Internet troll is jailed after mocking deaths of teenagers online.

[Cain_Zeros]

..Wait, he gets jailed for this but all the other Trolls i've seen that said much worse things haven't?

I think it was probably because he was using his real name on the Facebook comments so he could actually be found.

 

[an874]

Now that's what I call justice!
Trolls are entitled to their opinion, just like everyone, but there is a line that shouldn't be crossed if you're a decent human being.

I disagree with this. While what this guy did was in terrible taste, I believe in freedom of speech, and an unfortunate consequence of this is having distasteful and even dangerous things put out there. Given the choice between my rights and punishing some kind of offender, the former is what I'll always choose.

 

[Dogstile]

Oh no, someones feelings got hurt.

Hey guess what. I've had people tell me that my brother was a rapist and that we all should burn and die. I didn't call the fucking police about it as BEING A DICK ISN'T A CRIME.

Calling someone out just because they took action where you would have failed to is no argument.

Is what they said about your brother true?
Did they post and circulate a video on youtube regarding it or make harassing comments on facebook?
Were the people saying it strangers?
Were you told to "burn and die" because of something you did or because of something you are?

because

The 15 year old did die.
There were videos and posts. (And if that were to be classified as harassment then depending on the degree it could be 1-5 years in prison)
The guy (Duffy) was a complete stranger, there were no "circumstances" between the family and him.
The girl was killed by the actions of someone else (or inactions).

Jail?

Are we gonna start jailing people who call each other "fatty" or "four-eyes" next?

How about moderating comments better?

This.

It will never cease to baffle me how many people (including people on this forum) don't see to have any problems with the government throwing people into jail simply for saying mean things.

"They deserve it because they are bad people" is a horrible, horrible slippery slope that I for one want to stay the fuck away from.

When was the last time you were able to moderate someone else' youtube channel? This wasn't an isolated event or comment made in passing either. If you are making a concentrated effort to make someone else' life shit you deserve whatever lawful action is levied against you. The line drawn is that if you do something with the intent or knowledge that it will hurt them, that sort of thing should be discouraged not because it's "mean", but because it's (in detached terms) counter productive. There is nothing to gain from it and there can be plenty to lose.

This isn't someone just being "mean", it takes time and effort to make an post a video and not only make multiple comments on but find someone's facebook.

You don't understand.

I'm calling them out because I would still defend the people who called my brother a rapist. Because as I said, being a dick shouldn't be a crime. Yeah sure shove a restraining order on them, but prison time is fucking absurd.

And yes, there were videos. I asked youtube to take them down. They did. This could have and should have been handled differently. Jail time isn't the answer for a system that is already struggling to handle the amount of prisoners it has.

 

[Muffalopadus]

snip

Its rather funny how you're talking about about people who "opt'd" out of something that's a required class.

Clearly however, you didn't read the location. It's in the UK. The American constitution has no hold here. What he did was illegal, but only in the sense that he was harassing them. Which, you know, makes half of the internet illegal, but we all knew that right?

However, that doesn't make it right that he was jailed for four months for being a prick.

I'm gonna shove this in bold so hopefully it'll catch an eye or two.

THIS HAPPENED IN THE UK, PLEASE STOP ARGUING USING FREEDOM OF SPEECH, WE DON'T HAVE THAT HERE

Yeah sorry, we got off topic. The point had to be made though! There were poor, confused people who didn't know the extent of their rights!

Personally...I'm not sure how I feel about actual jail time for what he did. I think it would be way more ironic if he had to do 6 months of community service...say...3 hours a day? 600 hours of community service would be a nice round number.

...and a fine.

There! He wasn't put in prison, he's helping out the community and making a generous contribution to the city coffers to boot.

"Be a jerk, get put to werk." Man, I'm full of good ideas today.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

Four months for hurting people's feelings. He didn't go out and assault them, and it wasn't like he was un-ignorable. The justice system fails again.

No, it's four months for harassment. There's a rather large difference.

This.

It will never cease to baffle me how many people (including people on this forum) don't see to have any problems with the government throwing people into jail simply for saying mean things.

"They deserve it because they are bad people" is a horrible, horrible slippery slope that I for one want to stay the fuck away from.

Funnily enough, I think the people here on the Escapists who don't see a problem with it are the ones that are bright enough too realize that they shouldn't be insulting a families recently lost child to a horrific accident. I don't see how society as a whole can't look at something like this and say "This is wrong. This needs to stop."

Say what you will, but when you go and taunt someone's close family relative of a terrible death they had, there shouldn't be any "Oh, he can say what he wants because it's his right". General people don't know how to deal with that. This isn't just saying "mean things" or "hurting people's feelings". Thinking that this is something as simple as that is foolish.

