There is a sad story out of London that is a commentary on the mutating influence of anonymity on the Internet. Brenda Leyland killed herself after being confronted about her online abuse of the parents of the missing girl Madeleine McCann. Sky News tracked her down as the troll responsible for thousands of hate filled messages to Kate and Gerry McCann, whose three-year-old daughter went missing in Portugal in 2007.
What is interesting is that she faced a criminal investigation. We have previously discussed the worrisome trend in England in criminalizing different forms of speech. While Leyland (writing as @Sweepyface) was vicious, the 63-year-old was also engaged in what appears to be free speech. She is an online bully — something that we all have had to deal with on blogs as a constant reality. Some people find anonymity intoxicating — unleashing the most vile and hateful sides of personalities. It is truly chilling to think that some many people actively repress such impulses until they find a vehicle to attack others without accountability. However, I have serious concerns over the criminalization of speech.
Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has made clear that 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”. It is the harassment element that can be highly ambiguous. The prosecutors have said that “Grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or false” messages can be a crime if a “public interest” case. That creates a huge chilling effect on a wide range of speech that some might see as offensive or untrue. As one of the greatest vehicles for free speech in the history of humanity, these prosecutions threaten to curtail a significant resource for free speech.
The article below cites a study by Canadian researchers that concluded that “Both trolls and sadists feel sadistic glee at the distress of others. Sadists just want to have fun… and the Internet is their playground!”
The glee turned to a nightmare for Leyland when her true identity was revealed.
Source: Yahoo
Penelope, Squeeky is our poet laureate and a gem.
@Squeeky Fromm
Your blending of Ozymandias and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner was a masterpiece! Brava! I hope the people here appreciate the sheer genius of your comment. This forum is blessed by your presence.
OTOH, the “Bud, thou never wert” comment probably flew right over their heads. 🙂
Just like the foolishness perpetuated by the birthers who into 2010 still thought he was born in Kenya.
Sandi and Olly,
PREPARE! It will be the only way you will survive!
On the 20th we are going to unleash a plague of locusts. On the 25th we shall cause it to rain bullfrogs. On the 30th, men’s penises will fall off, on the 5th, the Martians will land.
You’ll be fine if you just close your eyes tight, turn counter clockwise three times while whispering “Fox News is Always Right, Fox News is Always Right, Fox News is Always Right’.
Annie, Because the goal is to flood the internet with enough “fake stories” to make them seem real and thus change perceptions to conform with their propaganda. One will be attacked for providing information that is contrary to their beliefs. We have see this play out over and over again. They were close to getting the senate the last time but then Todd Aiken ran his mouth and blew it for them. That was the October surprise in 2012 and, of course, Romney carrying on about the 47 percent.
Why is it “defending the realm” to knock down fake stories? Aren’t there enough real stories to bash this President with?
Sandi,
The question still remaining this month is, what will the October surprise be? The choice for “Ebola Czar” is someone that is skilled at managing political affairs, so is this appointment about Ebola? Or, does this administration’s track record justify an expectation for some other motive? The answer to the last question is ABSOLUTELY!
For the defenders of the realm, there is not enough “fake” stories to make a dent in the entire body of work this first family has put together. But by all means, knock yourself out and of course don’t forget to insult conservatives because we weren’t smart enough to elect this historical mistake, TWICE. But, but it’s Bush’s fau…….; I doubt he voted for Obama, so no.
http://www.isiahfactor.com/2008/10/30/new-york-daily-news-apologizes-for-false-400-michelle-obama-room-service-bill-story/
Here’s another fake story, about Michelle Obama.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/india.asp
Sandi,
How did we get a citizenry who doesn’t think this President knows EXACTLY what the Jefferson quote means?
Docmadison, I think this President is doing exactly what he always intended. Fortunately, the citizenry is waking up (slowly). There’s a crisis every other day. I think they are manufactured that way to keep our minds off the ball. (What happened to ISIS? Oh, we’re on Ebola now. But not until after my golf game. When should I announce another change to Obamacare?) Soon a $200 million a day trip to Mumbai (about ISIS, or Ebola, or what?). Got to stay on your toes!
so sayeth a historian who wasn’t there.
@Shelley
Yes, Frankenstein was such a sad story. The Doctor made him, and then totally rejected him. I remember how Mary phrased it when the Monster confronted the Doctor with the plaintive, “My friend? Bud. . . thou never wert!”
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
A Frankenstein doth make some mischief.
Frankenstein is the doctor, not the creature.
Ah, well I remember Ozymandias. It is one of my favorite poems. I recited the whole thing from memory in 7th grade English and I still fondly remember the words:
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Squeeky – in the strategy game Civ IV, Leonard Nimoy comes on and announces My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
`Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!’
My parents made a point of assimilating and becoming American. It was no effort at all for us kids. We learned English easily, my parents’ English improved every year and they were quite fluent after a few years. I was 3, my bother 6, and my sister 7. They cried the first day of school because they couldn’t speak English yet, but the neighborhood kids helped us out. No special consideration in school like today, it was hard for my siblings but in a short while we kids spoke English with no accent at all.
Ozymandias! Come back! Come back!
http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/22/092215101.jpg
USS General Langfitt
🙂
Olly, it reminded me of what is special about the U.S., and about us. George Will, who is not my favorite, said a wonderful thing on Ken Burns’ “Thomas Jefferson”. It was, and of course I’m paraphrasing, that a Frenchman or a German is who he is by an accident of birth, but people can come from anywhere, and become, wholly, American. That’s our strength, and our genius.
Maxcat06, George Will’s comment is what I grew up with. How did we get a President who didn’t? If someone told me when Reagan was President that this would happen, I would have said they were nuts! It’s education. We are what we’re taught.
Sandi –
“Maxcat06, George Will’s comment is what I grew up with. How did we get a President who didn’t?”
I didn’t say we did…are you implying so? If so, on what basis?
Maxcat06, et al, I was venting. Apologies if you felt I was angry with you. As to fake stories, Annie, they are often “planted” so they can be cried about. The spinners, all sides, are devious. October surprise? Obama plays golf.
Sandi –
I didn’t feel you were angry with me, in fact you liked the George Will comment. Your anger seemed to be more towards some fictional President.
President Obama, who is the actual president. The American people were suckered in by lies, twice. So he’s actual, though by fiction.
Sandi –
Don’t start me on comparison of Presidents…it will get me kicked off of this board, but continue in your delusion; President Obama is, of course, the biggest liar. I’ll cue the violins.
That is such a great example of the unity we can have if we don’t allow the various factions to split us apart.