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Japan eyes tougher jail sentence for insults to tackle cyberbullying

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Insults are bad-mouthing someone using phrases like "annoying" or "creepy" without referring to a specific action.

The advisory panel is expected to discuss how to find a delicate balance between freedom of expression and tougher regulations on online abuse.

Current situation of Japan freedom of expression also press freedom is declining

https://rsf.org/en/ranking

https://thediplomat.com/2020/10/after-abe-will-press-freedom-improve-in-japan/

Also in Japan even retweeting can be held accountable like actual tweet.

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japanese-court-fines-journalist-for-defamatory-retweet

"Online insults provoke similar posts one after another, which can lead to irreversible human rights violations,"

Human right violation? Japan hostage justice system that's where human rights violations.

https://www.tokyoweekender.com/2020/11/not-only-ghosn-conditions-barbaric-real-stories-from-japan-hostage-justice-system-hitojishi-shiho/

10 ( +15 / -5 )

Or don't go on line. If you are not present online it won't happen. If insults are repugnant to you don't become a politician. Really when people spend half their lives on line, expect the hate, or hate back. I can imagin a person in jail being asked by a killer, so why are you here? "I posted an insult" That's not going to end well.

12 ( +19 / -7 )

Cyberbullying of people is awful. However, Japan often writes legislation with certain built-in ambiguities & loopholes for the rich & powerful to exploit and/or avoid prosecution, penalties and punishment.

The question is:

is this ‘cyberbullying’ legislation truly to streamline court actions for only “human” victim complainants

or,

can it also be used & abused by businesses, websites, media, corporations and the government?

The latter would be both “annoying” and “creepy”, to say the least.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

"Online insults provoke similar posts one after another, which can lead to irreversible human rights violations," Kamikawa said. "As we see growing criticism against online abuse, we need to designate the act as a crime to be seriously dealt with and curb it."

A lot of hyperbole in this article from the Justice Minister that I never see when addressing mistaken prosecutions, the many workplace violations and harassment or other corruption. it would be smart to be suspicious of the motivations of the ministry.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

SNOWYMOUNTAINHELL Exactly, if a Buisness has a website and I visit this Buisness, it sucked, hair in my food and dead skin covering the bed. I post this, and I'm in trouble? Thailand has a simulular law and someone was jailed for their comments about their experiences. It's a very slippery slope, J Inc are extremely sensitive about negative comments even when well deserved.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Well, guess all the those using the hashtag「河野さんにブロックされています」better start watching their online Ps and Qs.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I rate every place online with Five stars and praise them like crazy even if all posters disagree.

My write ups are so icky sticky lovely that the venues write me back and tell me I am creepy and annoying.

Are they bullying me?

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

Well, perhaps legislation like this will, at least, bring readers here that much ‘closer’ to each other?

“At present, people, in general, must go through at least 2 court proceedings -- 1 against social media operators and the other against internet service providers to obtain information on their harassers.” -

Perhaps the oft tolerated ‘dog-piling’ on some, just for having a difference of opinion from the ‘group-think’ and the continuous, unsanctioned after-hour uses of words like “moron”and “idiot” have seen there end?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

/s

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Internet like TV, you don't like the channel change the channel. Or turn it off and do something in the real world, like make friends. Less net more life, choose the net then accept the risk of abuse.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

I support freedom of speech. Great idea.

But...

The internet did not exist when such ideas came into existence.

People online are more mean then in person/real life.

If you make it your job to target the same person for months and years, which can lead to their suicide, then you deserve punishment.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

You can delete your account on the net. Or change it. You don't have to put up with allow abuse. Let those who target people continue to live pathetic lives. Killing yourself over it is the most unimaginative response. There are other factors at play in those circumstances.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

so What’s the jail sentence as part of penalties for offline in person verbal insults. A punch in the face or jail time for saying your chubby?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

to those saying oh just don't go online are either Luddites, not creatives/business owners of some kind(they use socials for promoting and sharing their work) or just plain ignorant.

the fact is that the internet is and has been a part of our lives for decades. we need to learn to treat each other better using it. it's just as real and impactful as physical space.

secondly what an insult to Kimura that those people only had to pay 90 dollars for contributing to her death.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

People been insulted each other on the internet since the early 90s era.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never break me. But names will never harm me.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

One step closer to making it illegal to criticize the J-gov.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Try growing a thicker skin, then.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Seems a ‘ground-breaking’ idea, *in theory, *@Reckless 9:20am.

