Why does LQ tolerate stalking, harassment and trolling?
by jsbjsb001 from LinuxQuestions.org on (#5DJR4)
Now I want to be very clear here: merely disagreeing with someone or something is NOT the same thing as "stalking", "trolling" and "harassment". "Free speech" does NOT entitle someone to stalk, troll, harass or otherwise violate anyone else's rights. This site supposedly casts itself as a "friendly and welcoming place", and has rules regarding personal attacks among other things. However, it seems it's ok to stalk, harass and/or otherwise troll people here without much if any consequence at all. Again, let me very clear: I'm by no means perfect anymore than anyone else here is, I'm human, I'm not a bot; therefore like anyone else here, I can misunderstand things from time to time, I can get it wrong sometimes (not intentionally), but I'm always happy to admit it when and if I've misunderstood something, or gotten it wrong and I believe I've demonstrated that numerous times. BUT, this is not the same as demonstrating a clear pattern of harassment, trolling and stalking. I try my best to get it right as much as I can, in fact, I try and only respond to threads/posts that I think I have enough knowledge to help with. Some of the forums here I rarely ever even look at, let alone respond to, because I'd much prefer someone who is in a better position to help respond rather than myself if it's something I'm not familiar with - the Other *NIX forums here are a prime example of that. I'm not here just to tell everyone every opinion and thought that crosses my mind. I like to be able to help people with their technical problems, as well as learn things from other long term members here. I've learnt many things that I'd otherwise likely would not have known, from other long term members here. In any case, I will provide a quote from the New South Wales Police website that explicitly describes how the law in New South Wales defines "stalking".
Staking, trolling and harassment are criminal offenses in Australia where I live, and I believe most other developed countries as well. This includes the "online world" as well, therefore it would be a criminal offense here as much as it would be in the "real world". But yet, it seems to be tolerated here at LQ with little to no consequence. And I've have been the target of relentless stalking, harassment and trolling here for the past month now, all by the "poster" JSB (formally jsbjsb002), who has displayed a clear pattern of this behavior. I not only believe that this account is a troll account, I also have no doubt it was setup explicitly for the purposes of trolling me. This same "poster" has actively stalked me ever since they created their account. They have actively responded to nearly every single thread I have, and often quote me directly. They have personally attacked me several times now, as well as misrepresenting my posts and accusing me of various things. This is stalking and harassment, not mention something that anyone else I know would call trolling. I have lost count of how many times I have reported them now, I've contacted Jeremy directly a number of times about it now, all to little to no avail. One only needs to look at their posts to verify what I'm talking about, I'm far from the only member here who has said both publicly and privately to me directly that they believe the same account to be a troll account. I have not responded to this troll at all, but they still continue to try and bait me in to a response. I strongly believe that their intention is to either provoke me in to a response that gets me banned, and/or to discourage me from continuing to participate here at LQ. I also strongly believe that this account is a sockpuppet account created by another long term member who joined this forum in 2013, who has even stated publicly here that they don't like me as a person. I won't directly name them since I can't prove that, but they know who they are in any case. I will say to them directly that: I'm not going to change my posting style for them, or stop posting here because they don't like me, not now, not ever will I do any of that for them.
I've been advised by a couple of other members that I should just ignore this troll and move on. But as much as I can understand where they are coming from, I think "but why should I have to put up with it if nobody else would put up with being stalked online or let alone in real life?". Therefore I don't believe anyone should have to put up with it, be that myself, be that anyone else. It also creates more work for the mods here who are not getting paid anymore than anyone else is here. Therefore it's unfair on everyone, and degrades the discussions in this forum, which doesn't make the forum look good to those that don't know any better. So therefore I don't accept that I should just have to "put up with it" any longer. This "poster" at the bare minimum needs to be banned for good, as they are clearly going to continue their stalking, harassment and trolling.
In any case, the reason for this thread is twofold: both to discuss the subject in general, as well as to make the point that whatever Jeremy is doing about this situation clearly isn't working, and the same troll is clearly playing both the mods and Jeremy himself like a fiddle. And I think I've shown enough patience now, therefore if this "poster" continues with their stalking, harassment and trolling, and as much as I would much prefer that Jeremy deals with them "in-house": I will have to look into making a criminal complaint to the relevant government body or agency if this "poster" is allowed to continue stalking, trolling and harassing me. I am very serious about that, as enough is enough is enough. I sincerely hope it doesn't come to that, and once again, I much prefer it doesn't. But people need to understand that, this isn't something that should be acceptable, period.
