Man arrested for trolling on Facebook

[Pat8u]

seriously its reasons like this what you say shouldn't be allowed to offend someone who is mourning they have enough pain as it is. fuck free speech
*pulls up Flame sheild*

edit: also whats up with all net criminals using their aspergers as an excuse I don't do that stuff and I have it

 

[Crazycat690]

Making a facebook page? Don't they deserve it then? I mean, if you scream out "Hey look at us! We're super sad about this thing! We just want everyone to know that we sad!" you're asking for someone to say "lol you suck".

 

[Denamic]

The guy did a dick move, but he was only being offensive.
You can be arrested for being offensive now?

 

[putowtin]

The guy did a dick move, but he was only being offensive.
You can be arrested for being offensive now?

If he walked up to you in the street and said that stuff, then you can be arrested, breach of the peace, I believe.
So yeah you can be arrested for typing it as well.

Cyber crime, watch out for the virtual police!

 

[BloatedGuppy]

The guy did a dick move, but he was only being offensive.
You can be arrested for being offensive now?

Actually the charge was not "being offensive", so no, he was not arrested under the "being offensive" law. What he was doing constituted a form of harassment. As it turns out, you can be arrested for harassment, and laws applying to harassment have been on the books for many years.

 

[KeyMaster45]

The guy did a dick move, but he was only being offensive.
You can be arrested for being offensive now?

There's being offensive and then there's systematically targeting and then tormenting a family over the death of their daughter, which is what this guy was doing. Pretty sure what he was doing would fall under the realm of harassment laws over here in the US. Except instead of going to jail the family could've sued him for all he was worth.

 

[HandfulofWolf]

I think this is fine. People need to understand that their actions have consequences. Let's just not push it as far as an internet police state.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

There's being offensive and then there's systematically targeting and then tormenting a family over the death of their daughter, which is what this guy was doing. Pretty sure what he was doing would fall under the realm of harassment laws over here in the US. Except instead of going to jail the family could've sued him for all he was worth.

Multiple families, over multiple deaths. Four different cases were considered in his sentencing, and I believe there was something like nine incidents overall, which he had already received prior warnings for.

 

[JamesStone]

Man, this is some sick shit. I agree about the arrest. Yes, some people troll, and the internet isn´t free of it, but this isn´t trolling, this is just... being a mean son of a *****, Asperger or not.

 

[Turing]

"Trolling is an offence under the Malicious Communications Act, which carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison"

 

[InsomniacWolf]

He deserved it, honestly, he deserved more.

 

[Vanguard_Ex]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2036935/Natasha-MacBryde-death-Facebook-internet-troll-Sean-Duffy-jailed.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

I was wondering what you, fellow escapists, thought of this story.

Personally, while I agree with the consensus that posting offensive messages about dead teenagers is, of course, wrong, the fact that he was arrested for it is completely unreasonable.

It annoys me when people advocate free speech, but only as long as no-one gets offended.

That's why I say release this guy from prison, so someone can punch him in the stomach and let him get back to his life.

But freedom of speech doesn't allow you to get away with saying whatever you want, it simply allows you to say it without censorship. This is why a newspaper can report under freedom of speech, but still be sued for slander. It doesn't protect against consequences.

 

[Ghengis John]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2036935/Natasha-MacBryde-death-Facebook-internet-troll-Sean-Duffy-jailed.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

I was wondering what you, fellow escapists, thought of this story.

Personally, while I agree with the consensus that posting offensive messages about dead teenagers is, of course, wrong, the fact that he was arrested for it is completely unreasonable.

It annoys me when people advocate free speech, but only as long as no-one gets offended.

That's why I say release this guy from prison, so someone can punch him in the stomach and let him get back to his life.

Pretty sure we've had this conversation around here before. Freedom of speech is intended to allow people to air their grievances with their government or to warn their fellow citizens of offense, trespass or danger that may be committed against them. It is not a free pass to act in any manner that amuses you and does not guarantee you the right to torment your fellow citizens. There are laws against yelling fire in a crowded theatre just as there are laws against disturbing the peace. Just as, in Mr Duffy's favor, there are laws against assault. It's hard to stand on the moral high ground when you're advocating corporal punishment.

 

[Gudrests]

But that would be assault.

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

 

[minuialear]

I'd like to think this wouldn't happen in the US.

I think it's fair to ban him from social networking sites that he's abusing, but I think arresting him is going a bit too far. I don't think someone ought to be arrested for slander/etc.

 

[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?

 

[Thyunda]

There's no freedom of speech in the UK. That's widely accepted. However, he did deserve to be punished for this - the Heather mentioned in the 'Hayley Bates Smash' is an old friend of mine, and I remember the chaos around her sister's death and when this guy started.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

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.