Internet Troll given prison sentence

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/sep/13/internet-troll-jailed-mocking-teenagers

 

Nasty little individual...do your bird!

[FastCargo 412]

How many different ways can you f*** this up?

 

Folks who are affected by Austim/Aspergers have been trying for decades to show they can be reliable, functional members of society. And this asshole decides to use it as a defense? Way to go, moron...you've just used the 'I was suffering from PMS' excuse...

 

Secondly, he's now set a precedent for government intervention on free speech in social networking sites (and by extension, the internet).

 

Before anyone gets their panties in a wad, realize it is one thing if we as admins/moderators edit/ban/delete posts, etc. This is a private website, so free speech does not exist here. It is very much another thing if the government takes active steps to do the same thing, including arresting and jailing offenders.

 

I don't agree with what the guy did...I'd of had no problem with a group of folks taking him behind the woodshed and giving him some wall to wall counseling. But realize there are larger ramifications here.

 

FC

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Surely, there's a BIG difference between a forum, thats well moderated like CA...and the likes of Facebook and youtube?

 

If we posted anything close to what this idiot did...we'd be outta here before our arses got warm in the seat?....not true on FB or the tube

Edited September 13, 2011 by UK_Widowmaker

[Slartibartfast 153]

One thing that annoys me these days is the amount of time it is due to Aspergers or some other problem... seems to me as though they trot that line out when they get to the court... as it fecks it all up for those who really do suffer from any type of Mental illness... I know I am diagnosed with one fully documented etc. but I don't decide on defacing someones website or anything even when I am having a really bad episode. Fecking stupid idiots and because he has trotted out that he is ill he will get special treatment in prison as if thats not bad enough... my 2 pence worth...

[Ruggbutt 45]

I'm saddened that our brothers across the pond aren't allowed free speech. No matter how ignorant it may be. Shame, the thought police have arrived, arrested and helped sentence someone because of something they said. I'm glad I'm American after reading this story.

[+Julhelm 266]

What exactly does libel have to do with free speech?

[Lexx_Luthor 57]

-- I'm saddened that our brothers across the pond aren't allowed free speech.

 

This was not free speech. Apply street sense. Would this guy have walked up to a group of guys on the street, and do the same kind of thing? Probably not because Darwin would taken care of that right there on the sidewalk, unless something short circuits the street learning process in some. I've read of rare cases of comulsive swearing, including a lawyer who fought that problem obviously since he/she had to spend time in courts lol.

 

Now corporations and bank.gov silencing whistleblowers is another story, but that's not the case here.

[ShrikeHawk 384]

Even in the US, free speech has limits. Shout "Fire!" in a crowded theater as joke, and you'll be breaking the law. Try making a mere joke about planting a bomb on an airliner, the police will be waiting with handcuffs when you disembark. Nobody will care that it was a joke, you'll be convicted.

 

Personally, I'm glad the troll got convicted. Free speech is a wonderful tool, but when it's used as a weapon to cause harm, the criminals need to be punished without remorse.

[ironroad 218]

How many different ways can you f*** this up?

 

Folks who are affected by Austim/Aspergers have been trying for decades to show they can be reliable, functional members of society. And this asshole decides to use it as a defense? Way to go, moron...you've just used the 'I was suffering from PMS' excuse...

 

Secondly, he's now set a precedent for government intervention on free speech in social networking sites (and by extension, the internet).

 

Before anyone gets their panties in a wad, realize it is one thing if we as admins/moderators edit/ban/delete posts, etc. This is a private website, so free speech does not exist here. It is very much another thing if the government takes active steps to do the same thing, including arresting and jailing offenders.

 

I don't agree with what the guy did...I'd of had no problem with a group of folks taking him behind the woodshed and giving him some wall to wall counseling. But realize there are larger ramifications here.

 

FC

 

What he said..

 

 

-- I'm saddened that our brothers across the pond aren't allowed free speech.