This is a quote from the NSW Police website that defines stalking:
Quote:
Source: https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/crime/...at_is_stalking
Staking, trolling and harassment are criminal offenses in Australia where I live, and I believe most other developed countries as well. This includes the "online world" as well, therefore it would be a criminal offense here as much as it would be in the "real world". But yet, it seems to be tolerated here at LQ with little to no consequence. And I've have been the target of relentless stalking, harassment and trolling here for the past month now, all by the "poster" JSB (formally jsbjsb002), who has displayed a clear pattern of this behavior. I not only believe that this account is a troll account, I also have no doubt it was setup explicitly for the purposes of trolling me. This same "poster" has actively stalked me ever since they created their account. They have actively responded to nearly every single thread I have, and often quote me directly. They have personally attacked me several times now, as well as misrepresenting my posts and accusing me of various things. This is stalking and harassment, not mention something that anyone else I know would call trolling. I have lost count of how many times I have reported them now, I've contacted Jeremy directly a number of times about it now, all to little to no avail. One only needs to look at their posts to verify what I'm talking about, I'm far from the only member here who has said both publicly and privately to me directly that they believe the same account to be a troll account. I have not responded to this troll at all, but they still continue to try and bait me in to a response. I strongly believe that their intention is to either provoke me in to a response that gets me banned, and/or to discourage me from continuing to participate here at LQ. I also strongly believe that this account is a sockpuppet account created by another long term member who joined this forum in 2013, who has even stated publicly here that they don't like me as a person. I won't directly name them since I can't prove that, but they know who they are in any case. I will say to them directly that: I'm not going to change my posting style for them, or stop posting here because they don't like me, not now, not ever will I do any of that for them.
I've been advised by a couple of other members that I should just ignore this troll and move on. But as much as I can understand where they are coming from, I think "but why should I have to put up with it if nobody else would put up with being stalked online or let alone in real life?". Therefore I don't believe anyone should have to put up with it, be that myself, be that anyone else. It also creates more work for the mods here who are not getting paid anymore than anyone else is here. Therefore it's unfair on everyone, and degrades the discussions in this forum, which doesn't make the forum look good to those that don't know any better. So therefore I don't accept that I should just have to "put up with it" any longer. This "poster" at the bare minimum needs to be banned for good, as they are clearly going to continue their stalking, harassment and trolling.
In any case, the reason for this thread is twofold: both to discuss the subject in general, as well as to make the point that whatever Jeremy is doing about this situation clearly isn't working, and the same troll is clearly playing both the mods and Jeremy himself like a fiddle. And I think I've shown enough patience now, therefore if this "poster" continues with their stalking, harassment and trolling, and as much as I would much prefer that Jeremy deals with them "in-house": I will have to look into making a criminal complaint to the relevant government body or agency if this "poster" is allowed to continue stalking, trolling and harassing me. I am very serious about that, as enough is enough is enough. I sincerely hope it doesn't come to that, and once again, I much prefer it doesn't. But people need to understand that, this isn't something that should be acceptable, period.
This is a quote from the NSW Police website that defines stalking:
Quote:
| Originally Posted by What is stalking?Stalking is a crime. It is an offence under the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007. Stalking is defined under this law and includes: the following of a person about or the watching or frequenting of the vicinity of, or an approach to a person's place of residence, business or work or any place that a person frequents for the purposes of any social or leisure activity'. Stalking involves a persistent course of conduct or actions by a person which are intended to maintain contact with or exercise power and control over another person. These actions cause distress, loss of control, fear or harassment to another person and occur more than once. Stalking can involve threats or sexual innuendo and the stalker generally tries to intimidate or induce fear in the person they are stalking. The person being stalked may only realise they are being stalked once they identify a pattern of strange or suspicious incidents occurring, such as: phone calls text messages messages left on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter etc. notes left on the their car strange or unwanted gifts left at their home an awareness that they are being followed being continually stared at or gestured to by another person. The person being stalked can often develop a sense of loss of control over their lives and can be forced into changing their routine and behaviours. The criminal offence of stalking is contained under section 13 Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007. To prove an offence of stalking the police must be able to produce evidence to a court. The police evidence must prove that the accused person stalked another person with the intention of causing another person to fear physical or mental harm. |