New government proposals in the UK could see so-called ‘internet trolls’ be incarcerated for up to two years if convicted. This proposed new legislation follows a number of high profile cases of abusive or threatening behavior online.
There has been increasing concern in Britain and elsewhere about the influence that ‘trolls’ may have on judicial cases or individuals. The parents of missing child Madeleine McCann have recently been the target of online abuse, with people posting hate-filled comments about them or the manner in which the case developed, and also manipulated images.