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Twitter 'troll' found dead after door stepping by SKY news


alfierose

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2782066/I-love-mum-I-miss-forever-Grieving-son-s-tribute-internet-cupcake-dead-hotel-room-exposed-targeting-Maddie-McCann-s-parents.html

This has been all over the media in the last couple of days. It raises some interesting questions about the use of Twitter, freedom of speech and culpability resulting from making news stories from social media.

Personally I think it's sad and no party comes out of it very well. What does everyone else think? How far should people be made responsible for views they post on the Internet?

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If you're gonna talk you should stand by your talk, its one thing to be opinionated, i think its admirable but if you haven't the brass to stand by your words then maybe keep em to yourself? Especially if you're taking the rise out of the parents of a missing toddler.

Edited by Lennie Godber
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Just a disinterested question. Would, calling Axl a 'ginger tosser' everyday lead to a Brazilian lawyer at the door? Just an inquiry on behalf of a friend.

In theory it's the same principle except the majority of public and press most likely don't have sympathy for Axl. Your 'friend' is probably safe for the time being.

Looking to the future though I suspect anonymity online will slowly become a rarity, everyone will no doubt have to sign up for everything via a verified Facebook account and as Len says stand by their opinions for all to see.

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What Len said. I wouldn't voice an opinion on the internet that I wouldn't dare say out loud. It's easy to voice your opinions on the internet, it's anonymous and there are no repercussions (well, that's not always true, as was proven in this case, but people feel that way). I don't really sympathize with the woman, I think it's horrible if you go around hurting people like that, posting hate messages. It's the lowest of the lowest.

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What Len said. I wouldn't voice an opinion on the internet that I wouldn't dare say out loud. It's easy to voice your opinions on the internet, it's anonymous and there are no repercussions (well, that's not always true, as was proven in this case, but people feel that way). I don't really sympathize with the woman, I think it's horrible if you go around hurting people like that, posting hate messages. It's the lowest of the lowest.

Agreed to a point Lio, I was listening to a Radio 4 debate earlier about this case and it seems there is a blurring of lines between whether this woman was just stating her opinion or actual trolling, the majority of her tweets were her disagreeing with the MaCann investigation and the parents version of events. If it's the former were SKY news right to single her out, broadcasting her face and home up to 4 times per hour over two days? Is this censorship or not?

It's a really difficult one to answer and the whole sorry saga leaves a nasty taste.

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What Len said. I wouldn't voice an opinion on the internet that I wouldn't dare say out loud. It's easy to voice your opinions on the internet, it's anonymous and there are no repercussions (well, that's not always true, as was proven in this case, but people feel that way). I don't really sympathize with the woman, I think it's horrible if you go around hurting people like that, posting hate messages. It's the lowest of the lowest.

Agreed to a point Lio, I was listening to a Radio 4 debate earlier about this case and it seems there is a blurring of lines between whether this woman was just stating her opinion or actual trolling, the majority of her tweets were her disagreeing with the MaCann investigation and the parents version of events. If it's the former were SKY news right to single her out, broadcasting her face and home up to 4 times per hour over two days? Is this censorship or not?

It's a really difficult one to answer and the whole sorry saga leaves a nasty taste.

I've only read the article, of course. No, I don't think SKY news should have broadcast her that many times. That's like putting her on the pillory, isn't it ? I don't think that's right. Aren't there laws against this kind of thing, trolling, I mean ? Maybe they should've left the matter to the police ?

I do abhor the idea that saying people 'should suffer for the rest of their lives' or hoping someone's 'pasty face blanches' is a stating of opinion though. I thought we were more civilized than that. That's not an opinion, that's using abusive language with the intent to hurt.

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I don't know. I disagree. While trolling and in this case even harassing other people might not be about expressing one's opinion, I strongly disagree that she "deserves" to be harassed back for it. It's a pretty petty and juvenile attitude to me to have some kind of an eye for an eye attitude about everything in this world. Also, while being allowed to harass might not fall under freedom of speech ultimately it does, because we know from less democratic countries that opposition in politics are often harassed and bullied by the regime. It's extremely far from each other, but I don't think there could be any denial that there can be a connection there. The whole story is sad.

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I know British laws regarding privacy and the press are different from U.S. laws, but if her tweets about the McCanns are protected under the freedom of speech, then the news station's coverage should fall under the freedom of the press, unless it can be proven that they somehow lied about her in their report.

I don't feel particularly bad that she was harassed by the press, seeing as how her own actions caused the press's attention, but I do feel bad for her son.

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broadcasting her face and home up to 4 times per hour over two days?

Yes, but how many times have the McCann's faces been broadcast over the past 7 years?

I have no sympathy for this woman, but it's easy to get some sort of impression of what she must have been like from a brief article and a few photos. This was someone who looks well groomed, took pride in her appearance, was obviously still working out at the age of 63, French manicure, stylish hair, her home described as impeccable. She even went to a nice hotel to off herself, wouldn't want to mess up the house. The reporter couldn't know that outing her for her own words would send her over the brink. Would someone of sound mind really consider ending their life over this? Could she have been that vain? Or were there other deeper issues involved that we will never know.

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I have no sympathy for this woman, but it's easy to get some sort of impression of what she must have been like from a brief article and a few photos. This was someone who looks well groomed, took pride in her appearance, was obviously still working out at the age of 63, French manicure, stylish hair

Sounds like you want to shag her?

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I have no sympathy for this woman, but it's easy to get some sort of impression of what she must have been like from a brief article and a few photos. This was someone who looks well groomed, took pride in her appearance, was obviously still working out at the age of 63, French manicure, stylish hair

Sounds like you want to shag her?

Well not now. That would be sick.

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I have no sympathy for this woman, but it's easy to get some sort of impression of what she must have been like from a brief article and a few photos. This was someone who looks well groomed, took pride in her appearance, was obviously still working out at the age of 63, French manicure, stylish hair

Sounds like you want to shag her?

I must admit i got a semi-on reading that description :lol:

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What do you expect from Sky, the sister station of Fox News. They're scumbags, they even had a reporter picking through the wreckage of the plane crash in Ukraine.

The woman tweeting about the McCann's was being investigated by the police. Sky News should have stayed out of it until the police had finished their investigation.

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