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UK mulls internet Asbos to trolls

by on09 February 2015


Because real Asbos worked so well

The UK's Tory government is thinking about dishing out 'Internet asbos' to people who spread racial hatred on sites like Twitter and Facebook.

For those countries without seriously knee-jerk legal systems, an Asbo is what the state gives to young offenders who have been naughty. It is seen as a badge of honour amongst young offenders and does not deter them from crime in the slightest.
However a new report from a cross-party group of MPs looking at the rise of anti-Semitism in Britain said users behind highly abusive posts could be slapped with asbos or prevention orders, which would block them from certain Internet services.

The All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Anti-Semitism has asked the Crown Prosecution Service to see if the prevention orders that are used currently to restrict sex offenders' online access could also be used in hate crime cases.

The inquiry was set up following a rise in hate crimes during the conflict between Israel and Gaza last year.
The report highlighted specific phrases used, which it said are of "major concern."
It says that during July "Hitler Was Right," "Hitler Did Nothing Wrong" and "Kill the Jews" were trending on Twitter.

The number of anti-Semitic incidents in Britain hit a record high in 2014, with more than double the number in 2013, according to figures, released last week, by the Community Security Trust.

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