We have people that monitor the internet.

[slartibartfast]

This is all very interesting but has anyone yet discussed if having people who monitor the internet for abuse and threats is worthy of suspicion and / or criticism?

If it just for spotting abuse and threats, no. If it is to spot negative publicity and counter it, we are getting into government territory.

[Alfred R Jones]

If it just for spotting abuse and threats, no. If it is to spot negative publicity and counter it, we are getting into government territory.

Government territory?  What does that mean? 

[slartibartfast]

Government territory?  What does that mean?

The sort of thing governments and large corporations do to protect their ratings.

[Alfred R Jones]

The sort of thing governments and large corporations do to protect their ratings.

Any evidence that this is what the McCanns are doing?

[Mr Gray]

The sort of thing governments and large corporations do to protect their ratings.

so now its not government territory but commercial

[slartibartfast]

Any evidence that this is what the McCanns are doing?

It's called internet monitoring.

[Benice]

Obviously theses people have not omitted any actual crime, other than offending your concept of what is right.

IIRC they are in breach of the Malicious Communications Act and could possibly be prosecuted under that?

I can fully understand why monitoring sites where groups of people openly discuss and encourage various threats of violence/actions  against the McCann family is necessary.     The obvious potential  danger being that one or more of these hate-filled people will decide to take their vile threats off the web and into the 'real' world.  Therefore to be forewarned is to be fore-armed.

IMO there are sceptics who genuinely have questions/doubts about this case.  And no way are they to be confused with  those people whose only interest in this case is to gleefully and joyfully hound,  harrass and abuse the family of a missing child.   IMO this is because some of them still believe every single myth that has been invented over the last 7 years and some of them because they are the type of people who get sadistic pleasure out of the misfortune of others.    (Shadenfreude? sp)

I do not personally know of any sites where comparable threats of violence/actions  against Amaral and his family are even made, let alone are regarded as the norm.   

This thread is not about what one set of posters do to another - it's about a set of posters who IMO  because of their malicous, threatening  on-line behaviour against the McCann family actually do require to be monitored - and if they are not - then they should be imo.

[Alfred R Jones]

It's called internet monitoring.

what is?

[slartibartfast]

IIRC they are in breach of the Malicious Communications Act and could possibly be prosecuted under that?

I can fully understand why monitoring sites where groups of people openly discuss and encourage various threats of violence/actions  against the McCann family is necessary.     The obvious potential  danger being that one or more of these hate-filled people will decide to take their vile threats off the web and into the 'real' world.  Therefore to be forewarned is to be fore-armed.

IMO there are sceptics who genuinely have questions/doubts about this case.  And no way are they to be confused with  those people whose only interest in this case is to gleefully and joyfully hound,  harrass and abuse the family of a missing child.   IMO this is because some of them still believe every single myth that has been invented over the last 7 years and some of them because they are the type of people who get sadistic pleasure out of the misfortune of others.    (Shadenfreude? sp)

I do not personally know of any sites where comparable threats of violence/actions  against Amaral and his family are even made, let alone are regarded as the norm.   

This thread is not about what one set of posters do to another - it's about a set of posters who IMO  because of their malicous, threatening  on-line behaviour against the McCann family actually do require to be monitored - and if they are not - then they should be imo.

I would agree with you with the proviso that all those threatening violence or other real world action, except through the proper channels, against anyone as a result of this case should be monitored.