Investigation into McCann internet trolls launched by police

[Alfred R Jones]

Excellent article about McCann abusers in the Express here http://www.express.co.uk/comment/columnists/camilla-tominey/521746/Camilla-Tominey-McCanns-trolls-wake-up-selfies-the-real-Prince-Phillip

[Carew]

Fact – a family has been under horrendous attack from anonymous cowards on the internet … trolls.

Fact – these cowardly trolls have been indulging obsessively in this pastime for over seven years.

Fact – next to nothing has been done by the police to curb these vicious trolls.

Fact – members of the public have been expressing concern about these attacks since 2007.

“jbobs    28 10 2007, 
Although I agree with some of your points fanoulla, I still think that whatever the media or their families have said, it does not justify the attacks on Gerry and Kate. Some truly wicked accusations have been said about them whilst they are going through what no parent would ever want to face.
I can understand why people don't like them but I don't think some people that have said such awful things (media and the public) are very likeable people either.
I don't agree that the McCanns want alot, I think having Madeleine back is the only thing that they want.” http://boards.dailymail.co.uk/news-board-moderated/9852913-cruelty-aimed-mccanns-3-print.html

Fact – concerned members of the public compiled a dossier on the worst of these trolls.

Fact – the dossier was handed to the police and we are told people will be investigated.

There is nothing in your post which addresses the principle of anonymous dossier compilers,  along with Sky News selecting, for an undisclosed reason, a particular "target" whilst pontificating to others about morals and the rule of law.

[Alfred R Jones]

There is nothing in your post which addresses the principle of anonymous dossier compilers,  along with Sky News selecting, for an undisclosed reason, a particular "target" whilst pontificating to others about morals and the rule of law.

Is it illegal or immoral to expose online abuse in your view?

[Alice Purjorick]

There is nothing in your post which addresses the principle of anonymous dossier compilers,  along with Sky News selecting, for an undisclosed reason, a particular "target" whilst pontificating to others about morals and the rule of law.

Well the coroner may ask and her questions have to be answered.
Then of course someone might decide to invoke RIPA 2000. That would sure lob the cat in the kitty litter.
 *&*%£

[Carew]

Is it illegal or immoral to expose online abuse in your view?

Apparently the authorities/police were already aware of and monitoring the alleged online abuse.......... It was therefore already exposed.

It is for those not in "authority" ..........those who took it upon themselves to conspire to research and target an individual in the way they did, to consider whether their own behaviour was immoral or illegal, in my view.

[Brietta]

There is nothing in your post which addresses the principle of anonymous dossier compilers,  along with Sky News selecting, for an undisclosed reason, a particular "target" whilst pontificating to others about morals and the rule of law.

Anonymous dossier compilers would not exist were it not for the cowardly trolls providing a surfeit of material for them to compile.

There would be no anonymous dossier compilers if the anonymous cowards who have made it their business to troll the McCann family and others were unable to do so with impunity.

As long as there are people devoid of any concept of moral rectitude which enables them to behave like savages there will be people around to report their illegal activities.

As long as there are people who have taken it upon themselves to act as judge, jury and executioner to hound the family of a missing child there will be investigative reporters around to do their job and investigate their activities.

What is your problem with that?

[carlymichelle]

Anonymous dossier compilers would not exist were it not for the cowardly trolls providing a surfeit of material for them to compile.

There would be no anonymous dossier compilers if the anonymous cowards who have made it their business to troll the McCann family and others were unable to do so with impunity.

As long as there are people devoid of any concept of moral rectitude which enables them to behave like savages there will be people around to report their illegal activities.

As long as there are people who have taken it upon themselves to act as judge, jury and executioner to hound the family of a missing child there will be investigative reporters around to do their job and investigate their activities.

What is your problem with that?

thinking  for yourself is not trolling     mot people do not believe everything they  hear   unlike  you and other mccan  supporters

[misty]

thinking  for yourself is not trolling     mot people do not believe everything they  hear   unlike  you and other mccan  supporters

Thinking for yourself & expressing a rational opinion is not a problem, However, one look at MM Controversy F/B tonight and I see "the sceptics" are still at it, photoshopping pictures & jumping all over one solitary commenter who posted a "McCann-friendly" opinion.
If the McCanns are actually guilty, do you seriously believe they could ever be tried fairly in a UK or Portuguese court?

[carlymichelle]

Thinking for yourself & expressing a rational opinion is not a problem, However, one look at MM Controversy F/B tonight and I see "the sceptics" are still at it, photoshopping pictures & jumping all over one solitary commenter who posted a "McCann-friendly" opinion.
If the McCanns are actually guilty, do you seriously believe they could ever be tried fairly in a UK or Portuguese court?

so why look if it upsets you?? no one forces  you to  look

[misty]

so why look if it upsets you?? no one forces  you to  look

It doesn't "upset" me, Carlymichelle, as I am not the victim of the abuse. The point I am making is, the group is meant to be a discussion of the Madeleine controversy. To a neutral viewer, the discussion is totally one-sided & abusive to anyone who disagrees with the whole McScam consensus. Free thought & speech are not encouraged, they are blocked & derided. Posters are encouraged to report suspected "McCann shills" to admin.
I see only suppression of free thought & speech on there - isn't that one of the main things the sceptics & the deceased are so strongly opposed to?

