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Submitted via IRC for TheMightyBuzzard
There are all sorts of different ways that websites that allow comments have dealt with trollish behavior over the years, but I think the BBC's new policy is the first I've seen in which the organization threatens that it may contact your boss or your school (found via Frank Fisher).
The new policy has a short section on "offensive or inappropriate content on BBC websites" where it says the following:
Offensive or inappropriate content on BBC websites
If you post or send offensive, inappropriate or objectionable content anywhere on or to BBC websites or otherwise engage in any disruptive behaviour on any BBC service, the BBC may use your personal information to stop such behaviour.
Where the BBC reasonably believes that you are or may be in breach of any applicable laws (e.g. because content you have posted may be defamatory), the BBC may use your personal information to inform relevant third parties such as your employer, school email/internet provider or law enforcement agencies about the content and your behaviour.
To be fair, it does seem to limit this to cases where it believes you've violated the law, but even so, it seems like a stretch to argue that the BBC should be calling your boss to tell on you for being a [troll], even if you break the law.
Source: TechDirt
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @02:54AM (6 children)
> I don't know anyone that's dumb enough to give the BBC their real personal info.
Like.... your IP address?
If you post from work and you break the law, it doesn't seem out of line for the BBC to report that someone at your company's place of business is using their equipment to break the law.
ISP and email providers are In the list of groups they will contact, seems like they don't care about your employer per se but the group responsible for the equipment you are using. This policy sounds completely ordinary to me.
This story, like everything else the mighty butthurt posts is just click-bait for the half-cocked.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @03:39AM
Bleh! Go away, troll!
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Spamalope on Friday May 19 2017, @03:49AM (3 children)
"inappropriate or objectionable content"
By whose standards? Only a fool could be comfortable trusting such a judgement call standard won't be subject to a political purity test.
Supporting the wrong political candidate is enough to be labeled a *phobe, nazi, etc. Mention that family law is biased? Sexist! Support individual liberty or privacy? Basement dwelling scumbag!
Media organizations have been supportive of post-modernist agendas of late. If find this or any policy easily abused by a cry-bully troubling in light of that.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @04:30AM (2 children)
"inappropriate or objectionable content"
By whose standards? Only a fool could be comfortable trusting such a judgement call standard won't be subject to a political purity test.
Case in point.
That phrase does not appear in the BBC document.
So why are you so worked up over it? Because you didn't pay attention and went off half-cocked.
Exactly as the mighty blowhard intended. Do you enjoy being suckered?
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Friday May 19 2017, @04:38AM (1 child)
That phrase does not appear in the BBC document.
It's not any hindrance for applying it. Official policy often isn't the real practice.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @11:55AM
> It's not any hindrance for applying it. Official policy often isn't the real practice.
Well, by that logic then, every website is going to report you to your employer for any reason at all because their terms of service don't say anything about it either! SMDH
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @12:08PM
If you post from work and you break the law, it doesn't seem out of line for the BBC to report that someone at your company's place of business is using their equipment to break the law.
Private law enforcement is better known as mob rule.
If the law has been broken, contact the police, not the employer. If the employer needs to be contacted, let the police do it.
The only reason for the BBC to contact someones employer over forum posts is that someone doesn't like the post, but the post is not against the law.