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back to article Social media flame wars to be illegal, says top Crown prosecutor

Social media users who engage in flame wars or retweet the doxing of others will be treated in the same way as those making fake bomb threats over social media, British prosecutors have announced. Released this morning, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)'s latest “Guidelines on prosecuting cases involving communications sent …

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  1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    "The new guidance was released along with a public consultation on what should constitute a hate crime, particularly against the disabled, race and religion, and on sexual orientation and gender identity."

    As ever, age is fair game for discrimination. Kids!!

    35 0 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
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      Joke

      Shut it you old fart!

      52 0 Reply
      1. frank ly
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        "Those who encourage others to commit a communications offence may be charged with encouraging an offence under the Serious Crime Act 2007,”

        It looks like Doctor Syntax is in trouble.

        17 0 Reply
        1. Jeffrey Nonken
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          "It looks like Doctor Syntax is in trouble."

          Sued for malpractice, probably.

          1 0 Reply
      2. Alan W. Rateliff, II
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        Joke

        Shut it you old fart!

        That's just funny.

        6 0 Reply
      3. Anonymous Coward
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        Anonymous Coward

        Talking of old farts...

        All your mothers were hamsters and all your fathers smelt of elderberries. I fart in all your general directions.

        9 0 Reply
      4. BillG
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        Big Brother

        Coming next: "Brain implants for detecting thought crimes".

        6 0 Reply
        1. Sir Runcible Spoon
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          Joke

          What about size-ism?

          Are lazy fat fucks going to get some protection too?

          11 1 Reply
        2. caradoc
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          Was this woman an advisor on Minority Report?

          http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181689/

          0 0 Reply
      5. Bibbit
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        Legally speaking...

        It says "particularly" which does not implicitly exclude ageism. As the centurion says, "Your f***ing nicked me old beauty!"

        2 1 Reply
      6. NoneSuch Silver badge
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        Big Brother

        And so it begins. The thin end of the wedge where governments tell you what is acceptable to say with jail time for those who don't listen.

        This will, of course, grow in scope until we have Thought Police monitoring your social media in real time ready to kick your door in for any criticism of Her Majesties Government.

        I'm sorry Mr. Orwell. I should have paid more attention to your books in school.

        11 1 Reply
        1. edge_e
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          Unhappy

          well that's all double plus ungood

          7 0 Reply
        2. P. Lee
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          >This will, of course, grow in scope until we have Thought Police monitoring your social media in real time ready to kick your door in for any criticism of Her Majesties Government.

          Now I see where all the "deep machine learning" funding is coming from.

          Having said that, I suspect Her Majesty is mostly horrified at what the Government does in her name.

          1 1 Reply
      7. Sgt_Oddball
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        suddenly have the urge.

        To report that comment just to see what would happen.....

        Also not one of you have mentioned Godwins law yet (and how does that work in in relation to this law?)

        1 0 Reply

      8. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Anonymous Coward
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      Trollface

      Re : As ever, age is fair game for discrimination. Kids!!

      And religion shouldn't even be on that f*cking list...

      It's not as if people are born with a cross around their neck...

      Religion is a choice YOU make...

      33 4 Reply
      1. Andy Non Silver badge
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        Re: Re : As ever, age is fair game for discrimination. Kids!!

        Does this mean I can't refer to Islam (Christianity etc) as diseases any more?

        11 0 Reply
        1. Flywheel
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          Re: Re : As ever, age is fair game for discrimination. Kids!!

          > Does this mean I can't refer to Islam (Christianity etc) as diseases any more?

          You'd probably get away with Christianity, turning the other cheek etc, but not so much that other lot.

          4 1 Reply
      2. Anonymous Coward
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        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Re : As ever, age is fair game for discrimination. Kids!!

        "Religion is a choice YOU make..."

        I take it you don't live in a Muslim country.

        16 6 Reply
        1. bombastic bob Silver badge
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          Trollface

          Re: Re : As ever, age is fair game for discrimination. Kids!!

          careful, you said something BAD about living in a Muslim country. Islam has special protected "you can never say anything negative about it" political correctness status, at the moment, and the Crown Prosecutor will COME! AFTER! YOU! now. [as for me I'm across the pond and give the 'digitus impudicus' to all of that, ha ha ha ha ha 1st ammendment]

          8 11 Reply
          1. Mark 85
            Reply Icon

            Re: Re : As ever, age is fair game for discrimination. Kids!!

