Comments on: Watch what you tweet: How online troll crackdowns threaten freedom of speech

By: Simon Hill

Simon Hill — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 16:08:30 +0000

Apologies wasn't a deliberate omission, even the Guardian article you linked didn't originally print that tweet and they didn't state what specific tweets he was arrested for. It doesn't really change my point though, even in that case it was a drunken idiot sounding off in a stupid manner, obviously not pleasant, but criminal? Reporting it as offensive and having him banned from Twitter would surely be enough.

Imagine if every troll was prosecuted for the stupid comments they make online. It's not really feasible even if you do think it should happen and would be a massive waste of police time.

By: Thomas Boby

Thomas Boby — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 17:52:55 +0000

The tweet that got him arrested: "i'm going to find you and i'm going to drown you in the pool you cocky twat your a nobody people like you make me sick."

See the much better written guardian article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/jul/31/tom-daley-twitter-abuse-law

The DT article is just leaving out facts to make a biased point... Bad journalism really.

By: Stublore

Stublore — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 23:17:51 +0000

"After Daley failed to win a medal, a 17-year-old boy sent a malicious tweet which read, “You let your dad down I hope you know that.”

Read more:

By: Thomas Boby

Thomas Boby — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 17:43:23 +0000

There was, he threatened to kill somebody.

By: Thomas Boby

Thomas Boby — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 17:40:23 +0000

He threatened to kill him.

By: Stublore

Stublore — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 17:38:19 +0000

The problem is:
What is offensive?

What I consider offensive another might not and vice versa.

I mean really, the police knocked on a 17 year olds door because he tweeted you let your dad down??
WTF!!!
THAT is the line? Really??

By: Thomas Boby

Thomas Boby — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 14:06:04 +0000

He actually threatened to kill somebody, quite a bit different to just abuse.

By: Simon Hill

Simon Hill — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 12:29:53 +0000

So it was, thanks for pointing that out, I will amend.

By: abcdefg

abcdefg — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 11:08:20 +0000

Evelyn Beatrice Hall, not Voltaire.

By: James Killough

James Killough — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 21:12:00 +0000

Censorship isn't right, but as long as it is being treated in the UK as saying something abusive and inflammatory in the street it very much IS the same thing. The only thing that makes it a difference is that doing it online under a pseudonym is the same as doing it on the street wearing a balaclava. It's cowardly. As I say to people online who are abusive to me, "You would never say that to my face if you met me face to face." That's because I'm basically Bane without the face mask or steroids and they wouldn't dare.

As for being less sensitive, I'd paraphrase someone very different from Voltaire: Just because I need to grow a thicker skin doesn't mean you shouldn't stop being an asshole.

And people who make terrorist threats these days even as a joke deserve to have their holidays ruined. There's so much else to joke about. The American political system? Our religiosity? The fat people? Take your pick.

By: ...

... — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 19:56:40 +0000

Do not visit this site, it is full of malware.

By: Qassim

Qassim — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 18:21:06 +0000

@Rilley_69 (Tom daley situation) was tweeting threats of violence at multiple users that were later removed, and had also made videos of him also threatening violence.

They picked up him, checked the threat, released him with an harassment warning. I struggle to see what is wrong with that individual situation. Police have to investigate such threats, they'd be damned if they hadn't and it was a legitimate threat.

By: Brock Lee

Brock Lee — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 18:19:15 +0000

This is the politically correct age of feminism where anything you say can be illegal. Stand up: MANHOOD101. C O M

By: Simon Hill

Simon Hill — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:47:06 +0000

Agreed.

By: Simon Hill

Simon Hill — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:45:15 +0000

Well, the airport threat was such an obvious joke it seems daft they took it seriously, this is what he actually tweeted ""Crap! Robin Hood airport is closed. You've got a week and a bit to get your sh*t together otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!!"

Obviously legitimate threats should be investigated.

By: James Phillips

James Phillips — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:22:52 +0000

Come on DT there’s a big difference between being an abusive a-hole d-bag troll, and threatening to blow up an airport or shoot up a movie theater.

By: Peyton Farquhar

Peyton Farquhar — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:22:52 +0000

Unless there is a clear threat to life or limb, arresting ppl for offensive tweets is over the top censorship.