BBC Says It May Contact Your Boss If You Post Comments It Finds Problematic

There are all sorts of different ways that websites that allow comments have dealt with trollish behavior over the years, but I think the BBC's new policy is the first I've seen in which the organization threatens that it may contact your boss or your school (found via Frank Fisher).

The new policy has a short section on "offensive or inappropriate content on BBC websites" where it says the following:

Offensive or inappropriate content onBBC websites

If you post or send offensive, inappropriate or objectionable contentanywhere on or to BBC websites or otherwise engage in any disruptivebehaviour on any BBC service, the BBC may use your personalinformation to stop such behaviour.

Where the BBC reasonably believes that you are or may be in breachof any applicable laws (e.g. because content you have posted may bedefamatory), the BBC may use your personal information to informrelevant third parties such as your employer, school email/internetprovider or law enforcement agencies about the content and yourbehaviour.

To be fair, it does seem to limit this to cases where it believes you've violated the law, but even so, it seems like a stretch to argue that the BBC should be calling your boss to tell on you for being a dipshit online, even if you break the law. We've all seen the stories of people actually confronting their own trolls or, better yet, the mothers of their trolls, but to make it official BBC policy seems to be going a bit far. Sure, if someone is breaking a criminal law, informing the police sounds perfectly reasonable, but your boss or your school?

Anyway, I guess be forewarned: if you don't want the BBC telling your boss you're a jerk online, maybe don't be a jerk on the BBC's website.