Do you think the new anti incitement laws will affect some of the more extreme comments posted on the forum?

For or against different races and religious views.


Happy postings!

Probably not because we tend to view them as being in place already.

Very few extreme comments survive for long.

Our more responsible members tend to help us along by reporting posts that are 'near the knuckle', and the Mods are checking the boards regularly with this sort of thing in mind.

Joe

Also probably not because expressing your own hatred is not illegal, only inciting other people to it is illegal.

Originally posted by Cyclone
Also probably not because expressing your own hatred is not illegal, only inciting other people to it is illegal.

Very true, but sad to say we do have some people who've come close to that line. :(

Joe

Would also have thought facilities exist to flag up words, phrases and terms which step over the line.

Hi Wendy,

Interesting idea but not feasible. We can use the search tools on here but it's often more efficient to use your experience and knowledge of subjects likely to get out of hand and check teh threads manually.

Unless you have some good AI software to do context analysis, you end up with a lot of false positives. I write AI code and have an appreciation for what goes in to 'big boy's' systems like RAPTOR and ECHELON which the Intelligence services use to monitor electronic traffic.

We will continue to rely on the Mark 1 Human Brain... :) A genetically engineered combined expert system and neural network that is yet to be surpassed!

Joe

Originally posted by Cyclone
Also probably not because expressing your own hatred is not illegal, only inciting other people to it is illegal.

actually one of the new laws is banning justifying terrorism (as well as incitement). So this could set a precedent for hatred being banned! So if you said it is ok for hamas to attack civilians due to the occupation you could be arrested and sent to prison now

Originally posted by nightrider
actually one of the new laws is banning justifying terrorism (as well as incitement)

If that's true then most of the PC regulars on this forum had better look out! ;)

Originally posted by nightrider
actually one of the new laws is banning justifying terrorism (as well as incitement). So this could set a precedent for hatred being banned! So if you said it is ok for hamas to attack civilians due to the occupation you could be arrested and sent to prison now

I presume you meant that in relation to the deportation of foreign nationals.

The new deportation laws firstly will not result in anyone going to jail and secondly do not apply to British Nationals.

The laws being referred too by the thread (which are now in effect) are the laws against the incitement to hatred.

As a britain there will be no ban on expressing your own hatred (however irrational and xenophobic it might be) as long as you do not try to incite that hatred in others.

Originally posted by JoeP
Probably not because we tend to view them as being in place already.

Very few extreme comments survive for long.

Our more responsible members tend to help us along by reporting posts that are 'near the knuckle', and the Mods are checking the boards regularly with this sort of thing in mind.

Joe

That does seem to be the case - even with the more 'humourous' posts...

Modding - is a tough job but someone has to do it :clap:

Originally posted by Cyclone
I presume you meant that in relation to the deportation of foreign nationals.

The new deportation laws firstly will not result in anyone going to jail and secondly do not apply to British Nationals.

The laws being referred too by the thread (which are now in effect) are the laws against the incitement to hatred.

As a britain there will be no ban on expressing your own hatred (however irrational and xenophobic it might be) as long as you do not try to incite that hatred in others.

I understand all this. All I meant was the fact some people can be punished mereley for thinking something (that terrorism is justifed). And this might be a slippery slope towards banning certain other views or extending the law to all people or both simultaneously.

Originally posted by nightrider
actually one of the new laws is banning justifying terrorism (as well as incitement). So this could set a precedent for hatred being banned! So if you said it is ok for hamas to attack civilians due to the occupation you could be arrested and sent to prison now

Aren't Hamas freedom fighters anyway? Surely it all depends on your viewpoint and what will be the 'presiding' viewpoint of the people doing the judging?

Originally posted by Internetowl
Aren't Hamas freedom fighters anyway? Surely it all depends on your viewpoint and what will be the 'presiding' viewpoint of the people doing the judging?

a western one I suppose?

what like 'John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and Dolly Parton?'

Originally posted by Internetowl
Aren't Hamas freedom fighters anyway? Surely it all depends on your viewpoint and what will be the 'presiding' viewpoint of the people doing the judging?

you could argue that freedom fighters would attack valid military and government forces, not civilians.

Hopefully it is a well accepted that society's accepted norms are highly subjective to the time, place, country and society. Whether one likes it or not, certain rules govern those who reside in this country which they are asked to respect. Although it would seem a simple matter, some people apparently fail to understand violence in whatever form is reprehensible, unacceptable and has therefore resulted in stringent measures being put in place to give the administrators and law enforcers the powers they need to tackle these crimes.

Originally posted by wendygs
Hopefully it is a well accepted that society's accepted norms are highly subjective to the time, place, country and society. Whether one likes it or not, certain rules govern those who reside in this country which they are asked to respect. Although it would seem a simple matter, some people apparently fail to understand violence in whatever form is reprehensible, unacceptable and has therefore resulted in stringent measures being put in place to give the administrators and law enforcers the powers they need to tackle these crimes.

so tony blair will be arresting himself I presume if we believe "violence in whatever form is ... unacceptable"?

Originally posted by wendygs
Hopefully it is a well accepted that society's accepted norms are highly subjective to the time, place, country and society. Whether one likes it or not, certain rules govern those who reside in this country which they are asked to respect. Although it would seem a simple matter, some people apparently fail to understand violence in whatever form is reprehensible, unacceptable and has therefore resulted in stringent measures being put in place to give the administrators and law enforcers the powers they need to tackle these crimes.

except when committed by the state or it's agents against whoever they see fit.

Ah, the old one rule for them argument.

Originally posted by Cyclone
you could argue that freedom fighters would attack valid military and government forces, not civilians.

They would get mullered (no joke) in a straight stand up fight with the Israelis. Economic and civilian targets are now the chosen targets of opportunity on all sides.

Originally posted by Internetowl
They would get mullered (no joke) in a straight stand up fight with the Israelis. Economic and civilian targets are now the chosen targets of opportunity on all sides.

I didn't say that they had to fight a pitched battle.
It's difficult to argue that you're a freedom fighter when you're blowing up children, women and men indiscrimatley.
Easier to argue that if you are making clandestine attacks against military or government targets (sneaky nontheless, but you need to be sneaky if you are fighting a superior force).

Either way any of these laws wont stop me from saying my bit,if you give in to the new law you are complcit in destroying free speech.
And it wont end thier either,the goverment want everyone to live in perfect harmony,no one will be allowed to rock the boat,well screw the goverment,free speech is too important to be destroyed.