Should Police investigate social media abuse?

UKJ · Post by **UKJ** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 9:39 am

Joon wrote:I can't vote on the poll because none of the options satisfy me.

But I'd like to share this article that I found interesting and insightful.
However, it's very women victim-focused but I hope you can make abstraction of that fact.

http://www.psmag.com/navigation/health- ... net-72170/

I don't know those women. I just assume that they are outspoken, feminists, and people (mostly males) don't agree with them (I have a sneaky feeling I wouldn't agree with their thesis and some of their arguments myself.)

But what made the greatest impression on me in that article, was how a man (or a woman, but I don't recall any woman making those comments in response to the feminist authors) would find it perfectly righteous and normal to come up with this kind of verbal abuses and morbid fantasies. It's rather terrifying to know that some men are able to nourish (and maybe routinely) this kind of desires that are not sexual at all. They are just manifestations of pure hatred.

I agree that abuse like that is inexcusable. As is racist or homophobic abuse. But seeing as Police resources are finite, should they be spending half their time on trolls? There is no doubt that women are being abused IRL all over the world, every day. It's shameful. But should resources be diverted from an already inadequate system, to trace trolls? I would prefer if they concentrated on real, offline abuse.

Joon · Post by **Joon** » Fri Jul 18, 2014 10:14 am

I think that we can agree that there is a real risk for the online abuses to spill into real life. In addition, online abuses can translate into real-life costs and distress, in specific circumstances. But how to assess those risks and how to assess whether the effects on non-Internet life are real?

In my view, such online abuses should be investigated when there is a real risk for the abuses to be undertaken for real and/or the real-life costs are tangible and significant.

UKJ · Post by **UKJ** » Fri Sep 26, 2014 10:30 am

Classic example.

Merseyside Police said it is investigating the comments aimed at Balotelli on the social network after he mocked Manchester United for their 5-3 defeat by Leicester City on Sunday. The Italian, 24, tweeted “Man Utd...LOL” to his followers.
There was little doubt that the tweet would rile United fans, especially as Balotelli has now played for their most heated rivals in Manchester and on Merseyside.
The comment was retweeted more than 150,000 times, but many of the comments in response were racist and included the slur “monkey”, provoking further outrage and the police investigation.
Many of those responsible have since closed down their accounts, but the culprits are often traceable with the assistance of internet providers.

A guy riles opposing fans. He is basically asking for abuse. Unfortunately, people called him a monkey, although he obviously isn't like a monkey. Pig, sloth etc, would probably have been outwith Police intervention, but monkey isn't allowed, unless it's against a white player. In other words, it's a ludicrous waste of Police resources, that Ballotelli in particular, can tie the Police up, every time he tweets, looking for a reaction from opposing fans.

Sir_Quality_U_Feel · Post by **Sir_Quality_U_Feel** » Fri Sep 26, 2014 10:46 am

OrangeDragon wrote:Is it a police matter if a person gets my phone number and starts calling and harassing me? Social media is only a communications platform... like a phone or an email or a letter in the post.

All have ways to block or ignore. Libel and slander laws take care of the rest. I chuckle when I read stuff like this about the UK.

Cameras everywhere, can't even say anything on Facebook, let's the Muslims bully them around.

UKlolz

UKJ · Post by **UKJ** » Fri Sep 26, 2014 11:01 am

Sir_Quality_U_Feel wrote:
OrangeDragon wrote:Is it a police matter if a person gets my phone number and starts calling and harassing me? Social media is only a communications platform... like a phone or an email or a letter in the post.
All have ways to block or ignore. Libel and slander laws take care of the rest. I chuckle when I read stuff like this about the UK.

Cameras everywhere, can't even say anything on Facebook, let's the Muslims bully them around.

UKlolz

Agreed, except for the much needed cameras. A friends father is in a care home. Their favourite nurse disappeared. They later found out that someone had posted something racist on their FB page and allegedly not by them ( I am FB illiterate) , and she got sacked. Although she had grown up kids etc, what if she had kids and a mortgage? Should we ruin lives over words on the internet? It's crazy.