[Alfred R Jones]

Apparently the authorities/police were already aware of and monitoring the alleged online abuse.......... It was therefore already exposed.

It is for those not in "authority" ..........those who took it upon themselves to conspire to research and target an individual in the way they did, to consider whether their own behaviour was immoral or illegal, in my view.

It's certainly not up to individuals to decide what is and what isn't illegal, nor should the fact that online abuse had been exposed (had it??) stop others from drawing the authorities and the public's attention to it if they feel it is the right thing to do.   i'm sure you wouldn't consider it illegal or immoral to draw attention to the bullying of a vulnerable person in your community so how is this any different?

[Brietta]

The current feeling of public distaste which is fuelling complaints to the CPS stems not so much from the trolling of high profile victims ... but from the increase in the attacks being suffered by ordinary people and their family members.

Apart from a hard core who support the perpetrators and those who are 'enjoying life' as trolls ... public awareness of the damage these misfits inflict on society is recognised ... and their actions despised. 

I think we will see a rise in prosecutions for such offences ... it is to be hoped that those who have organised and conducted the insane trolling campaign against the McCanns will figure high when that occurs ... I think there will be a public outcry if it doesn't happen.

>>snip<<

'Troll' death sparks debate over internet bile

Criminal prosecution

It is a trend that has been replicated the world over against high-profile figures.

Zelda Williams, the daughter of US actor Robin Williams, recently quit Twitter after internet trolls posted fake photos claiming to be her dead father.

Former model Charlotte Dawson, who was found dead at her Sydney apartment in February after battling depression, had been subjected to a torrent of abuse on Twitter.

"Every country is facing these challenges," said British lawyer Mark Stephens.

"What they are doing is meeting the challenges in slightly different ways but ultimately very similar balances are being struck."

The media lawyer said he had seen "a significant upswing" in online bullying cases.

But criminal prosecution, said Stephens, should be reserved for the most extreme cases.

"It is only a very small minority who are fixated, who take it to the extreme - people who are borderline certifiable," he argued.

Guidelines

Britain's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has instructed lawyers that messages sent via social media could be a criminal offence if they contain "credible threats of violence" or target an individual in a way that "may constitute harassment or stalking".

"Grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or false" messages could also amount to a crime if a "public interest" case can be made.

These guidelines, introduced against a background of mounting confusion about such cases, have been shaped considerably by public opinion, said Chris Holder, of London law firm Bristows.

"I think people are so fed up with reading things on the internet that you would not say to people's faces - abusive messages to people's children, Facebook posts that are completely obnoxious. The public have demanded that the CPS do something about it," he said.

He acknowledges, however, that in the fast moving world of the internet any guidelines "could become irrelevant".

Over the past decade the number of successful prosecutions for communications offences has risen in Britain and custodial sentences are not uncommon.

http://www.fin24.com/Tech/Opinion/Troll-death-sparks-debate-over-internet-bile-20141013

[Brietta]

I think we do have to consider that the animosity between the supporters and sceptics tends to ramp up the invective used, we see it on here. If it were possible to have sensible discussion then the language would be a lot more temperate.

Juvenile TIT forTAT as far as I can see.

Possibly in connection with the supposed 'outing' of a former employee of the OC who acted as a nanny for Madeleine.

There is indeed a modicum of it on this forum and we have an efficient Admin and Mods in constant operation ... there are a lot of areas in the blogosphere and social media where it is Dodge City on a bad day and people think they can post whatever they feel like about anyone who crosses their radar.

Wonder if there are any instances of McCann supporters seeking out Dr Amaral's home; stalking his children; going into his 'local' to slander him?

Actually, I don't wonder ... I know that it has never happened ... think about what has been happening for the past seven years+ to Madeleine's family.

[stephen25000]

Here we have more examples of the mccann trolls in action.



See here (WARNING: EXTREME ABUSE AND BAD LANGUAGE) -


 https://twitter.com/IWILLNOTGOAWAY/status/521581668097069056/photo/1


I can't say I'm surprised by this, as I have seen worse.

[Jean-Pierre]

Here we have more examples of the mccann trolls in action.



See here (WARNING: EXTREME ABUSE AND BAD LANGUAGE) -


 https://twitter.com/IWILLNOTGOAWAY/status/521581668097069056/photo/1


I can't say I'm surprised by this, as I have seen worse.

Come on Stephen.  This is twitter - a bunch of anonymous idiots shouting abuse at each other across the ether.  Nobody knows who is who or why.  You seem to want to play a game of "your twitter troll is worse than my twitter troll".  Anyone who engages on twitter needs to be familiar with the principle of Volenti non fit iniuria. 



"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
 That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
 And then is heard no more: it is a tale
 Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
 Signifying nothing.