The result of this new proposed law will have a serious impact on blogging on UK websites such as the Daily Telegraph, while on the face of it it seems to want to protect the weak minded and emotionally incontinent from personal attacks from trolls (it’s the interweb what do you expect) by allowing to make moolah from frivolous libel cases or otherwise known as you had your feelings hurt here’s a million quid.
The end result will be blogs will be afraid to publish any comment remotely offensive to anyone on the grounds someone will sue. The laws in the UK are already some of the strictest when it comes to libel who can forget
Captain Bob Maxwell suing the Private eye and winning when it turned out all of their accusations had been true.
I can foresee a time when a lot of lefties will abuse the new law to close down any web site that disagrees with their philosophy by a few high profile and selective law suits, the coalition will see this as a blessing in disguise as the effect will be to close down any and all free speech.
Well one more nail in the coffin of the UK and I predict with no safety valve for speech the people will resort to more direct means against a repressive government and blood will eventually flow in the streets…Sic Semper Tyrannis.
Knotted prop Blog 
I’ve just had a comment deleted over at Mises daily. for calling a persistent and dim witted troll a “jerk”.
Fair comment, I thought.
They choose to give the little vvanchor free run in their comments, but censor and hold regulars comments in moderation for a week or so if a key word such as “socialism” is used, even if it is a comment to an article with “socialism” in the title.
Their site, their choice. If they want trolls, they can have trolls. Two other regulars (and far more able commentors than me) have so far taken a break from commenting there too.
I’d better add, I don’t want the troll banned, but if they are going to allow him to waste oxygen, to at least allow those who go there to learn – to express their disgust at his disruptive behaviour in the classroom.
Try being more creative in your insults, on the DT blogs I have popularized the word onanist. Which is really ironic as there is a company called Onan Cummings generators. You can’t make that stuff up.
Free speech is a funny thing as is moderation, it anuses me. Moderation either leans to the prudish or people get upset if you criticize the liberal agenda by pointing out it’s major flaws. The left and right are as bad as each other just in different ways.
OK something different. This should stir the pot a bit:
http://libertygibbert.wordpress.com/2012/06/15/a-mixed-legacy/
I’ve just thought of a great name for a pron site (even though I am innocent of pron but find them quite nice in fish casseroles). LUBETUBE. Whaddayathink?
Don’t tell me: It’s been done! : )
Do a Google search and find out.
Another way of viewing these legal changes is as part of an authoritarian power grab on the freedom of the net. Targeting the service providers is smart, making them responsible for content they do not make or have any control over unless they break the privacy of their customers.
Obviously it is only to be used against serious libel, and tracking down perverts, there will be safeguards in place they assure us to prevent it being used to stifle open discussion of cooperate malfeasance, {Trafigura super-injunction?} or political debate…. {sarc off}
Having just being snipped and bounced of WUWT {again} for suggesting that someone was ‘dishonest’ for using data from 1991 that was known to be in error and withdrawn shortly after it was published and omitting any more recent solar data that refuted his claims I will obviously have to be more …. Circumspect!
I was visiting some old haunts on the Evolution-Creationism blogs recently and was reminded why I find much of the present blog discourse so … tame. And why I found Tucci’s recent contributions funny rather than eliciting the disquiet they were generally greeted with.
The level of derisive insult and denigratory descriptions of the cognitive failings of any YEC that engages in ‘debate’ makes most of the mainstream blogs and social networks look like a vicars tea party! {grin}
As Ozboy has pointed out there are ways of using proxy addresses to maintain privacy, but I fear that it is part of a general global rise in authoritarian, anti-libertarian anti-individual and pro business zeitgeist against the freedoms IT first delivered. Like the early decades of print, as the many small printers merged to form larger more powerful commercial businesses they became easier targets for government regulation. And better advocates for their own copyright interests.
I think the same process is underway with the net as the number of service providers shrinks while the content makers proliferate.
Not sure whether it is anything more than partisan political prejudice that labels that Left or Right…..
Izen I hate all censorship except for the obviously bad “kiddie pron” that is where a bullet between the eyes is warranted but I ask should we censor the NAZI’s and the Stalinists? Both were equally evil.
*I* need a million quid, K. Who do I go to to get my feelings hurt?
Ken Clarke.
The proposed law will be impossible to enforce; as you know quite well anyone serious about harassing others over the net covers their arse through IP anonymizing and proxy servers, among other things. Let’s see them try to take some ISP in Uzbekistan to court 😆
I already know about the tools for PC’s just in case I need to bounce around the world to get to say hello to people without getting blocked. I don’t like creepy stalkers or arse holes hiding thousands of miles making vile threats from their mothers basements but it’s the price we pay for free speech.
Some U tube for you. It’s an old (c 1984) interview with a KGB defector
In the last third he covers the theory of subversion and demoralization, but the whole c90 minute thing is worth watching, as it fully describes the culture wars, which this proposed law is an example of.
There is one consolation; the useful idiot (idealistic) lefties get places in the first mass graves. They’ll only keep the totally cynical ones – the new order will have good jobs – rather than mass graves for them to fill.
Well I’m totally cynical but not a lefty will that work?
Contrary to popular belief, I Know that you do have principals.
It’s a lie.
Bulls#!t