youtube: The BBC tracks down a notorious Internet troll. Catch the full episode here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/front_page/newsid_9693000/9693594.stm (You will probably need an IP proxy service).
CNET: What goes through the mind of someone who trolls Facebook's RIP pages in order to leave messages like "Rot in Piss?"
What sort of person does that? What do they really look like? What do they sound like?
The BBC took it upon itself to try and meet one of these people, just to measure their charm level and the cut of their jib.
In a piece of footage unearthed by The Next Web, a BBC reporter tracked down a troll in Cardiff, Wales, who goes by the handle Nimrod Severen. Astoundingly, his real name is a lot less romantic: Darren Burton.
In a show that aired Monday night, the BBC showed how his postings to various Facebook RIP pages were brutal, bigoted, and sometimes racist.
Burton looks like so many large, smoking men whom you'd see in a British pub. He didn't deny the reporter's accusations that he posted vile material.
But what about the unknown (to him) people whose pages he trolls? "Do you think about the effect it has on them?" asked the BBC's Declan Lawn. Burton's response: "Yeah." What does he think about them? "F*** 'em," Burton said.
Burton then asked Lawn to consider whether he was, in fact, breaking the law.
Some might imagine racist speech is definitely breaking the law. England's soccer captain, John Terry, is facing a court case, after he was accused of directing a racial epithet at an opposing player. (Terry was stripped of the captaincy this week.)
Burton believes that Facebook allows him to say whatever he likes. "Facebook is an open forum," he insisted. He also believes that the courts wouldn't punish him, in his eyes, severely.
Referring to a previous case, in which time served was very short, he said, contemptuously: "Nine weeks? Nine weeks in jail? What's that?"
Somehow, people have come to believe that the Web is a place where everything can be said. Some companies appear to foster the notion.
For example, when Facebook was reluctant to take down Holocaust denial pages, the company's reasoning was: "The bottom line is that, of course, we abhor Nazi ideals and find Holocaust denial repulsive and ignorant. However, we believe people have a right to discuss these ideas and we want Facebook to be a place where ideas, even controversial ideas, can be discussed."
Some might take this to support the expression of ideas (however crude and cruel) that might generally be regarded as repugnant. Others would deem Burton's expressions as merely hateful and mindless and not ideas at all.
The whole BBC Panorama program is available in the UK, but not in the U.S.
So many enjoy their anonymity on the Web. It can give so much. But, in this case, there is something suitably chilling about putting a face to the words, a face to the nasty, heartless, pointless thoughts that pollute not merely the Web, but humanity itself.
24 Comments
BarsepsYou beat me to it on this one
However.....let justice prevail.
*Doublepromote
siftbotDouble-Promoting this video and sending it back into the queue for one more try; last queued Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 9:44am PST - doublepromote requested by Barseps.
Barseps*quality
siftbotBoosting this quality contribution up in the Hot Listing - declared quality by Barseps.
longdewhat a wee wee man
YogiAs an internet troll I support hunting anyone down and embarrassing them...just so long as it isn't me you bunch of niggas!
gorillamanSo, are we now condoning these laws?
The UK is a nightmarish police state where you can be prosecuted for using words the government doesn't like. I would expect any enlightened community to react to that reality with disgust and condemnation.
PaybackHe's gonna git the shit beat out of him. AWESOME reporting. We TOTALLY need to punish internet trolls. Who the fuck cares about rapists, pedophiles, murders, home invaders, thieves, and political corruption?
LET'S TRACK DOWN AND BURN QUANTUM MUSHROOM, WINSTONFIELD, SHINYBLURRY AND GORILLAMAN!!!!!!!!1111!!!!one!!
spoco2Wow, this is just, erm... yeah, this is quality television.
Fucking hell.
Yeah, he is a pathetic, angry individual, but how is this good for anyone?
Yogi>> ^spoco2:
Wow, this is just, erm... yeah, this is quality television.
Fucking hell.
Yeah, he is a pathetic, angry individual, but how is this good for anyone?
This is the kind of problem I've been seeing in the UK from the outside. Apparently they've got some racist football fans...so? I don't like racists but that doesn't mean that being a racist means you go to jail. UK just doesn't seem like a place where you can have Freedom of Speech.
Stormsinger>> ^Payback:
He's gonna git the shit beat out of him. AWESOME reporting. We TOTALLY need to punish internet trolls. Who the fuck cares about rapists, pedophiles, murders, home invaders, thieves, and political corruption?
