Is trolling an offence?
Persons engaging in Internet trolling are immediately committing an offence under the Malicious Communications Act.
The difficulty arises when identifying offenders in Internet trolling, as these offences tend to be committed using made up ‘usernames’ or fake profiles.
The Malicious Communications Act states:
Persons engaging in Internet trolling are immediately committing an offence under the Malicious Communications Act.
The difficulty arises when identifying offenders in Internet trolling, as these offences tend to be committed using made up ‘usernames’ or fake profiles.
The Malicious Communications Act states:
- Any person who sends a letter, electronic communication or article of any description to a person that conveys a message that is indecent or highly offensive, a threat or false information. If the reason for that communication was to cause distress or anxiety to the recipient or to any other person, then the sender is guilty of an offence.
- This includes mobile phones and the Internet (any form of electronic communication).
- The offence occurs whether those targeted actually receive the message or not.