            [as for me I'm across the pond and give the 'digitus impudicus' to all of that, ha ha ha ha ha 1st ammendment]

            Don't be so sure. There's a race to bottom betwixt the US and UK so we're probably going to see something like this soon as there's already movements for force laws on bullying, etc.

            FB may even get behind this with the "fake profile" part....

            3 0 Reply
        2. Hans 1
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          Re: Re : As ever, age is fair game for discrimination. Kids!!

          >I take it you don't live in a Muslim country.

          Nor in a Christian country (like Little Britain), in a Hindu country, maybe ?

          >> "Religion is a choice YOU make..."

          In 99% of cases, religion is IMPOSED on you at a time in your life where you are too young to walk or talk ... at least all religions I have heard of operate like this.

          2 3 Reply
          1. Matt Bryant Silver badge
            Reply Icon
            FAIL

            Re: Hans 1 Re: Re : As ever, age is fair game for discrimination. Kids!!

            "....Nor in a Christian country...." Standard whataboutism boilerplate, trying to equate Christianity with Islam. You may want to check on "little Britain", it's not been majority Christian for years now.

            "....religion is IMPOSED on you ..." Yes, and when you get an education you can then choose to reject that religion. In Christianity that's really not an issue, but with Islam it usually leads to death threats, both in majority and non-majority Islamic countries.

            1 0 Reply
        3. Potemkine Silver badge
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          Re: Re : As ever, age is fair game for discrimination. Kids!!

          Nigel Farage, go out of this body!

          1 0 Reply
      3. Anonymous Coward
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        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Re : As ever, age is fair game for discrimination. Kids!!

        "And religion shouldn't even be on that f*cking list..."

        Religion is a mental illness and so is really covered by the Disability category.

        29 5 Reply
    3. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Megaphone

      Special

      "race"

      racist asshattery against "coloreds" ->NOT OK

      racist asshattery against "whites" -> OK

      "religion"

      racist asshattery against "muslims" ->NOT OK

      racist asshattery against "christians" -> OK

      racist asshattery against "jews" -> OMG, CAPITAL OFFENCE, GET THE MOFO!

      etc.

      48 13 Reply
    4. Jeffrey Nonken
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      Young punks! Get off my lawn!

      1 0 Reply
    5. Anonymous Coward
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      Anonymous Coward

      That could be down to the type of vests worn by the offended.

      0 0 Reply
  2. Dwarf

    John Smith

    Setting up a fake social media account in someone else's name is also said to be a potential crime.

    I wonder how many John Smith's there are in the UK ?

    What happens if one John Smith says something now declared nasty against another John Smith, given that both are using their proper name.

    Could they just plead confusion or irony in that they were taking the Mick of themselves or perhaps just using their ability for free speech, given that we don't live in China.

    Obviously Mick might get upset about the former, but that's another matter all together.

    13 0 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
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      Pint

      Re: John Smith

      That John Smith's shit.

      Disclaimer : I'm talking about the pint I've just been served.

      19 0 Reply
      1. Dwarf
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        Re: John Smith

        Surely you mean

        "That John Smith's pale and bitter"

        2 0 Reply
      2. Sgt_Oddball
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        Re: John Smith

        You'll want Sam smiths (just over the road). A far better pint. And cheaper too (It was a sad day when I stopped getting change for 3 pints from a fiver only last year.. Sad times)

        3 0 Reply
        1. wikkity
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          Re: change for 3 pints from a fiver

          I just get a bit if change from a fiver from three pints at my local Sam Smiths after the last budget, first rise in 5+ years :-) My wife's pint actually went down!

          0 0 Reply
        2. Jan 0 Silver badge
          Reply Icon

          Re: John Smith

          I guess you're not drinking Sam Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout at those prices.

          Where's the dark beer icon when you need it?

          0 0 Reply
    2. Anonymous Coward
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      Anonymous Coward

      Re: John Smith

      I'm tempted to set up two fake john Smith account's to attack each other. Is it a hate crime when I'm attacking my alter ego?

