Police warning over Facebook posts
POLICE in the local F District, which includes Dungannon District, are appealing to young people using social networking sites to exercise restraint on material they post.
The warning comes after police were forced to intervene when false allegations that local young people as young as 13 were engaged in acts of bestiality swept across social media websites over the past week.
On Monday police took the unprecedented step of stating publicly that the allegations are completely falsified.
“These allegations are false and have caused a great deal of distress to the young people who have been named,” said a PSNI spokesperson.
“Our enquires have revealed that the offensive material did not originate in Northern Ireland.”
The PSNI have confirmed that the issue was also discussed with students this week during planned visits to local secondary schools.
The PSNI spokesperson has also confirmed that police in the district have received complaints from people who have felt abused, defamed and harassed on sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
“These social networking sites can be a great means of communicating and sharing information, but they are not exempt from normal standards of conduct. It is simply not acceptable to post remarks that are derogatory or defamatory. Legal action - both civil and criminal - can be taken in relation to posts on Twitter, FaceBook and other networking sites. Currently, law firms in England are tracking down those who posted or re-posted the name of a senior politician who was wrongly named in relation illegal sexual activity.
“In Northern Ireland, the courts have convicted people who have posted offensive or defamatory remarks. The technology exists to trace those who post offensive material, however, it need not happen if users are responsible. The simplest advice is this: Do not post or repeat something that you would not say to someone’s face, and do not post allegations of wrong-doing or criminal behaviour by named individuals on a public forum.”
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Weather for Dungannon
Saturday 25 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South west
