On a bright sunny morning, Verum woke up early and refreshed. She decided to work on some homework. She had her crystal ball on one side and a notebook on the other. Suddenly, Scorch tapped Verum’s shoulder.
“Verum, what is a troll?” said Scorch.
“According to folklore, a troll is an imaginary ugly-looking giant or dwarf who lives in caves or on hills,” answered Verum, “Sometimes, trolls can have magical powers.”
“Thank you, Verum,” said Scorch, “This means the Australian government is going to introduce laws against these creatures. I’m so confused!”
“What laws are you talking about?” said Verum, “Let me check my crystal ball.”
A few minutes passed with Verum in deep concentration. She was trying to understand the news about the laws against ‘trolls’. When Verum found the information she was looking for, she shook her head in disbelief and chortled.
Verum said, “Ay Scorch! I’m so sorry. We are talking about internet trolls here. Now, the internet is a fantastic invention. It helps us shop, study, stay connected to each other, learn languages – the possibilities are endless.
However, some people misuse the internet. They post comments, memes, or other content that is offensive to other people. In this way, they provoke arguments. But they often don’t face consequences for their not-so-nice statements because the trolls post anonymously. Trolling can result in bullying or defamation. Defamation is when false statements are made about a person which ruins their reputation.”
“Oh, I see,” said Scorch, “So Australia’s new plan is against these trolls.”
“Yes! According to this new law, a person who feels they are being bullied or defamed can complain to the social media platform. In response, the social media platform will have to take the content down,” said Verum, “If that is not done, a court process will make the social media platform give the details of the commenter.”
“This is a step towards making the internet a safer space for people,” said Scorch.