'Criminalize offensive online comments'
Published: 14 Jan 13 13:15 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/45606/20130114/
Sweden needs stronger legislation to deter internet bullying, the country's data privacy agency has argued, calling for tougher penalties for offensive comments posted online.
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"A general criminal penalty would be a tool to help deter these insults."
The agency submitted its recommendations after the government asked for a review of laws on freedom of speech and the press in Sweden.
Currently, websites operated by media companies are protected by free speech clauses included in Sweden's constitution.
However, other websites such as blogs can also claim similar constitutional protections from charges of defamation or slander if the publisher is registered with the Swedish Patent and Registration Administration (PRV).
The Data Inspection Board wants Sweden to adopt legislation to criminalize the posting of extremely offensive and insulting comments on websites regardless of whether they are covered by Sweden's free speech protections.
"It shouldn't make a difference whether serious insults and privacy violations take place within or outside of areas protected by the constitution," said Gräslund.
"A general criminal penalty would help create a balance between freedom of speech and protecting people's privacy."
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All offensive comments should be a criminal offence, inside Sweden and outside. Anyone in the world who thinks, says or writes anything that Sweden's Data Protection Board finds to be offensive should be criminalised.
That should sort the world out once and for all.
Your message offends me. Therefore you are a criminal.
That's by far the stupidest statement I've read in ages!
Might as well abolish the entire constitution, then.
be carefull with what you ask, you may get it.. think at the total implication of issues.
You can be sure that any legislation will in practice favour the powerful, the politician, over the average citizen.
There are also intractable problems with criminalising offensive comments - 'Jesus in not the son of god' will offend some Christians while the converse 'Jesus is the son of god' will deeply offend some Muslims.
For any restriction on free speach the bar has to be set very much higher than merely giving offensive as what is offensive is highly subjective and the truth can be offensive.
Then I remembered: 1984!