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Is cyber libel really the official charge? Why would you have to specify cyber? I makes as much sence as being charged with acoustic or offset libel to me.

by tokai 8y ago

dx87 8y ago
We've got hate crime laws even though we already have murder, assault and harrasment laws. Might just be another way of tacking on extra punishment due to the nature of the crime.
- TallGuyShort 8y ago
  That's not really what hate crime laws are, though. They're all about the motivation. Reforming a person who threatens to kill because they're angry about a personal dispute is very different from reforming a person who threatens to kill because they don't like the color of someone else's skin. The difference between libel and "cyber libel" is just the medium. Arguably it'd be more like the difference between how the 1st and 4th amendments should be applied in your home vs. on Facebook. But like the GP, I'm not aware of specific cyber libel laws or charges.
- jordigh 8y ago
  Hate crime laws exist because hate crimes have a worse effect on society. Someone being killed because they were (say) black makes other black people afraid of being killed for the same reason. Hate spreads and can motivate other aggressors. Non-hate crimes don't have this effect. They don't make a group feel afraid, singled out, and specifically targetted.
  - hopler 8y ago
    When a man beats his wife regularly, is that a hate crime against women? Why or why not?
- markovbot 8y ago
  A better comparison would be homicide vs vehicular homicide: it's got a different name when done with a different medium
1123581321 8y ago
It depends on the country, but generally means that the state has passed a cybercrime law and laid out a different definition for libel conducted online. Most likely a definition that is easier to prosecute than older traditional libel laws, for better or worse.
creaghpatr 8y ago
Probably due to the scalability. Kind of like the WhatsApp abuse in India or Fake NewsTM in the US it brings a greater danger to the reputation of the victim. Of course, Maria Ressa is obviously innocent, but journalists might want to think twice about asking the government or private sector to snuff out 'fake' news.
gruez 8y ago
There's also fraud, but also wire fraud, mail fraud.

Is cyber libel really the official charge? Why would you have to specify cyber? I makes as much sence as being charged with acoustic or offset libel to me.

by tokai 8y ago

Is cyber libel really the official charge? Why would you have to specify cyber? I makes as much sence as being charged with acoustic or offset libel to me.

dx87 8y ago

We've got hate crime laws even though we already have murder, assault and harrasment laws. Might just be another way of tacking on extra punishment due to the nature of the crime.

TallGuyShort 8y ago
That's not really what hate crime laws are, though. They're all about the motivation. Reforming a person who threatens to kill because they're angry about a personal dispute is very different from reforming a person who threatens to kill because they don't like the color of someone else's skin. The difference between libel and "cyber libel" is just the medium. Arguably it'd be more like the difference between how the 1st and 4th amendments should be applied in your home vs. on Facebook. But like the GP, I'm not aware of specific cyber libel laws or charges.
jordigh 8y ago
Hate crime laws exist because hate crimes have a worse effect on society. Someone being killed because they were (say) black makes other black people afraid of being killed for the same reason. Hate spreads and can motivate other aggressors. Non-hate crimes don't have this effect. They don't make a group feel afraid, singled out, and specifically targetted.
- hopler 8y ago
  When a man beats his wife regularly, is that a hate crime against women? Why or why not?
markovbot 8y ago
A better comparison would be homicide vs vehicular homicide: it's got a different name when done with a different medium

1123581321 8y ago

It depends on the country, but generally means that the state has passed a cybercrime law and laid out a different definition for libel conducted online. Most likely a definition that is easier to prosecute than older traditional libel laws, for better or worse.

creaghpatr 8y ago

Probably due to the scalability. Kind of like the WhatsApp abuse in India or Fake NewsTM in the US it brings a greater danger to the reputation of the victim. Of course, Maria Ressa is obviously innocent, but journalists might want to think twice about asking the government or private sector to snuff out 'fake' news.

gruez 8y ago

There's also fraud, but also wire fraud, mail fraud.