 

This was not free speech. Apply street sense. Would this guy have walked up to a group of guys on the street, and do the same kind of thing? Probably not because Darwin would taken care of that right there on the sidewalk, unless something short circuits the street learning process in some. I've read of rare cases of comulsive swearing, including a lawyer who fought that problem obviously since he/she had to spend time in courts lol.

 

Now corporations and bank.gov silencing whistleblowers is another story, but that's not the case here.

 

I beg to differ, if he made the decision to spout of his mouth in public it is his choice. Just like it would be the choice of the people who choose to shut it for him (which regardless of noble intentions, can still lead to said people being convicted of a felony).

 

This is a very slippery slope...

 

IMHO, if someone plans or commits a crime in a "private" place, with every intention of carrying it out, then the state (or what have you) has every right to kick in the door and give them a pair of matching sliver bracelets.

 

Likewise if someone willingly and knowingly spreads (or prints) baseless falsehoods to ruin an entity or person, then the state has every right to ensure that grievances are addressed and/or loses are recouped for the damage done.

 

However, if a person has a bad opinion of someone, and it stays in a "private" place; then it either up to that person to make sure he/she keeps it there (and does not take it any further), or the owner deals with the issue accordingly.

 

Yes, the guy who used someone's death as source sick source of entertainment is an a$$hole who deserves to be beat with a wet sack of doorknobs until he turns blue. But it is not the state's job (nor right) to regulate personal opinion, no matter how tasteless it may be.

 

insert name hereI don't like you, I think you are a jerk who smells like fat chick kneecap sweat and old man trouser inseams after a chili cook-off.

 

does not equate to...

 

insert name here I don't like you... Because I don't like you I'm going to hunt you down, beat you mercilessly, and set your car on fire. I know your house is on 123 Fake Street...

 

One deserves a swift kick in the rear, but the other deserves police and/or court intervention.

Edited September 14, 2011 by ironroad

[Lexx_Luthor 57]

Likewise if someone willingly and knowingly spreads (or prints) baseless falsehoods to ruin an entity or person, then the state has every right to ensure that grievances are addressed and/or loses are recouped for the damage done.

 

A problem arises because the criminal with sufficient power always accuses the victim, or those alerting others to the criminal, of making "baseless falsehoods." This ground level rule goes for exposing crimes involving individual souls all the way to high crimes and exposing corruption in government, corporations, unions, churches, or *any* organization of men.

 

There is a lot of false accusations, and innocently wrong false eyewitness -- its a surprisingly subtle thing -- so on all sides, we must be careful, as Ben Kenobi would say, and go beyond our emotions and our wishes of who "should" be guilty or innocent depending on if we like them. That's another endlessly interesting topic.

[MigBuster 2,884]

Well with the WWW the evidence is down in writing - and despite posters thinking they are anonymous because they can.....choose a screen name - they can often be traced relatively easily with cooperation from the Sites owners.

 

This might be one way to boost arrest statistics....which is all that matters.

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Even in the US, free speech has limits. Shout "Fire!" in a crowded theater as joke, and you'll be breaking the law. Try making a mere joke about planting a bomb on an airliner, the police will be waiting with handcuffs when you disembark. Nobody will care that it was a joke, you'll be convicted.

 

Personally, I'm glad the troll got convicted. Free speech is a wonderful tool, but when it's used as a weapon to cause harm, the criminals need to be punished without remorse.

 

I agree with Shrikehawk

 

Many people seem to think that because we have the priveledge of free speech, it gives us Carte Blanch to go around upsetting other people.

[+Dave 2,322]

What an asshole.....

[+daddyairplanes 10,236]

on technicalities of law it does seem to set a bad precedent. however now that he's in prison i wonder i he will post on his cellmates Facebook page after said cellmate is done usin him for a night time toy. mocking dead teenagers, i would find that very appropriate for the lil a$$h0le