentioned he's autistic with Asperger's. Now watch all the knee-jerk "experts" cram the rest of us, who would never even dream of doing something like that, in with this dick. Thanks a lot you utter prick. /rant

Bear in mind that this article is in the Mail, a squalid deceitful rag of a tabloid which resorts to the seediest sensationalism to garner an audience. There has been no certification which supports Lance Whiteford, the defence's suggestion that the defendant was autistic or that he suffered from Asperger's syndrome. Indeed, Duffy specifically denied that.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

TL;DR
This guy should have been given an official warning and if he continued after that, sure, do whatever you want. But immediate action is ridiculous.

Maybe next time you should read.

HE HAD BEEN GIVEN AN OFFICIAL WARNING AND CONTINUED AFTER THAT.

 

[Gudrests]

But that would be assault.

If the cop didn't see it....It never happened. Thats what my wrestling coach told me.

Either we went to the same school... or all wrestling coaches get trained at the same place.

OT: I am in agreement that it wasn't trolling, he was being a tool. His sentence is relatively small, let him serve it. Maybe he'll learn his lesson.

.....Did you hate spin drills too? Was he drunk part of the time?...and yelled alot?

and yeah....he's just a dick...not a "poor sick person blah blah blah"

 

[Atmos Duality]

Redundant topic is redundant.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.312712-Internet-troll-is-jailed-after-mocking-deaths-of-teenagers-online?page=1

But I suppose the Tabloid source works too...*cough*

 

[LordFisheh]

Lol Daily Mail.

Seriously. "Autistic loner", "The loner, who lives on benefits", "cowardly", "hooked on the sick craze of ?trolling? ? where internet users deliberately leave abusive and bullying comments", "vile", "vile", "vile", "vile", "vile", "vile", "vile".

I mean the guy is an asshole who deserved what he got, but it's hard to ignore the Mail's usual subtext. Internet loners on benefits (what sad losers!) are violating our wholesome middle class lives.

 

[Ashannon Blackthorn]

OMG all you people are obvious stupid hippy freaks who need ot stop smoking pot and not washing. lulz...

OK.. that's being a troll. What he did was criminal. Full stop, send of story. Bloatedguppy is bang on. Mr. Duffy broke multiple laws with his activities and received warnings from the police/court system to stop.

Yes he deserves jail. When he gets out if he does it again, he deserves a longer sentence or sectioning under a mental health act.

Thing about Freedom of Speech is it lacks responsibility of freedom of speech. Anyone can say whatever they want to and that's their right. However, sometimes that fight crosses the line and infringes or out and out beats up and mugs another persons rights. Now seeing we can't strip someone of their right, the courts have to police them and enact punishments. This is nothing new. Libel, slander, hate speech, incitement are all crimes that deal with free speech and have so for years.

The alternative is to strip people of their rights and that opens an actual slippery slope as opposed to the one people think is being opened here.

 

[Matrixbeast]

I guess freedom of speech doesn't exist any more. This reminds me of V or Vendetta. They can't throw him in jail for this. Sure he's a ****, but if you allow things like these to happen you're next. The governments are slowly taking away your rights. None of this shit was possible before you gave up your rights to the government in order to feel a little safer from the terrorists. Ah the terrorists, the bogyman for the adults.

What he was doing constituted Harassment.
Freedom of Speech doesn't let you get away with anything just because it's verbal and not physical.

 

[mad825]

I guess freedom of speech doesn't exist any more. This reminds me of V or Vendetta. They can't throw him in jail for this. Sure he's a ****, but if you allow things like these to happen you're next. The governments are slowly taking away your rights. None of this shit was possible before you gave up your rights to the government in order to feel a little safer from the terrorists. Ah the terrorists, the bogyman for the adults.

They can, It's called the Public Order Act 1986 and/or 1994...Don't know where you have been living.