Twitter Rape Threats See UK Man Arrested
Threats made via social networking site land man in police custody.
Police in the United Kingdom on Sunday announced that a Manchester man had been arrested after making threats of rape against a women via Twitter. Channel 4 reports that the threats were made against Caroline Criado-Perez, a women's rights activist who had been campaigning to have Jane Austen appear on British currency. Criado-Perez succeeded in her campaign last week, as the UK unveiled a £10 note with the face of Jane Austen on one side. However, Criado-Perez was soon subjected to a torrent of abuse on Twitter.
Channel 4 cites police in reporting that a 21-year-old was arrested in the Greater Manchester area on suspicion of harassment. The police are quoted as saying the arrest was in connection with an allegation of malicious communications sent on Thursday, July 25.
This is not the first time a Twitter user has gotten into trouble with the law because of how they're using the micro-blogging site. This time last year, a teenager in the UK was arrested and eventually issued a harassment warning for sending abusive tweets to Olympic diver Tom Daly among others.
For its part, Twitter says that the ability to report abuse via multiple platforms is on the way.
"The ability to report individual tweets for abuse is currently available on Twitter for iPhone and we plan to bring this functionality to other platforms, including Android and the web.
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
-
velocityg4 If you are going to make threats at least be smart enough to make them anonymously. Such as only signing in and using twitter with a good VPN service and use an anonymous email address that you only login to via that VPN service.Reply
I don't think directed threats are protected speech in any country. -
mesab66 "....make them anonymously. Such as only signing in and using twitter with a good VPN service and use an anonymous email address that you only login to via that VPN service."Reply
--> you should understand that practically all VPN service providers will, 'under instruction', provide all that is required to trace you:-
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/sep/26/lulzsec-second-hacker
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2011/09/lulzsec-hacker-exposed-service-he-thought-would-hide-him/42895/
etc etc. -
virtualban I want to know what exactly did he say.Reply
Like for example, saying "if you keep going like this, somebody might *insert action here* you", to me dangles dangerously in the threat zone but it is not a direct threat and I would be more inclined to allow free speech.
For example: "If Russia keeps their policies like that, a lot of people might decide to withdraw from the Olympics"
Will Russians come snatch me for threatening damage their economy with the prospect of worthless Olympics? -
Mousemonkey Reply11258904 said:I want to know what exactly did he say.
Like for example, saying "if you keep going like this, somebody might *insert action here* you", to me dangles dangerously in the threat zone but it is not a direct threat and I would be more inclined to allow free speech.
For example: "If Russia keeps their policies like that, a lot of people might decide to withdraw from the Olympics"
Will Russians come snatch me for threatening damage their economy with the prospect of worthless Olympics?
I think he threatened to track her down and rape her, that's why he was arrested.