UK Culture Secretary Warns That Internet Trolls Must Pay Toll

Internet trolls in the UK were warned yesterday that there's no place to hide from justice, and they can expect arrest if they threatened or abused people online. 

Culture secretary Maria Miller said that the same rules would be applicable online as well as off and stressed that just because people engaged in this behaviour over the internet,  it wasn't a lawless zone.

Speaking at the Oxford Media Convention, Miller said: "Whether it is images of child abuse or terrorist material we will use the full force of the law, both national and international, to take down that content and pursue the perpetrators.  If you are vilely insulted, or threatened to attack someone in person on the street, you do so expecting to be arrested and charged.  The same applies to social media."

Miller also spoke about illegal downloads.

"If you wanted to see a film or listen to a CD, you wouldn't steal it off the shelf, so why do the online equivalent and download it illegally?

The veil of anonymity the internet provides may be valuable, but does not give licence to insult, cheat or exploit."

The government has been cracking down hugely on online trolls, with over 2000 people prosecuted last year.