Freedom of Speech is important to me, and attacks on the use of that freedom in cyberspace startle me. Roger Pearse points us to a story about two men recently convicted in the United Kingdom for inciting racial hatred using websites based in the United States.
First, let me state that humanity’s ability to use good things, fruitful things, civilization changing things, for evil and wretched acts disgusts me. I do not believe that freedom of speech should be abused, used to spread hate and fear – nor do I believe that it should be threatened with jail time.
From the BBC:
Simon Sheppard, 51, of Selby in North Yorkshire, received four years and 10 months, and Stephen Whittle, 42, of Preston, two years and four months.
The men printed leaflets and controlled US websites featuring racist material.
They fled to the US after being convicted at Leeds Crown Court last year, but failed in an asylum bid.
Sheppard, of Brook Street, Selby, was found guilty of 11 offences and Whittle, of Avenham Lane, Preston, was found guilty of five offences at a trial in July last year.
Sheppard was convicted of a further five charges in January 2009.
However, before the jury in the first trial could return verdicts, both men fled to Los Angeles International airport and attempted to claim political asylum.
Their bid was thrown out by a US immigration judge.
The men were charged with publishing and distributing racially inflammatory material, and possessing racially inflammatory material with a view to distribution.
…snip….
That, said Adil Khan, head of diversity and community cohesion at Humberside Police, makes their conviction a first.
“This case is groundbreaking,” he said.
“The fact is now that we’ve been able to demonstrate that you’ve got nowhere to hide; people have been hiding on [sic] the fact that this server was in the US.
“Inciting racial hatred is a crime and one which seems to occur too regularly. This kind of material will not be tolerated as this lengthy investigation shows.”
I find the inciting of racial hatred disgusting, but when does it become a crime? Further, at what point does a dearly held freedom here in the States give way to fear? Do we make it a crime when people say things that others do not like? The BBC did not give details on the website, but there is a far cry between being racist and stupid and urging genocide.
There is a short line, however, concerning civil liberities when it comes to fear.
What do you think? Do you think it will stop here, or do you see it progressing to a point where the internet will be tightly controlled?
