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| Trolls used to be almost sweet. There you were, having a debate about the Phoenician architecture, and suddenly someone would pop on Twitter and tell you Halal food is more humane than stunning. Or you would be reading an article on Wagner on the Daily Telegraph only for someone to leave a comment about the work ethic of the Chinese. Debate was duly sparked. Perfectly kind and rational people would write hate-filled abuse at each other on the internet for a while, and then everything would return to normal. The world of trolling was one of anger and hate, but a comparatively harmless one. Not anymore. Like super hero comics and video games, trolling got violent. Now all the trolls are interested in is sending rape threats to prominent women. As hobbies go, it is somewhat lacking. The issue hit the spotlight this week partly because the summer lull in news allows social media stories to get more attention than they otherwise would, but also because of the extent of the abuse aimed at Caroline Criado-Perez. The feminist campaigner and writer had just won a campaign to get Jane Austen featured on the new £10 bank note. The response of certain badly developed weirdoes was to send her rape and death threats. Prominent female columnists decided something must be done and started up a campaign which may – or may not – culminate in a Twitter boycott this Sunday. The plan was somewhat complicated by the revelation the BBC would be announcing the new Doctor Who that day. Think that's superficial? Bear in mind that the Chartist demonstrations which kick-started British democracy had to be rerouted to make sure they never went past a pub or they'd lose half the marchers. Police tracked down some perpetrators, but anonymity presents real problems for how to deal with this kind of outraged, entitled misogyny. The debate over the best response was a case in point. But at the very least, the row brought the horrific reality of modern trolling into the mainstream. Meanwhile, David Cameron was cementing his new touchy-feely, in-touch-with-women's-issues look with an interview in Grazia in which he discussed how much his children's use of Facebook worried him. Yep, the PM doesn't like online porn or Facebook. The man's basically a Luddite. He's a long way from those interviews where he used to be photographed stroking Apple products. The Cooperative demanded lads' mags put their product in laughably-titled 'modesty bags' to hide them from children's innocent eyes. There was a general sense of women's cultural issues coming to the fore, with new attitudes on porn, glossy magazines and Twitter evolving as technology introduces new problems. Meanwhile, Labour was doing nothing. Really nothing. The news was so slim on the ground even Grant Shapps managed to get coverage. Osborne's father-in law got in on the act too, although it was predominantly because he said the north-east was "desolate". And then that he actually meant the north-west, thereby expanding the potential for offence by 50%. Nick Clegg was like one of those libratory mice they feed crystal meth to. You couldn't switch on a radio without him doing a phone-in show. But Labour was nowhere to be seen. Not a murmur. For many of Ed Miliband's critics, the party's anaemia over the summer is further proof that it's not got that killer edge which wins you elections. Next week: more no news, some of it possibly from Labour. But probably not. Best of NewsEqualities watchdog opens investigation into Home Office immigration checks The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has warned the Home Office that it will be investigating the spot-checks of people' immigration status in London, after fears were raised of racial profiling. Farage wades into row over Muslim pupil served pork Nigel Farage has been accused of jumping on a political bandwagon after he supported a school dinner lady who was sacked for inadvertently serving a Muslim pupil pork. Revealed: The Queen's Speech in the event of World War Three A speech drafted for the Queen in the event of war with the Soviet Union has been released to the public, revealing a remarkable insight into how the British state thought it could prevent panic in the event of nuclear conflict. The SNP's 'sinister' plan to give all children a state guardian The SNP was accused of embedding government officials into the heart of family life today, after its plans for child guardians were attacked by parents and legal groups. Labour attacks 'double standards' on anti-Islamic terrorism The government has been accused of "double-standards" in its treatment of terrorism cases for failing to include alleged anti-Islamic attacks on a taskforce tackling extremism. Tory councillors hit out at 'racist' anti-immigrant vans Conservative councillors have joined the chorus of outrage at anti-immigrant vans, which have been driven around London boroughs telling illegal immigrants to "go home". Best of Comment and AnalysisComment: Don't believe the myth of a genteel Victorian England The age of the Victorians saw the old certainties of religion crumble, to be replaced by ideology and dark magic. Comment: UKBA spot-checks are an abuse of power - but you can stop them Immigration officers are checking papers at Tube stations in London, but an educated civilian population can challenge their abuse of power. Comment: The tangled mess of state-subsidised religion My barrage of letters to ministers shows the terrible mess people get into when they starting offering religious groups tax breaks. Where is Labour? Against a deteriorating poll lead and a recovering economy, Miliband really couldn't afford to take a holiday. Comment: The EU's insane mission to ban menthol cigarettes With the assistance of a compliant health minister, the EU is trying to impose a ban on a whole category of cigarettes. Comment: Twitter, Facebook & Google are the scapegoats of the 21st Century It's much easier for politicians to attack Twitter, Facebook and Google than it is to admit that our problems have no easy solution. Comment: Why are we allowing gay conversion therapy on the NHS? This isn't about a few Christian evangelicals. Gay conversion therapy is a much bigger problem than you think it is. | CPAG: BBC welfare programme Age of Entitlement broke rulesThe BBC Trust has ruled that the programme The Future of the Welfare State with John Humphrys, broadcast in October 2011, has breached its rules on impartiality and accuracy. BHA: Assisted suicide cases rejected by Court of AppealThe Court of Appeal has today dismissed the widely publicised cases of Jane Nicklinson, the widow of Tony Nicklinson, who sought an assisted death and Paul Lamb, immobilised after a road accident and seeking the right to an assisted death. BSIA renews section’s commitment to property and asset protectionThe Physical Security Equipment section of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) has marked its twentieth anniversary by updating its identity and renewing its strategic focus, in recognition of the growing number of applications of the physical security equipment produced by section members. RSPCA court alert for mistreatment of puppies caseThree people from Cheshire and Greater Manchester are due to appear at Stockport Magistrates Court for a first hearing on Wednesday (31 July 2013) at 2pm to answer alleged offences related to poor animal welfare in the process of selling puppies. Rio Tinto: Development of Oyu Tolgoi underground mine delayedRio Tinto has been notified by the Government of Mongolia that the terms of the project financing provisionally secured for the underground development of Oyu Tolgoi will need to be approved by the Mongolian Parliament. CIOT: Clock is ticking for tax credits renewalsThe Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (LITRG) is urging anybody who has received renewal forms from HMRC and who has not yet completed and returned them to do so by July 31st or risk having their payments stopped. The IET: “Enthusiasm for engineering” nets RAF engineer prestigious awardAn RAF Flight Sergeant has won a prestigious award in recognition of his energy and enthusiasm for engineering. CPA: Encouraging growth for construction and wider UK economyToday’s GDP figures, published by ONS, show that the UK economy grew by 0.6 per cent in the second quarter of 2013 compared to the previous quarter and 1.4 per cent compared to the same quarter a year ago. In particular, construction increased by 0.9 per cent quarter-on-quarter. |
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