← Back to context

Comment by loeg

2 hours ago

The vast majority of those arrested are just for mild insults, which are illegal under the censorious UK regime; not incitement to terrorism or threats.

I'm pretty sure it's threat of violence. Sure, in some of the cases, the threats are mild ('i will fuck you up'), but they are often repeated, which, to be clear, should be considered harassment in any case (and the fact that it still isn't in other countries is wild. Someone keeps sending me insults, I should be able to legally retaliate to make him stop, no?)

  • Do you live in the UK? This isn't true.

    Here in the UK it is illegal to be grossly offensive online. Racism for example will have you charged under the Communications Act 2003.

Not UK but in Germany you can face criminal prosecution for insulting the chancellor,

https://x.com/Pirat_Nation/status/2056692341399081235

While here in the UK you can be arrested and charged for saying mean things about the royal family on private whatsapp groups,

https://www.itv.com/news/london/2023-09-07/five-former-met-p...

  • The second one was for specifically racist messages - i.e. breaching hate speech laws - not just being mean.

    I am opposed to criminalising hate speech, BUT I think its important to be clear its not just "saying mean things".

    • > The second one was for specifically racist messages - i.e. breaching hate speech laws - not just being mean.

      Can you provide a definition of "hate speech" which doesn't also apply to "mean words"?

      Are you suggesting racist words are a special category of mean words or something? If so why?

      1 reply →