What is an 'internet troll'?

[stephen25000]

Then discuss the trolling from both sides with examples ... should be really easy enough for you ... if what you are saying is true.

I've given numerous examples as have others on several occasions.

Each time you won't admit it.

[sadie]

I've given numerous examples as have others on several occasions.

Each time you won't admit it.

Well how about repeating them, please.

[stephen25000]

Well how about repeating them, please.

Last few times I did, they were deleted.

Just visit the forums (and twitter) Sadie, you know full well which ones I mean.

[Brietta]

I've given numerous examples as have others on several occasions.

Each time you won't admit it.

The interesting thing about those few internet trolls who are brought before the courts is that ~ in common with the jailed troll mentioned by Lyall ~ http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/national/11198615.print/ ~ there seems to be a pattern that they are offenders known to the police or social services - drug abuse - mental health issues - interrupted education - attention seekers living insular lives.

For example, from the Guardian article - "Riley regarded Twitter as a chance to engage in "social banter" " ... and "he remained incredulous following a backlash from other Twitter users".

Which tells me the expectation this man had of social media was that - anything goes - and if he had discovered the joys of McCann bashing and stuck to that in his incredulity he wouldn't have been quoted as saying - " "Of all the sick things I've tweeted, starvation, genocide, rape and torture, it's the teacher from Leeds that outrages everyone the most." "   

For the simple reason that as far as McCann bashing goes it seems the trolls have been given free rein and any successful prosecutions involving the McCann name relate to Madeleine being mentioned in conjunction with other missing or murdered children ... it appears there is carte blanche to malign her parents with the foulest accusations.

It should be noted that, Riley, the person jailed was prosecuted 'following a complaint to the police' no reference is made to who the complainant is.                           

[Benice]

Last few times I did, they were deleted.

Just visit the forums (and twitter) Sadie, you know full well which ones I mean.

I thought you were as appalled as anyone else regarding the vicious trolls on the WWW who use the McCann case to vent their venomous bile and post their myths and lies  - and who are exposed, commented on and condemned for their appalling behaviour by those sites.   

Have you changed your mind?

I don't know of any sites dedicated to 'hating' Amaral and his family in that way.  Neither have I read any posts about Amaral's children - even though the twins are often brought into the equation by trolls.  I've never seen any posts regularly promoting violence against him either. 

In fact considering what is known about Amaral and his past personal history - I think he gets off very lightly.

Any suggestion that both sides are the same could not be more preposterous IMO.

[stephen25000]

I thought you were as appalled as anyone else regarding the vicious trolls on the WWW who use the McCann case to vent their venomous bile and post their myths and lies  - and who are exposed, commented on and condemned for their appalling behaviour by those sites.   

Have you changed your mind?

I don't know of any sites dedicated to 'hating' Amaral and his family in that way.  Neither have I read any posts about Amaral's children - even though the twins are often brought into the equation by trolls.  I've never seen any posts regularly promoting violence against him either. 

In fact considering what is known about Amaral and his past personal history - I think he gets off very lightly.

Any suggestion that both sides are the same could not be more preposterous IMO.

Who are you trying to kid  ?

You know of no sites................

Anyone who posts on here will know full well where they are, as well as those on both sides on twitter.

[Brietta]

Who are you trying to kid  ?

You know of no sites................

Anyone who posts on here will know full well where they are, as well as those on both sides on twitter.

I wonder why you feel the need to defend trolls posting on the internet.  Bearing in mind there are many using different techniques to hound and torture victims who have revealed any kind of weakness ... recently a young woman overdosed on diet pills bought on line and her mother revealed she had been mercilessly hounded by trolls jeering about her weight.

Apparently trolling is not a victimless crime but a crime without a perpetrator.

However I think you are intelligent enough to recognise the connection which binds all these internet abusers whether their target is the family of a missing child or a teenager suffering acne; which is why I am bemused that you wish to be tainted by association.

[stephen25000]

I wonder why you feel the need to defend trolls posting on the internet.  Bearing in mind there are many using different techniques to hound and torture victims who have revealed any kind of weakness ... recently a young woman overdosed on diet pills bought on line and her mother revealed she had been mercilessly hounded by trolls jeering about her weight.

Apparently trolling is not a victimless crime but a crime without a perpetrator.

However I think you are intelligent enough to recognise the connection which binds all these internet abusers whether their target is the family of a missing child or a teenager suffering acne; which is why I am bemused that you wish to be tainted by association.

All this bravado won't wash.

I condemned hatred from both sides a long while ago.

YOU WON'T.

[Brietta]

All this bravado won't wash.

I condemned hatred from both sides a long while ago.

YOU WON'T.

You have given absolutely no evidence whatsoever of the claims you make regarding "both" sides ... so what is there to condemn??

           By the way ... don't you know it is considered terribly rude to shout all the time.

[stephen25000]

You have given absolutely no evidence whatsoever of the claims you make regarding "both" sites ... so what is there to condemn??

           By the way ... don't you know it is considered terribly rude to shout all the time.

Oh I have before.


You really must stop making things up.

P.S. I wasn't 'shouting'. If I was, you would know.

[Lyall]

You have given absolutely no evidence whatsoever of the claims you make regarding "both" sites ... so what is there to condemn??

           By the way ... don't you know it is considered terribly rude to shout all the time.

The worst examples were - fortunately for the person in charge of the site (who is well known to everyone here) - thrown down the memory hole by the company hosting it.

[Lyall]

I don't think I have made myself clear enough, Lyall, I do not think it is at all easy to bring a successful prosecution in matters of this kind and I think the maximum sentence for such offences being two years is risible.
It illustrates that the law is not keeping pace with the effects of internet trolling.

When you say ... "It looks like his tweets about the teacher weren't random, idiotic acts but the culmination of communications that may have been prosecutable themselves (without which they may not have been confident of achieving a conviction)." ... think about the very active internet campaigns which have gone on undeterred for over eight years which are not random and with many instances of prosecutable comments being made.

The same type of mentality which drove the troll in the case you mention is evident day and daily in relation to the Drs McCann and anyone connected to them ... and not only on twitter.

Even the charitable giving using Gofundme is being used as an opportunity and a platform to further disseminate poisonous bile against a couple whose much loved daughter is missing ... by people many of whom are proud to be self proclaimed trolls.

You're missing the comment by the magistrate about that particular idiots record for making communications that may have or definitely did also infringe religious and racial legislation.

That's what (I would hope) is missing from the communication histories of those you'd like to see prosecuted over their comments about this case.

[Lyall]

I reckon the only reason Spivey has been prosecuted is because Lee Rigby's parents went to the police about him themselves.  There are certainly at least a dozen individuals who could find themselves in the same position if the McCanns themselves reported their activites, IMO.

I would think they and their advisors/lawyers recognise it would only create martyrs. That should be very obvious after what happened to Brenda.

More martyrs is the last thing you or they need.

You beat the idiots by isolating them and making them insignificant, but unfortunately neither 'side' does that. Instead they feed their egos.

[G-Unit]

Unfortunately many of the comments posted by these people are libellous ... and therefore illegal ... if you are happy to rise in their defence and if they are happy to be called trolls ... who are we to deny them their right to that soubriquet.

Libel, unlike criminal behaviour, has to be proved by those claiming to have been damaged. You may say people are making libelous comments, but that is just your opinion.

[Carana]

Libel, unlike criminal behaviour, has to be proved by those claiming to have been damaged. You may say people are making libelous comments, but that is just your opinion.

Which country's laws are you referring to?