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UK Moves Forward With Online Regulation Of Social Media

New UK Law To Regulate Social Media & Search Engines

A SCARS Special Report

British Government Considers Punishment For Causing ‘Psychological Harm’ Through Online Abuse

To Accomplish This It Involves New Regulations On Social Media & Search Engines

Online “trolls” could face two years in prison for messages or content that cause “psychological harm” as the British government considers new legislation to combat online abuse. However, this could also apply to any content that does this, including scamming and fraud. But it may also come with a down side?

Almost anything that causes psychological harm might be included?

  • Misleading news & information?
  • Fake news?
  • Political posts – even if true?
  • Editorials and other free speech?
  • Porn?
  • What about your in-law’s family photos?

Obviously, the devil is in the details!

The UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sports has accepted recommendations from the Law Commission to base crimes on “likely psychological harm” after a number of high-profile online abuse cases involving sports journalists and Premier League athletes.  Sadly, scams were not considered, but scam victims may benefit from this regardless.

Ministers will consider a new law that will shift the focus from the content of a message to its effect, creating offenses of “threatening communications,” “knowingly false communication” (that would be a scam)  and “pile-ons,” The UK Times reported.

“Threatening communications,” for example, will target messages and posts that contain threats of harm intended to mainly create a state of fear for the victim (this could include scam victims sending messages to impersonation victims too), while “pile-ons” would address an incident in which a number of individuals gang up on someone with harassing messages on social media – in other words an online ganging up on someone (this happens constantly with school children.)

The plan has been sent to the cabinet for approval, with Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries reportedly intending to add the new offenses to a bill that will be introduced to Parliament next month.

“We are making our laws fit for the digital age,” a government spokesman told The Times. “Our comprehensive Online Safety Bill will make tech companies responsible for people’s safety and we are carefully considering the Law Commission’s recommendations on strengthening criminal offenses.”

The move will likely prompt opposition from freedom of speech and civil liberties advocates. However, under the current US Communications Decency Act Section 230, most of the world has left tech companies to decide for themselves and be held immune for the acts of abuse that take place on their platforms. This would change that!

Former cabinet minister David Davis argued that assessing a message based on impact is too subjective.

Executive Director Jim Killock of Open Rights Group said the new offenses were too broad.

The New Bill

The new bill is one of a number of proposals to go before the government in the wake of a difficult year that saw protests against a number of issues, from Black Lives Matter to the announcement of a soccer Super League that many believed would threaten the financial well-being of sports across Europe.

SCARS is analyzing the potential for impact of this new law, but views the matter narrowly in terms of its impact on reducing online fraud and scams. We need to have ways to hold online platform publishers accountable, especially in light of the recent and extended revelations about Facebook – so bad that it prompted the company to change its name. In this regard, we are in favor of these new controls, however, as we have seen with the Communications Decency Act Section 230 that there are unforeseen consequences, and these need to be fully explored.

The great news is that as the UK works this out, it will become a template that the US and other countries can follow. In fact, there must be commonality among nations to regulate technology or it will just be more of the same chaos we experience now.

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Published On: November 2nd, 2021Last Updated: March 24th, 2022Categories: ♦ ABOUT ADVOCACY & ACTIVISMTags: , , , , , , , 0 Comments on UK Moves Forward With Online Regulation Of Social Media676 words3.4 min readTotal Views: 596Daily Views: 1

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Important Information for New Scam Victims

If you are looking for local trauma counselors please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org or join SCARS for our counseling/therapy benefit: membership.AgainstScams.org

If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

A Note About Labeling!

We often use the term ‘scam victim’ in our articles, but this is a convenience to help those searching for information in search engines like Google. It is just a convenience and has no deeper meaning. If you have come through such an experience, YOU are a Survivor! It was not your fault. You are not alone! Axios!

A Question of Trust

At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.

Statement About Victim Blaming

Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.

These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.

Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org

Psychology Disclaimer:

All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only

The information provided in this article is intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.

While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.

Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.

If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.

Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here to go to our ScamsNOW.com website.

If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.