A blow to Cyber Bullies

[lynn82md]

I got this from one of my friends on Facebook. Thought I would share it here.

THE name Nicola Brookes may not mean much to you right now but it soon could. The actions of this unassuming forty something mother may change the internet, and how some people use it, for ever

Comments

[chelonianmobile]

I look at it this way; it's not infringing on the level of free speech we have in meatspace. For example, you're quite free to walk up to a stranger and unleash a torrent of verbal abuse to their face, but there will be consequences, namely getting arrested. That's pretty much what's going on here, they're just trying to take away the ability to avoid consequences.

[autumnrae89]

+ 1.

Trolls are trolls because they get a power trip out of being mean for whatever reason but they keep doing it because who will stop them?

People hide behind the internet and when there is the fact that the 21st century has an element of suicide culture that I don't think has quite existed to this extent before. It stops being trolling for the sake of trolling and becomes a serious threat to a person's mental health at the other end. Before the internet, if someone wanted to be mean to you after school/work they had to either come to your house or see you in the street but social media as made bullying a torrent that can reach you anywhere in the world. It's awful and people deserve to be named and shamed. Who has ever gone to another person they've never met in the street, "Go die. You should kill yourself. You're so disgusting it would be better if you were dead"?

I say bring it. Minus the generalisations, those are just stupid, unless you have a scientific percentage for me I don't want to hear it.

[lynn82md]

This...so this

[niliwen]

Oh yes I agree with this. I always thought that the Internet was a refuge for those who want to be bullies from a distance. That doesn't make the effects any less devastating.

[starling27]

No, i support that person, its good to highlight who they are, because then people will know what they're like and it'll stop people from bullying. Bullying and free speech are two separate things, theres talking freely about subjects and thoughts and feelings and then there bullying which is premeditated to cause another person distress and harm - nothing like free speech. Many bullies try to hide behind it, but people really need to realise free speech does not apply to the act of bullying. Its like saying murdering your wife in cold blood is the same as euthanasia!

[lynn82md]

Many bullies try to hide behind it, but people really need to realise free speech does not apply to the act of bullying. Its like saying murdering your wife in cold blood is the same as euthanasia!
I agree with this. People are free to say what they want, but only up to a point like freedom in general. As I believe...when causing pain begins, that's where freedom should end.

[jesskat]

I'm afraid that naming and shaming policies could lead to further abuse. There's the issue of free speech and privacy which is also very important, but I can imagine some kids starting up nasty rumors about a classmate, saying this person has been harassing them even though it's not true, and getting the person in trouble for something they didn't do.

Another problem is that the internet has such a long memory. Something stupid you said as a 13-year-old will hang around in cyberspace for years while you're growing up and hopefully growing wiser. We've seen what happens when Anonymous decides to rain down vigilante justice upon people they don't like. Some of these people have come forth and apologized for their behavior, gone to court, even paid for the damages they may have done, yet their private information is still out there. They may still be getting prank calls or death threats for something they did in 2006.

If there was a foolproof way of this sort of thing not ending up being abused, I might be for it, but I'm not convinced

[lilenth]

Any law can be abused, that's why we have courts and all kinds of things to stop such things from being abused. It's why you can't sue someone without proof unless you want to open yourself up to a counter claim of vexatious lawsuit harassment.

Bullies already play the victim when called out on it, letting internet bullying carry on out of fear of that won't change a thing.

If you see my comment below, I articulate there exactly how freedom of speech works and why this doesn't violate freedom of speech.

[cherry916]

I mean a troll is a troll. You can't just walk up to someone on the street and verbally harass them or issue death threats to them. That could easily send you to jail for harassment and other minor offenses. The internet shouldn't be a space where people like that can do whatever the fuck they want.

I agree with her, I think letting them go along like they won the ultimate prize is wrong. They get a thrill out of the power they hold over people. Because people like that just want to watch people's reactions to their nasty words. They shouldn't be given the free gift of anonymity if they want to act like that. Internet or real world, you should still be punished for unlawful actions and harassing someone on the internet should be the same in real life. These slap on the wrist punishments like banning and what not obviously aren't working anymore.

[lilenth]

There's a lot of problems in the article, as you highlighted:

"PEOPLE who lead full and productive lives do not become trolls but those who are dissatisfied, and who have mental health issues, often do."

That should be in a field with cows cos it's bullshit.

The majority of trolls/bullies are actually quite well self adjusted and even happy. Mentally ill people are actually twice as likely to be victims and no more likely to commit such acts than anyone else

[alice_the_raven]

I totally agree with this. As you mentioned, a lot of bullies can be very high functioning people. In school, part of my thesis was on bullying and I found a lot of these individuals were very successful in business, government and academics. In a gross generalization, many were successful because they felt little connection between their actions and consequences, felt little empathy and saw their success as being paramount over others.

In a lot of organizations, bullying/trolling/abusive behavior is actually rewarded by management and so the person sees themselves as successful.

The "freedom of speech" is also a limited "right" and not absolute. Hateful, slanderous or abusive speech can and should be punished.

[lynn82md]

The "freedom of speech" is also a limited "right" and not absolute. Hateful, slanderous or abusive speech can and should be punished.
Agreed

[lynn82md]

Well said :)