Women can sue for being sexually harassed. I don't see how this is any less of a reason. This isn't Freedom of Speech. There was no motive other than causing the family undue stress.

Throw the dipshit's ass in jail. If you see a problem with it, use your freedoms to go explain that to the government. Because that's what they are for.

 

[Saulkar]

Having Aspergers, I can say I know right from wrong. The stupid *****. (not you)

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I think there's a large difference between calling someone schoolyard names and making prolonged sick jokes about the unfortuneate and untimely demise of someone's child.

Unless you're on Jeremy Kyle, of course.

Still:
If you're sending him to jail for that...what about the entirety of SomethingAwful, 4Chan, YouTube and, tbf, some of the Escapists?

And if there's one thing that's bound to "fix" a juvenile, especially one with a mental disadvantage, it's to lock them up with other criminals.

 

[Draconalis]

that sort of thing should be discouraged not because it's "mean", but because it's (in detached terms) counter productive. There is nothing to gain from it and there can be plenty to lose.

This isn't someone just being "mean", it takes time and effort to make an post a video and not only make multiple comments on but find someone's facebook.

This probably isn't how you mean it (I really hope, at least) but it sounds like you're making this out to be a crime because he was killing time and not putting forth effort to continue to The Great Human Empire's cause.

I disagree with this. While what this guy did was in terrible taste, I believe in freedom of speech, and an unfortunate consequence of this is having distasteful and even dangerous things put out there. Given the choice between my rights and punishing some kind of offender, the former is what I'll always choose.

I don't disagree with you, but two points I feel must be made.

A) freedom of speech isn't international
and
B) your freedom of speech is null and void the moment it offends someone.

You have Rights up till and only when they don't infringe on the Rights of others.

 

[Macgyvercas]

Now, I'm not an expert on the subject, but I'm pretty damn sure Aspergers sufferers know a sense of right from wrong.

We do. Anyone who claims otherwise or tries to use it as an excuse either doesn't have it, is an idiot, or both.

It's empathy we have a bit of a problem with (at least it was for me, anyway. That and body language).

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Unless you're on Jeremy Kyle, of course.

Still:
If you're sending him to jail for that...what about the entirety of SomethingAwful, 4Chan, YouTube and, tbf, some of the Escapists?

And if there's one thing that's bound to "fix" a juvenile, especially one with a mental disadvantage, it's to lock them up with other criminals.

People say stupid, insensitive shit all the time. The difference is they usually say it in a neutral setting. Like 4 Chan. Or SomethingAwful. Or YouTube. Or The Escapist. They don't seek out the people their stupid, insensitive shit is most likely to cause maximum emotional harm to, and say it directly to them. Then you're harassing someone, and you open the door for a grumpy judge to make an example of you.

 

[emeraldrafael]

I always wonde... wait, hold on.

Alright, OT, its nice that he got punished. this is sick and just because the internet gives you a way to speak, it doesnt mean you should harass the family and cause emotional distress (two very real and legally punishable crimes). EDIT: also that he did this to more then one family and obsessed on more then one victim makes him a repeat offender, and well aware of his actions to continue doing so, since most seem to be a similar treatment.

And back to my previous though, I always wonder how someone gets run over by a train and its supposed to be sad. Its a train, they dont sneak up on you. I know, thats not the point of the article, just saying.

 

[Thalios]

Oh no, someones feelings got hurt.

Hey guess what. I've had people tell me that my brother was a rapist and that we all should burn and die (He isn't, but that's besides the point). I didn't call the fucking police about it as BEING A DICK ISN'T A CRIME.

There's a huge difference between calling someone a rapist and mocking the death of a family member through facebook, youtube and what-not. Especially if the rapist part isn't even true.
If your brother isn't a rapist, why would he take offense from it? Like you, I've been called a million different things throughout the years, but I still haven't taken offense from a single one of them. Why? Because none of them have been true, and simply been results of someone being butthurt by something I may have done. I don't see why I should take offense to something as pathetic as an idiots attempts at insulting me.
If, however, my brother died, and I saw someone mock his death through facebook, youtube and what-not, I would definitely take offense. Not only that, I would go a great length to get back at him somehow.

 

[BGinsanity]

Is the guy a dick
Yes

Is he a heartless bastard that we'd probably be better without?
Maybe

Should he be imprisoned for spewing his hateful bullshit
NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONO...no

Just because someone is an a-hole does NOT mean he/she should lose their freedom. I understand why the family is butthurt about this (I would be angry as well) but putting the guy in jail for typing something on the internet is not justice; its just plain ludicrous.

Here is to the world we live in, a toast! We are just that much closer to becoming a world of deaf mutes, afraid to say or do anything offensive.

