Twitter is not private. You're right. But it is not, and never will resemble a sophisticated communique that elicits care and forethought when in use. It is a medium incapable of dealing with anything serious. Therefore I think when someone is using twitter - the consequences dished out to offensive remarks are disproportionate to remarks said in more conventional environments. Internet communication with its immediacy and with the shroud of anonymity (whether it be of yourself, or from authorities) - very often makes one say what one wouldn't necessarily say otherwise. Therefore there is a discrepancy between what effectively is "typing stuff on the internet" and abuse outside, threats and/or harassment.



But then Frankie Boyle makes jokes about Madeleine McCann - and I'm struggling to spot the difference. (neither being funny, of course)

Do we have the prison capacity to lock up all the people that are trolls on the internet?



If not, what are the government's plans to increase prison capacity?

A locked room somewhere is probably the best place for someone as thick as that.

Where do we make our complaints about how offensive all the grief tourists wallowing in someone elses misery are?

What ever happened to sticks and stones?



Seriously, 12 weeks in prison for a vile comment?



We have repeat burglers constantly avoiding prisoner, child molesters getting conditional discharges and we put someone in prison for being a tasteless, uncaring moron?

I still don't know what he tweeted, but from the very limited reports, it wasn't one tweet, he was at it over two days.

Well, and again without knowing what was tweeted, I do not believe that this lad was trying to make people laugh.



You also for some reason seem to overlook that he pleaded guilty to the offence.

But 12 weeks in prison? Perspective surely considering all the ills in the world.

Quote Ferocious Aardvark="Ferocious Aardvark"Well, and again without knowing what was tweeted, I do not believe that this lad was trying to make people laugh. You also for some reason seem to overlook that he pleaded guilty to the offence.'" It wasn’t tweeted, it was on his facebook page, www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/oct/0 ... ods-jailed

Quote Ferocious Aardvark="Ferocious Aardvark"Well, and again without knowing what was tweeted, I do not believe that this lad was trying to make people laugh. You also for some reason seem to overlook that he pleaded guilty to the offence.'" It wasn’t tweeted, it was on his facebook page, www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/oct/0 ... ods-jailed

I don't know how I can assess the perspective if I don't know what he put. I don't think it helps to try to blur the discussion by inferring that because many people get away with or walk free from perceived very bad things, that should go in his favour, though.



I'll bet it is a message that has been driven very widely home amongst the millions of Twitter users, though. Even those as stupid as him.

This is an interesting point.



The thing is, words often can do far more harm than a punch. Much bullying is not physical in nature - but that doesn't mean it does no damage. Self-esteem, for instance, is far more difficult to 'cure' than a bruised arm. We know, for instance, of cases where verbal bullying has driven children and young people to suicide. So it's not something that is 'victimless'.



And it seems perhaps odd that many people, who would be openly dismissive of anyone appearing to favour a perpetrator over a victim would do that themselves when it comes to verbal bullying.



But I am equally uncomfortable with what appears to be an increasing culture of saying that anything that offends (or offends over a certain line - which is inevitably pretty subjective) is a criminal offence.



There is a difference between this incident (as reported) and bullying.



There should never be any right not to be offended. And this, in my book, is a vast overreaction.



Incitement would be a different matter, but there are laws to deal with that.



Criminalising offense, though? No. Absolutely not. And yes, that includes 'hate speech' too, providing it is not incitement.

I with you on the bullying, but this wasn't a prolonged bullying campaign it was a very bad judgement on 'his own facebook page', supposedly only for people who know him.



April's family would never have known and going on to the self esteem point, i would suggest this lad probably suffers himself, it doesn't in anyway vindicate what he says, and i personally would never advocate it but the prosecution seems a grossly disproportionate response to something that was just ill advised and plain idiotic.