Some people think more regulation is needed to control trolling, but according to Jeff Jarvis, author of Public Parts - trolling is not the Internet's fault. He states that “the Internet does not create special threats. It's a public square where people will be saying all sorts of things, some of them offensive."

TROLLING AND FREE SPEECH – THE ETHICS

According to Jeff the answer is for newspaper websites and online forums to employ sufficient moderators to prevent the comments spiralling into petty vendettas. “To ban online anonymity in order to prevent trolling would be to remove the right of whistle-blowers and dissidents to get their message across,” he adds.

TROLLING AND FREE SPEECH – THE ETHICS

Manuel agrees. "People are saying nasty, stupid things. So deal with it. Shutting down free speech and stamping on people's civil liberties is not a price worth paying."

Do you agree with Manuel?Or do you think we should clamp down on anyone who says anything “nasty” on the Internet?

TROLLING AND FREE SPEECH – THE ETHICS

CLASS OPINION

We should NOT stop anyone

making comments on the Internet –

even if some of them hurt others…

We should clamp down

really hard on trolling and stop people making remarks that

hurt others…….

Or should there be a balance?

Allow all views to be heard but warn

people not to make their views personal and hurt

peoples feelings….

CLASS OPINION

SO WHO IS RIGHT?

No one is right and no one is wrong.

Again, like many moral and ethical judgements you have to have an opinion of your own. There are pros and cons for both arguments.

DISCUSS - Is trolling the price we pay for free speech?

What do the majority of the class think?