Needless to say the guy is an douchebag though...

 

[Hitokiri_Gensai]

well, here in the US i dont think you could get arrested for that. Freedom of speech is a double edged sword without a doubt. It allows us to always to be free to express our opinion, but it also allows people to hate on eachother without consequence.

 

[Abedeus]

Uhh. Jail? For saying stuff?

Come on... Give him community service, a fine, forced to make a public apology... Next thing you know, people saying "Oh, man, that was so gay!" will get the chair for their crime.

 

[Dargocitfer]

Yeah sorry, we got off topic. The point had to be made though! There were poor, confused people who didn't know the extent of their rights!

Personally...I'm not sure how I feel about actual jail time for what he did. I think it would be way more ironic if he had to do 6 months of community service...say...3 hours a day? 600 hours of community service would be a nice round number.

...and a fine.

There! He wasn't put in prison, he's helping out the community and making a generous contribution to the city coffers to boot.

"Be a jerk, get put to werk." Man, I'm full of good ideas today.

No! Don't give him community service! That will just give him super powers, and then we'll have *another* immortal troll!

 

[Ulquiorra4sama]

One thing is trolling places that offer anonymity, but when you're trolling a Facebook page in such bad taste then you're really just asking for trouble.

Also, to all those talking about freedom of speech: It's one thing to out your opinion on something and a whole 'nother to be an outright dick.

 

[Muffalopadus]

Uhh. Jail? For saying stuff?

Come on... Give him community service, a fine, forced to make a public apology... Next thing you know, people saying "Oh, man, that was so gay!" will get the chair for their crime.

First. *ahem* Previously on this thread! [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/18.312712.12668802]

But seriously, glad you think the same way. Imprisonment is a tricky issue, but it probably should be used for violent crimes and not little thinks like trolls.

Even if you wish you could kill them sometimes.

 

[Nisselue]

Wow, i need to remember not to offend people, i might just get jailed.
What's next? going to jail for thinking weird stuff? Thoughtcrime?
*I am dissapoint*

 

[Iron Mal]

I fear for the UK, and honestly this is one of the reasons why a lot of people in the US look down on it and treat it like a backwater country at times. As I understand this both this and the Jade Goody incident took place there. "Freedom Of Speech" does not mean "The freedom to say what I agree with or want to hear" and has it's dark side along with it's positive benefits, the pros however outweigh the cons, and no amount of rudeness is worth the cost to civil liberties that these rulings entail.

Coming from a country that infamous for having a fairly Christian stance on most things despite allegedly being founded on the notion of a seperation of Church and the State (something the UK has been dramatically more successful with despite maintaining our supposedly divinely appointed Monarchy) calling us 'backwater' seems to be a statement without anything really in the way of substance behind it.

The much touted 'freedom of speech' arguement that's held up by a lot of internet trolls not only gets grossly misused (it's actually intended to stop you from having your opinion censored by the government, it doesn't cover your right to be malicious and cruel to others, we can still call you out on that).

I'll also be blunt, the guy here is taking the wrong track on defending himself. Argueing Aspergers is kind of ridiculous. To be honest I have my doubts about that entire condition's very existance.

As someone with traits of the condition who has faced numerous difficulties growing up as a result of it allow me to thank you for essentially trivialising several things that were difficult about my childhood and teens (please note sarcasm), I agree with you about how said condition shouldn't be used as a defence for one's behvaior but I would say that it does exist (and your repeated allegations that we're just 'making it up' is sort of like saying that people with anxiety disorders are really ok they just need to relax, in other words, narrow minded and very inconsiderate).

If there is such a thing as Aspbergers, it's overdiagnosed, and as a result has had it's credability as a condition ruined.

I think you'll find that the overdiagnosis actually comes from people who look up a list of symptoms online and think that it sounds like them (and as such when they called out on being arseholes they think that having a condition means you essentially can't say anything to them about it).

At the same time though, with incidents like this, I figure you'd do better to just say "I got sick of listening to this so I did something to make a point and bug the people back". I might disagree with the action itself, but I can at least respect the point being made, and will even say it falls under basic human rights.

I would disagree with your sentiment that it falls under basic human rights, your basic human rights (as I remember) are mostly along the lines of things like a right to food, water, warmth, shelter and the right to not live in fear of suffering or violence.

Hell, even the notion of being allowed to express your opinion openly is technically a luxury we possess here in the west largely as a result of our social and cultural advances throughout history (trust me, of all the supposed 'human rights' to disappear first in an emergency, the right to freedom of expression will rightly be the first seeing as most of us won't die if we can't speak our minds, we tend to expire if we can't have food or water though).