Should it be illegal to enable and validate sexual predators online?

over the years, i've seen a few people online defend friends/acquaintances for highly illegal behavior. once such case concerned a grown man walking onto a schoolyard and flirting with pre-teen children. another involved a middle-aged serial groomer-of-minors who had sexual contact with at least one of his targets, shortly after they became 'legal'.

apart from the obviously vile criminal behavior, i was also disturbed by the pattern of others defending these highly illegal actions by their online friends; friends who otherwise seemed to be rightly intolerant this sort of behavior as it applied to news topics of similar theme. yet when applied to their friends, they reacted instinctively to defend them, even if they continued said criminal behavior.

so, the topic: do you feel that such speech is dangerous, or harmless? also, do you feel that this falls under 'free speech', or is it an act of encouragement which should it be considered 'aiding and abetting'?

The shit storm commeth...

It disgusts me on a moral level, but no I don't believe voicing even an abhorrent opinion should be illegal.

Originally posted by Emperordmb
It disgusts me on a moral level, but no I don't believe voicing even an abhorrent opinion should be illegal.

Bingo.

Anyone can say anything on the internet, that's what's so good and so bad about it

Originally posted by Emperordmb
It disgusts me on a moral level, but no I don't believe voicing even an abhorrent opinion should be illegal.

I overall agree with you, as the freedom of speech thing we 'take the good with the bad', but I also feel that pedo literature is illegal(?) for a good reason. So where is the line between literature and voicing opinions in you mind?

Unless I'm wrong and pedo related literature/fantasy stories are not illegal?

It'd raise some serious red flags, but I don't think someone should pay a fine or be chucked in jail over that.

Rather, just narrow down a bit on the person in question: see if there's an actual threat there or not.

If you violate the rules on an online establishment like Twitter or Facebook though, they have every right to block you. It's not a matter of free speech, participating on social media is a privilege not a right.

Originally posted by Robtard

Unless I'm wrong and pedo related literature/fantasy stories are not?

good question, but who really wants to take the risk of googling for the answer, and having that in their search history?

Originally posted by Robtard
Unless I'm wrong and pedo related literature/fantasy stories are not illegal?

Pretty sure that went to the Supreme Court back in the 1970s but was deemed protected speech.

But I'm not looking that shit up on the internet especially at work.

Originally posted by Firefly218
If you violate the rules on an online establishment like Twitter or Facebook though, they have every right to block you. It's not a matter of free speech, participating on social media is a privilege not a right.

👆

Originally posted by dadudemon
Pretty sure that went to the Supreme Court back in the 1970s but was deemed protected speech.

But I'm not looking that shit up on the internet especially at work.

Yeah, I'm not 100% sure either, but I don't know, just seems like something that would be illegal.

There are thousands of people online who cheer serial rapists/murders. You can’t jail every idiot. People are free to think/say/believe dumb things.

No it shouldn't be; otherwise I would lose my dreams of one-day having Robby touch my tootsie roll. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Yeah there's also people out there who "validate" people who violently assault neonazis... and violently assaulting neonazis believe it or not is a crime. Should that be illegal?

Originally posted by Bashar Teg

so, the topic: do you feel that such speech is dangerous, or harmless? also, do you feel that this falls under 'free speech', or is it an act of encouragement which should it be considered 'aiding and abetting'?

An analogy... many people defend the idea/practice of selling/buying drugs. The act is illegal. Defending it on moral grounds is perfectly legal. No matter how reprehensible the act in question.

On the other hand, if you call for someone's murder or threaten someone, then that is a crime. Just like if you arrange the details for a drug deal online that could be used against you in court. Or, as you see on To Catch a Predator, if you intimate the intent to have sex with a minor in an online text and then show up at the designated location intending to do so, you can be arrested for that too.

Originally posted by Afro Cheese
No. I think that borders on thought crime.

An analogy... many people defend the idea/practice of selling/buying drugs. The act is illegal. Defending it on moral grounds is perfectly legal. No matter how reprehensible the act in question.

On the other hand, if you call for someone's murder or threaten someone, then that is a crime. Just like if you arrange the details for a drug deal online that could be used against you in court.

The first amendment is the first amendment, so unfortunately, no.

Originally posted by Rockydonovang
The first amendment is the first amendment, so unfortunately, no.

Originally posted by Emperordmb
Do you mean it's unfortunate that people will say bad things, or unfortunate that people can't constitutionally be legally restricted from saying bad things?

"The ends justify the means" is rarely a good approach to sh!t.

Originally posted by Rockydonovang
The first amendment is the first amendment, so unfortunately, no.

it's not absolute however. yelling "fire" in a movie theater, yelling "kill that *racial epitaph*" at someone.

as far as internet: it could be argued that all those people saying "do it!" in one of those chat room suicides were partially culpable.