SE23 Forum

I just received an email asking me sign this petition to get Twitter to ban Nick Griffin. The reason given seems fairly good to me

Quote:

Shortly after hearing that a gay couple had won their discrimination case for being turned away from a B&B based on their sexuality, Nick Griffin, leader of the British National Party, tweeted the couple's home address and encouraged a demo outside their home to 'say no to heterophobia'.

Publicising the couple's address, clearly breaks Twitter's Rules of Service as outlined below and we call on Twitter to ban @nickgriffinmep from the platform.

Twitter's Rules of Service:

Privacy: You may not publish or post other people's private and confidential information, such as credit card numbers, street address or Social Security/National Identity numbers, without their express authorization and permission.
Violence and Threats: You may not publish or post direct, specific threats of violence against others.

What do other people think?

Also - please let me know if you feel it inappropriate to post this both here and on STF

I don't agree with what he has to say but I will defend his right to do so.

I agree with Londonrz - Britain has a proud tradition of free speech and tolerance. We are all entitled to our opinions and I loathe the BNP etc but they should be allowed to engage in reasoned debate. If nick Griffin committed any offence eg incitement to riot then a complaint to the police is appropriate

As I understand it the b&b owners refused to let any unmarried couples share a bed under their roof - not just gay couples . I think if this is made clear to people booking the whole sorry mess should have been avoidable

As far as I understand it, his account has been suspended because he broke a rule - revealing personal information. If he gets kicked off for that, fine. If he ges kicked off because people don't agree with his opinions, that's wrong.

I'd also defend your right to post this both here and on STF. I don't see any reason why not.

I agree with what rshdunlop says.

To reveal the private address was a calculated reaction by a bigot who wickedly intended to inflict fear on the people concerned.

Poppy9560 wrote:

Britain has a proud tradition of free speech and tolerance. We are all entitled to our opinions and I loathe the BNP etc but they should be allowed to engage in reasoned debate. If nick Griffin committed any offence eg incitement to riot then a complaint to the police is appropriate

Agree re our tradition of free speech, but it's never been absolute, and nor should it be. I'm sure you know about shouting 'Fire!' in a crowded theatre, and, abused as they are, laws on defamation have their place.

An interesting point here is how such limits are enforced. A complaint to the police is possible, but in this case we can appeal to the commercial contract between Twitter and its users - which is what the argument given appeals to - very sensibly, IMHO. There's nothing - except their organisational competence - to stop the BNP from trying to set up some alternative to Twitter, so they can't reasonably say they are being banned from public discourse, but it's hardly going to be as effective. Of course there will probably be chat rooms where they, and previously the likes of Anders Breivik would have communicated among themselves - and that's where I'd be happier for police time to be focused.[/quote]

Tim Lund

Londondrz

Poppy9560

rshdunlop

jgdoherty

Tim Lund