- @Reckless 9:20am: “If you want anonymous posting then assign a moderator or have a function to flag comments that violate terms of use

But will it be uniformly regulated? Or, just arbitrarily governed any given the day of the week, hour of the day (or night) and affected by the individual agendas, personal preferences and interpersonal biases of those tasked with monitoring?

Perhaps the ultimate question/answer of cyberbullying responsibility & liability is:

Who decides ‘what’ is permissible? - The business owning the website.

Users use websites on their own accord.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

To be fair, both ‘Good & Bad’ users are rewarded with ‘cookies’ for their ‘voluntary participation’.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

While I'm not a fan of regulating everything and regulating regulation before regulation, if this is really going to come into effect, then we need to set firm boundaries on what constitutes cyberbullying. Because so far the interpretation is very vague, and I recall from recent times Kono Taro and his tweets and blocking of opposite opinions or disagreeing arguments - with the current vague interpretation, even a decent post but with a dissenting opinion could qualify as cyberbullying. It is enough that "I feel it is cyberbullying".

4 ( +4 / -0 )

That will quickly bring everyone in jail. If I would write to someone ‘Nice weather today, isn’t it?’ , then there’s already a 50% chance of being fined or imprisonment, because that someone maybe feels totally affected, bullied and gets wild as he loves the opposite weather of that weather I mean, and I even don’t know the real weather at his place, but only mine. lol Better keep freedom of speech in cyberspace, because it’s only cyber, virtual, and no one gets really hurt out of a monitor or display he watches.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

hmmm sounds to me its more to protect the incompetent politicians from online criticism... we better watch what we type on JT from now on....

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Lmao, this is ridiculous. So is the internet confined to Japan now? People from all over the world can bully you if they so please and there’s nothing Japan can do about it. Get out of the kitchen if you can’t handle the heat. Seriously.

Oh, and calling someone annoying or creepy is considered an insult? JFC, watch what happens when especially these particular types of people are not being called out anymore. The consequences will be much more severe than bullying…

1 ( +3 / -2 )

If you make it your job to target the same person for months and years, which can lead to their suicide, then you deserve punishment.

I fully agree with this, but I doubt it is the intention of this bill, or what it will be used for. Cyberbulling of school friends, employees, co-workers etc. is the biggest problem and, like regular bullying in schools and workplaces which is habitually ignored, what the government should be focusing on. The story yet again raises the issue of Hana Kimura, but I would say regular cyberbullying of ordinary people by other people is categorically different to social media comments about tv shows and the people on them.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Just stop being so self absorbed, thicken your skin and grow a pair!

"Someone was mean to me so I'm going to harm myself".

Not the correct response.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

They need to put more energy into tackling bullying in schools.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

It is very easy to hide your identity. Create a virtual machine on your PC. Use the VM, download a VPN. Pay for the VPN using bitcoin, and a fake disposable e-mail address. Download TOR. Never be identified.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

insults are bad-mouthing someone using phrases like "annoying"

Annoying? Annoying?.... Japan really needs to work on its insults. :)

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@Scorpion

That would be a very deliberate way of doing it however bitcoin is not as secure as you think.

The blockchain is public and you can view and search specific blocks and see where it came from and where it went .. it is actually harder to hide from authorities using bitcoin.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yes, it's about time, then watch all these keyboard freaks freak out and hide.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Close your public social media account? Have someone else monitor your account? She must have read every single bad comment to drive herself to suicide, rather than some obvious alternatives. Give people higher punishment? The courts would love that: they would happily prosecute a person for using a bad emote... The Japanese prosecution system has no qualms with severe punishment if given the green light. Why not lock up a foreigner for 49 days?! Right, the police can:)

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I’m not surprised at Japan's decision to threaten jail time to cyberbullies. Unlike the U.S. they definitely have more strict rules about freedom of speech and what is said on and off the internet. This article states that ‘online insults provoke similar posts one after another, which can lead to irreversible human rights violation’. I do agree with this statement and especially in our world that we live in today, the internet and things like social media literally have such a huge impact on our lives. It’s actually sickening how much social media influences our generation, although there are many positives that come out of it as well. I would say there are more harmful repercussions than positive, would anyone agree with me? It is way easier said than done to the people saying ‘just don’t read it’ or ‘stay offline then’. Some things we cannot run away from, and if we don’t necessarily see negative things ourselves, doesn’t mean that someone else won’t and have them bring it up to you in person. It can be a very harmful aspect of the media and internet in general. A jail sentence is pretty intense though, I’m not sure if I completely agree with the consequences of that, maybe unless you lead someone to self-harm in real life.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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