Is it true that you guys can get arrested for comments on social media?
Posted by Aggravating-Loquat86@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 46 comments
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panam2020@reddit
You can't be arrested just for comments on social media, but you can if those comments are deemed to have broken the law, for example for threatening someone or inciting others to commit a crime.
sparklybeast@reddit
That's true of many countries though, including the US, even with their 'free speech'.
That_Northern_bloke@reddit
That's the thing, they have free speech, just not freedom from consequences
AmbitiousKnee8427@reddit
That's so true there's no freedom without responsibility.
SparxIzLyfe@reddit
I agree with you in theory, but you realize people are almost never arrested for saying stuff online here (US), right? Every day, I see the most violent takes by my fellow Americans on Facebook. They can say anything, and maybe Facebook will punish them for it, but the law never will.
So while it makes some sense that a government would try to control that, it's completely foreign to us. I don't even know how we would begin to police that here since kids regularly go online and say some messed up stuff. I can't imagine how we would sort that out.
And does this mean it's mostly Facebook and Twitter users this applies to? How would you police YouTube and reddit comments that often use a handle instead of a legal name?
For that matter, why do so many people get caught doing this when they could just air their thoughts on a more anonymous site instead? If arrests of this type are common, why not just avoid being too real on doxxed social media?
That's another thing. Over here, pseudonyms and incorrect profile information are so ubiquitous, it wouldn't be easy to catch the people who are on social media that uses real names because so many of those "real names" are actually fakes.
Good luck finding Sally Rogers from Salt Lake City. "Rogers" was her married name 2 husbands ago, so also not the name she was born with. "Sally" isn't her real name, either. It's just what her friends call her since the 2nd grade. Her real name is Susan. She lived in Salt Lake City.... 20 years ago. We would spend crazy millions investigating people's real identities and trying to find their current address. How does your government manage this?
Are these arrests just a lot rarer than people have made out that they are?
That_Northern_bloke@reddit
I think it's the same everywhere that what's on paper and what happens here are two different things. With regards to here, I've no idea how they police it, I imagine it's all rather classified. That said, these arrests are not overly common, there a reason they make headlines nationally as it's not a regular occurrence. As others have said, it's not everyday people that are being hauled in for questioning over putting something racist online, you just have to look at any comment thread about anything and some bottom feeder will find a way to make it about immigration or whatever bollocks.
SparxIzLyfe@reddit
That makes sense. Sounds like it is way over hyped by people who are trying to convince everyone that people who are guilty of hate speech are just misunderstood and mistreated victims. It's just nearly impossible to tell what the situation is like from a different country.
That_Northern_bloke@reddit
That's exactly it. The amount of obvious made up and doctored images I've been suggested by Facebook this week is disturbing, and there are zero critical thoughts in the comments (probably mostly bots but still).
SparxIzLyfe@reddit
Facebook has been terrible trash for a long time. Lately, there's almost nothing redeeming about it.
That_Northern_bloke@reddit
Entirely agree, it's pushing absolute drivel at the moment, all those bullshit 'auditors" and rightwing stiring
SparxIzLyfe@reddit
I wish I could get my friends hooked on imgur instead so we could just throw Fb away already.
amBrollachan@reddit
Yes, they are rare. People say wild shit online from the UK all the time and nothing happens. Most of the high profile ones have been to do with specific incidents. Recently, for example, people trying to stoke the riots that happened in the aftermath of the Southport murders.
SparxIzLyfe@reddit
Right. That makes sense. It's like the Jan 6th idiocy. They actually did investigate those people's social media because it was a serious violent incident. The people talking this up are making out like you guys arrest random idiotic trolls. Thanks for clearing it up.
That_Northern_bloke@reddit
I think this is the thing many people get worked up over. If you say something like 'I hate X group of people' then you're probably a bit of a dick but it's not illegal. If you're posting stuff like 'X group of people do these Bad Things and it should be stopped" then that's potentially exciting violence and this breaking the law
scuderia91@reddit
And if you do what a lot of the people who’ve actually gone to prison do, and encourage people to burn down a hotel housing asylum seekers, then you’re definitely getting arrested.
panam2020@reddit
And, most importantly so far, all pled guilty to the crime.
Loose_Acanthaceae201@reddit
There's also a few cases of posts being in contempt of court (eg identifying victims entitled to anonymity, or otherwise prejudicing a trial) which in general is handled very carefully in the UK.