LET'S TRACK DOWN AND BURN QUANTUM MUSHROOM, WINSTONFIELD, SHINYBLURRY AND GORILLAMAN!!!!!!!!1111!!!!one!!
Say what? You really think that doing a single show, out of an entire media network's lineup, prevents -anything- else from being done? Hell, it's not like the BBC is in charge of investigating all of those crimes anyway. They're just a fucking TV network.
Frankly, I think calling out an occasional troll and stripping him of his
false braveryanonymity is a worthwhile move.
DuoJetsays...A documentary on internet trolling? And WTF does "rot in piss" even mean?
FletchReally, BBC? Internet trolls? Rot in piss, Declan Lawn.
entr0pyI don't know, I think they're missing the subtle difference between being a troll and merely being an asshole. Trolls try to evoke outrage or confusion for their own amusement, often by saying things they don't actually believe. Assholes merely say what they think, and rage is a bi-product.
Payback>> ^DuoJet:
A documentary on internet trolling? And WTF does "rot in piss" even mean?
When you're being respectful of the dead, R.I.P. means Rest In Peace.
When you're NOT being respectful...
Payback>> ^Stormsinger:
>> ^Payback:
He's gonna git the shit beat out of him. AWESOME reporting. We TOTALLY need to punish internet trolls. Who the fuck cares about rapists, pedophiles, murders, home invaders, thieves, and political corruption?
LET'S TRACK DOWN AND BURN QUANTUM MUSHROOM, WINSTONFIELD, SHINYBLURRY AND GORILLAMAN!!!!!!!!1111!!!!one!!
Say what? You really think that doing a single show, out of an entire media network's lineup, prevents -anything- else from being done? Hell, it's not like the BBC is in charge of investigating all of those crimes anyway. They're just a fucking TV network.
Frankly, I think calling out an occasional troll and stripping him of his
false braveryanonymity is a worthwhile move.You think countering my sarcastic hyperbole with your own is an argument?
deathcowPretty bad, but still he doesn't suck half as much as the lot of you!
Stormsinger>> ^Payback:
>> ^Stormsinger:
>> ^Payback:
He's gonna git the shit beat out of him. AWESOME reporting. We TOTALLY need to punish internet trolls. Who the fuck cares about rapists, pedophiles, murders, home invaders, thieves, and political corruption?
LET'S TRACK DOWN AND BURN QUANTUM MUSHROOM, WINSTONFIELD, SHINYBLURRY AND GORILLAMAN!!!!!!!!1111!!!!one!!
Say what? You really think that doing a single show, out of an entire media network's lineup, prevents -anything- else from being done? Hell, it's not like the BBC is in charge of investigating all of those crimes anyway. They're just a fucking TV network.
Frankly, I think calling out an occasional troll and stripping him of his
false braveryanonymity is a worthwhile move.You think countering my sarcastic hyperbole with your own is an argument?
Nah, I think it was more an issue of "missing that tiny little <sarcasm> indicator, being nothing but a light gray border on a medium gray text box."
I -thought- it was an odd sentiment coming from you...I should have looked closer.
I'm not a fan of this new subtle signal, I prefer the old non-functional <sarcasm> tags.
FlowersInHisHairTurns out they look a lot like the other kind of troll. Hm. Who'dathunk.
rebuilderApart from whether or not this should have been done in the first place - why did the journalist fall for that "is it illegal" trap?
A more appropriate response:
-"Is it illegal?"
-"I'm not here to accuse you of breaking the law. I'm here to see what makes someone act like a dick."
MrMark4000I didn't understand a single thing they said!
quantumushroomI feel more embarrassed/sorry for the English society that can't seem to handle the ramblings of a lone wanker. Do you really have to throw LAWS at him? Political correctness is for sheep, and though I dislike this sh1t-disturber, he ain't a sheep.
quantumushroomYou're confusing this 'trolling' fad with the growing pains of True Enlightenment wrought by yours truly. You're welc
me.
>> ^Payback:
LET'S TRACK DOWN AND BURN QUANTUM MUSHROOM, WINSTONFIELD, SHINYBLURRY AND GORILLAMAN!!!!!!!!1111!!!!one!!
00Scud00says...While the idea of revealing a troll for all the world to see appeals to me on a certain level, I can also see where this can totally backfire on you. This guy didn't seem especially phased when confronted by a news guy with a camera and if this became common I could see people trolling even harder if it meant they had a shot at getting on the tee-vee. Better to ignore them and let them die in obscurity I think.
Discuss...
Enable JavaScript to submit a comment.