[MTVN]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

I think its more than fair to pin it on Sky News. As a broadcaster, they have a responsibility to behave properly. Even if the person was guilty, it had not been proven, she had not been interviewed by the police. They took the law into their own hands and pronounced a verdict and made that known to millions. There are no circumstances that can be considered acceptable, whether the person was suspected or not.

Next we will have lynch mobs following the news team round, its absurd.

Well for one thing I'm not convinced that online trolling is a police matter, I'm quite uncomfortable with the increased policing of the internet and think the line is becoming increasingly blurred between free speech and criminalised speech. But while I might not be comfortable with online trolls being criminalised for their abuse, I'm not opposed to them being exposed and publicly embarrassed for what they have done because they do deserve to be. It might make people think more about what they say from behind their anonymous cloak and make others realise that just because your words from an anonymous keyboard it doesn't mean they are acceptable and it doesn't have any less impact on victims. It might drum home the simple rule that you shouldn't say things over the internet that you wouldn't be prepared to say in public or to someone's face.