The impression that the internet, and particularly social media, is a zone of freedom, where each user can post whatever they want, is well-established, but it won't be for long. Already, Great Britain wants to put a "brake" on users who break the rules and prosecute them.
The Attorney General intends to immediately publish some guidelines for social media users, in order to prevent them from making any inappropriate posts. If they do not comply, they will be taken to court.
The court advice will apply to England, Wales and Northern Ireland and has already alarmed… habitual offenders. Legal correspondent Clive Coleman explains: “The rise of social media has changed people’s habits a lot. Something we discuss in a neighbourhood can now be posted and read by thousands of people.”
Until recently, these types of bans applied - and still apply - to "traditional" media, which is why the Attorney General intends to extend the bans to new forms of communication.
Its rationale is not to prohibit an individual's freedom to express themselves through their personal Facebook page, but to make it clear that from now on, comments and posts that violate the laws will not go unpunished.
It should be noted that last year nine users were arrested for writing the name of the woman who was raped by Sheffield United footballer, Chad Evans. All nine pleaded ignorance that they had committed a criminal act, however the court did not accept their allegations.
So from now on, be careful what you upload to your pages. The issue starts in England, but it won't stop there.