      9 0 Reply
      1. Andy Non Silver badge
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        Re: John Smith

        Hey how do you know my fake Facebook name?

        1 0 Reply
      2. Anonymous Coward
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        Anonymous Coward

        Re: John Smith

        I'm tempted to set up two fake john Smith account's to attack each other. Is it a hate crime when I'm attacking my alter ego?

        Yes. That's the point the article picks up that "sending" an offensive message is offensive, even if no one is actually offended, or even reads it. And it will come down to the flabby, lard arsed plods who get put on cyber cop duty to make the initial decision as to whether a message is offensive, and refer on to the Clown Prosecution Service. Now, if it South Yorkshire Constabulary's finest making that choice, what chance do you think you've got of sense prevailing, or you getting justice if the CPS do take the case forward?

        5 0 Reply
      3. Vic
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        Re: John Smith

        Is it a hate crime when I'm attacking my alter ego?

        Yes.

        As the article mentions, it is the sending of the message that is the offence; no-one needs read that message or be offended at it.

        I'm just thankful that our Lawmakers have solved all the other more important stuff and have finally got round to such obviously-needed work on how people talk to each other...

        Vic.

        0 0 Reply
    3. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
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      Re: John Smith

      But... But... But... My name really isn't Spartacus!

      3 0 Reply
      1. Sir Runcible Spoon
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        Coat

        Re: John Smith

        so Mr Spartacus - you claim you are not Spartacus, and neither is your wife - is that correct?

        2 0 Reply
    4. Primus Secundus Tertius
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      Re: John Smith

      @dwarf

      So long as Mick does not get into a Paddy.

      2 0 Reply
    5. John Lilburne
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      Re: John Smith

      Isn't the issue creating an account on tindr or grindr along with someone's phone number. IOW the sort of shite that arseholes do.

      0 0 Reply
    6. PassiveSmoking
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      Re: John Smith

      It's not uncommon for creatives (web comic artists and the like) to set up "fake" social media accounts in the name of character(s) from their works and post to them in character. If a character's name happens to clash with a real person would that qualify as a "fake social media account" and therefore constitute a criminal act?

      I know to most people this might sound like a daft question, but a guy went to prison for making an obvious (albeit tasteless) joke about blowing up an airport so better safe than sorry...

      0 0 Reply
  3. james 68

    PWEI

    Fuzz Townshend and his boys said it better than I ever could.

    Therefor my reply to the CPS is via this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05FKtPJO8IQ

    6 0 Reply
    1. theModge
      Reply Icon

      Re: PWEI

      Have an upvote for the sentiment.

      Ideally I'd like to give you another for a) reminding me of that track and b) reminding me that it wasn't just the prodigy on it.

      5 0 Reply
      1. james 68
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        Re: PWEI

        It was written by Liam Howlett (Prodigy) and the members of PWEI as a collaboration, though frankly, as much as I like the Prodigy their version was much much tamer than the PWEI version. IMHO the PWEI version gets the message across better.

        2 0 Reply
        1. nsld
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          Re: PWEI

          Given what we have heard from our new home secretary Obersturmbannfuhrer Rudd and her penchance for lists is anyone surprised by this?

          I think this is possibly a more appropriate PWEI track given the current state of the nation:

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xef60FAN6Vk

          0 0 Reply
  4. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    In the interest of free speech and the more normal members of society who are not snowflakes, please feel free to insult and flame this post as I won't go running like a cry baby to the CPS.

    23 0 Reply
    1. Charlie Clark Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Coat

      aye, but there's the rub: you won't need to. Just calling you a cunt, you moron, will set the alarm bells ringing and have me up before a beak. And who knows, maybe you could be charged as an accomplice for being, well, a moron, you cunt.

      Mine's the one with the signed copy of "Derek & Clive" in the pocket.

      30 0 Reply
      1. Anonymous Coward
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        Anonymous Coward

        @Charlie, could I be charged with perjury if I call myself a really nice intelligent person on the stand ?

        I should give my twat, lying, thieving lawyers Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel a call and see what my legal imposition is.

        8 0 Reply

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