Twinklekitchen@reddit
It’s true, and far from being a thing of the past, it’s becoming more prolific since the pandemic.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr548zdmz3jo
https://freespeechunion.org/police-make-30-arrests-a-day-for-offensive-online-messages/
Aggravating-Loquat86@reddit (OP)
oh wow
Spiritual-Fox9618@reddit
‘Oh wow’ 🤦🏽♀️
Aggravating-Loquat86@reddit (OP)
what is wrong with me saying oh wow to people committing hate crimes and being arrested
Spiritual-Fox9618@reddit
The surprise, that’s all.
Nowt personal, my friend.
Antique_Ad4497@reddit
You can’t incite violence or Tetris. That will get you in court pretty sharpish. Everything else, unless it’s serious harassment, won’t usually get you into trouble. Our freedom of speech is protects by the human rights act.
Aggravating-Loquat86@reddit (OP)
thank you for being kind and helpful!
Antique_Ad4497@reddit
No problem!
scuderia91@reddit
Bear in mind this isn’t really different to most other countries. You can criticise the government, you can question immigration policy, but if you’re encouraging people to burn down a hotel housing asylum seekers that’s understandably going to get you a knock on the door.
fluentindothraki@reddit
What would be the alternative? Should it be legal to post "kill all -insert .minority -? Or to post child abuse? Or dox someone (vulnerable)? Post home made snuff films?
Aggravating-Loquat86@reddit (OP)
well as for the first one, i’ve seen tons of people in the U.S post hateful stuff like that and nothing gets done about it. at most, they’re reported and banned from the platform, but nothing legally.
fluentindothraki@reddit
And that's good?
Aggravating-Loquat86@reddit (OP)
i’ve never said nor implied that’s good? i’m very against prejudice against anyone. i was just commenting on how people mostly don’t get legal repercussions for this kinda stuff.
fluentindothraki@reddit
So they should be persecuted.
Aggravating-Loquat86@reddit (OP)
and i agree…
Liamh7192@reddit
No comment
EitherChannel4874@reddit
If it incites violence or threatens people then yes.
If it's to criticise the government, share an opinion or anything else in a non threatening manor then no.
People aren't getting arrested for standard social media posts. I can say fuck the uk government. They're all scumbags and no ones coming to my door.
Aggravating-Loquat86@reddit (OP)
got it! thanks
SnooDonuts6494@reddit
Of course.
In almost every country in the world, you can.
What if you say you're going to blow up a building, and exactly how? Perhaps with instructions on how to make a bomb? Or put legally-protected names and addresses of crime victims, or criminals? Or publish secret government plans? There are all kinds of things. Inciting violence. Slander. Fraud. Defamation. Harassment. Incitement to violence. Links and codes for child porn. Child porn itself, or other illegal content.
IcemanGeneMalenko@reddit
It's more so if something in the present going on. Like if someone posted "i'm going to smash up my town and put windows through" tomorrow then people will just roll their eyes. If that was reworded to a Facebook group of "lets smash up ___ town centre and set fire to a mosque", posted in the middle of the summer riots last year, and that threat is followed through by a mob - as part of wider riots, then the poster would be for inciting riots.
Downtown-BT-83@reddit
Well yes… If that comment is threatening or malicious. Just like if you send a threatening or malicious letter or make a threatening or malicious phone call.
SneakyCroc@reddit
Yes, in the same way you can in most places. Including the US.
davus_maximus@reddit
Threats of violence and terrorism are still legit threats, media vehicle aside.
It's not common though. Ordinary working people aren't getting slammed up on a daily basis- it's high profile national news when it happens.
notaballitsjustblue@reddit
Sure. And rightly so.
If someone threatens to, encourages, and organises the burning down of the building I live in I would hate for that to be met with a shouting of shoulder by the state.
Raephstel@reddit
You can get arrested for various communications, the means of communication are fairly irrelevant.
You're not immune from the police because you choose to send your death threats through twitter for example, that would be absurd.
simonk1905@reddit
If your comments on social media break the law then yes you can be arrested for that.
I think you are referring to recent(ish) events where people have specifically been arrested for comments made around last summers anti immigration disorder where people have been charged with incitement over comments made.
These are not new laws. The public order act has been around since 1986 and prohibits using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour to stir up racial hatred.
Call me old fashioned but if a crime has been committed then an investigation should take place. If enough evidence can be accumulated to charge someone then yes they should be arrested and prosecuted.
You can disagree with the law and the way in which the law is enforced. But I think that is a different debate.
limey91@reddit
I’d rather not comment…
Aggravating-Loquat86@reddit (OP)
LMAO
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