Social Media & Freedom of Speech.

[Phill]

Is our freedom of speech being threatened? Are we being too sensitive over words posted on 'tinterweb and jumping on the outrage bus?
Do we need to learn about & understand social media?

There have been a number cases over the last couple of years about what people have posted online and the subsequent fallout. Some issues are quite divisive often over delicate subject matters but is this people being oversensitive or others being offensive?
Do we need to curb what is posted with more laws and stronger legal powers? Or do we need to learn to accept others points of view?

Some recent twitter cases:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22231653
http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/Investigation-notorious-online-Twitter-troll/story-18747414-detail/story.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-22224205

[veekay]

Freedom of speech doesn't exist anymore Phill, didn't you know that. Dare not say anything in public in case someone takes exception to it and reports you.
What did we do about all the laws passed to 'protect' us, nothing. They all crept in under the guise of anti terrorism protection

[billmoseley]

Being a bus driver you have to be so careful what you say. which is why some times the most you get from a driver is morning and something about the weather. Safe ground.

[secrets in symmetry]

Being a bus driver you have to be so careful what you say. which is why some times the most you get from a driver is morning and something about the weather. Safe ground.You'd say more if Violet was on your bus! :cool:

I think the persecution of Twitter commenters is absurd.

[Flynn]

Freedom of speech ends where libel and defamation begin.

[ducati]

'Twas never an issue untill certain people ceased to recognise the real world and started living their whole life through one device or other. I personally, after a brief foray, have ditched any kind of on-line presence. (With the exception of the org. 'Cos you're all so funny) :lol:.

Therefore the above doesn't refere to me in any way so er... I'll not comment. :confused

[Kevin Milkins]

I say what I like and I like what I bloody well say lad, (spoken with a North Yorkshire accent)

[secrets in symmetry]

Freedom of speech ends where libel and defamation begin.Yes, I very much agree with that, but making a fuss about a schoolgirl's silly tweets that were made a few years ago when she was 14 or 15 is well beyond necessity - in my opinion, of course.

[ducati]

So your on-line profile can be used to collect evidence against you in a court case, effect your prospects of a job or career advancement, your settlement in a divorce case, your chances of adoption or becoming a fosterer, anytime now it will become part of your credit rating no doubt.

If you are looking for something to be paranoid about.........:eek:

[MerlinScot]

Do we need to curb what is posted with more laws and stronger legal powers?
No, although watching Sikh people on a BBC evening show claiming that the British government should apologise to them over and over again seems quite weird to me.
In another country they wouldn't have made it to the BBC's front door, let alone in front of the public.



Or do we need to learn to accept others points of view?

Yes, but this issue doesn't concern just UK, it's worldwide.
I think that online you tend to let yourself go more eaily.... Let's face it, you wouldn't say some of the things you post here on a face-to-face meeting, you wouldn't attempt that. This could be due to politeness, fear, and many other feelings. Online people tend to spout a lot of nonsense and to jump to rushed conclusions too. They also hit the 'send' button quite quickly ;)

I tend to edit my posts a lot, when it occurs to me that someone could be offended by what I said, but some people just don't care.
So yes, it could be a good idea to teach people they should accept others' opinions as different and not necessarily wrong.