Posting on Social Media

[Diasi]

The Free Speech Union has a page where it shows all the relevant legislation that regulates what can & cannot be posted on social media platforms & China & North Korea must be quite envious.

Basically it consists of a whole mishmash of different Acts which all have different criteria but which all have one very disturbing common factor, namely an offence is committed based on the subjective (personal) view of the police & the CPS.

The dictionary definition of subjective is Based on, or influenced by, personal feelings, tastes, or opinions. A subjective perspective can also be called a personal perspective or an individual point of view. Subjective views do not have to be provable or grounded in fact.

It's virtually impossible to discuss any news item on social media without running the risk of a third party deciding what your intention was, although personally it wasn't, & whether or not it breaks the law.

[JBR]

This does appear to suggest that the police and the courts, and no doubt indirectly the government and civil service, can decide for themselves what is and what is not acceptable.

I have been fortunate to live most of my life in a free and fairly-governed country which did not permit any such personal opinions of people in power to have any direct influence on how we live.  I suppose I ought to specify that the country in question was actually the United Kingdom.

How things are changing today after all this time.  Are we before too long to become like such places as North Korea and Russia?

[Diasi]

This does appear to suggest that the police and the courts, and no doubt indirectly the government and civil service, can decide for themselves what is and what is not acceptable.

I have been fortunate to live most of my life in a free and fairly-governed country which did not permit any such personal opinions of people in power to have any direct influence on how we live.  I suppose I ought to specify that the country in question was actually the United Kingdom.

How things are changing today after all this time.  Are we before too long to become like such places as North Korea and Russia?

It's another set of laws that are not fit for purpose, just like the law that says you can use reasonable force to defend yourself.

As soon as the word 'reasonable' is used the laws become meaningless since the prosecution cannot possibly prove that I didn't genuinely think what action I took or what I posted was reasonable.

It should be irrelevant what another person thinks would have been reasonable.

We've already taken the first steps to becoming like North Korea & Russia & China, albeit the penalties won't be as harsh but, nevertheless, we still have significant penalties.

[JBR]

We've already taken the first steps to becoming like North Korea & Russia & China, albeit the penalties won't be as harsh but, nevertheless, we still have significant penalties.

Although I agree that we are becoming like that, I must say that we will do it in a completely different way.
Each of those countries are, to a varying degree, powerful militarily and willing to defend their country.

On the other hand, for various reasons, we are becoming weaker when it comes to defending our land.  Our armed forces, at least what remains of them, are I'd suggest much weaker than they have been for many years, perhaps centuries.

As for penalties, I'd suggest that this depends enormously upon who you are.  We have seen recently some people being accused and imprisoned for minor 'crimes' (Tommy Robinson), but at the same time others have been seen to perform serious criminal acts yet which have been quietly forgotten by the authorities.

[Diasi]

Although I agree that we are becoming like that, I must say that we will do it in a completely different way.
Each of those countries are, to a varying degree, powerful militarily and willing to defend their country.

On the other hand, for various reasons, we are becoming weaker when it comes to defending our land.  Our armed forces, at least what remains of them, are I'd suggest much weaker than they have been for many years, perhaps centuries.

As for penalties, I'd suggest that this depends enormously upon who you are.  We have seen recently some people being accused and imprisoned for minor 'crimes' (Tommy Robinson), but at the same time others have been seen to perform serious criminal acts yet which have been quietly forgotten by the authorities.

I agree totally, I'll be interested to see what length of prison sentence the drunken Labour MP gets for violently assaulting his constituent who challenged him about voting for the removal of the WFA.

[klondike]

At least the constituent wasn't charged which must be a minor miracle.

[Diasi]

At least the constituent wasn't charged which must be a minor miracle.

Only because there were too many witnesses with smartphones.

[JBR]

I agree totally, I'll be interested to see what length of prison sentence the drunken Labour MP gets for violently assaulting his constituent who challenged him about voting for the removal of the WFA.

It will, of course, be quietly swept under the carpet..... rather like what happens in that other communist state, Russia.