> We need an alternative web that has less censorship and regulation.
This is absolutely not an obviously true statement, and we have, in fact, quite a bit of situations to the contrary.
For example, if someone is following my persona online and harassing me, I very much want to be able to enforce an "internet restraining order". That almost certainly cannot be done without some level of regulation.
Your online persona can just block anyone who harassing him. In real life, you can't "block" people...That why I don't get how harassment on internet can be a thing.
Just block them !
This really just comes across as being ignorant of the harassment mobs that currently form on social media. It's impossible to block hundreds or thousands of different accounts spamming you with harassment and many, many people have been forced off of social media because of these sustained attacks.
You can say people shouldn't care about getting off social media but people form communities and connections that can be incredibly important to them. Telling them to just suck it up or leave is not a solution to harassment.
> Your online persona can just block anyone who harassing him. In real life, you can't "block" people...That why I don't get how harassment on internet can be a thing. Just block them !
You can't conceive of this because you have never been the victim of genuine harassment by someone who has nothing better to do but to harass you.
If the person harassing you is willing to invest the time, he can make your life profoundly miserable as you, rightfully, don't wish to spend the same amount of time fighting the harassment.
And, yes, you can block someone in real-life. It's called a restraining order.
Block them how? If you block someone they can just create a new persona to harass you with.
Edit: For everyone downvoting, can you please express how you think clicking a block button stops harassment? Have you actually ever been the victim of online harassment? Did simply clicking a button solve your problem?
Most service allow you to block users. Even my phone can block calling number...
If you are harassed online, just leave the "social" media, it's no big deal in fact...
So you block them, and they create another user who is unblocked and continue to harass you. Blocking doesn't stop harassment.
> Even my phone can block calling number
My wife was harassed by an ex who used Google to generate new numbers. Every time we blocked one, he would generate a new one. We had to show up to court with a stack of pages of thousands of auto generated text messages before he was forced to stop.
> If you are harassed online, just leave the "social" media
Thus the harasser wins. Why should the harasee be the one forced to change their life, while the harasser gets to do whatever they want?
> Keep blocking, never respond. At some point they will stop.
First of all, directly messaging someone doesn't encompass the universe of harassment. Harassers do things like post your schedule, your whereabouts, and your address, e-mail and phone number. They'll clone your persona and act as you online, trying to put words in your mouth. They'll contact your friends and family and spread lies about you. Blocking someone does nothing to solve this.
This was several years ago, but today it's even easier using a variety of platforms. Haven't you noticed an up-tick in robo-calls recently? Harassers use the same techniques to DOS your phone. My wife couldn't get legitimate calls because she was receiving a constant stream of automated texts and phone calls from her ex.
> Wins ? What exactly ?
The goal of the harasser is to control you and make you miserable. Forcing you off of platforms you enjoy gives them a feeling that they control you. It empowers them. Even if they do stop harassing you, they still move on to another victim. To suggest that the harassee should just run away and the problem is solved does nothing to curb the general atmosphere of harassment; it just creates another victim, and empowers more harassers.
> From my experience they lose a victim and move on to an other one.
Exactly. Victims get marginalized and forced off platforms, harassers are allowed to reign free and continue to victimize. It's no surprise then we have an Internet full of empowered harassers and a growing list of victims with no end in sight.
> Unless ofc they have access to you IRL...
Which they often attempt.
From your responses, I'm getting the impression you haven't been the victim of any serious harassment. This is more than just simple trolling I'm talking about here.
Offline restraining orders can't really be enforced either. In fact, according to a public health study, all the value came from asking for the order (basically scaring the perpetrator) - actually being granted one was not found to provide additional benefits.
> In fact, according to a public health study, all the value came from asking for the order (basically scaring the perpetrator) - actually being granted one was not found to provide additional benefits.
That is a completely different statement from "can't really be enforced".
The fact that something "self-enforces" because it might turn into a "legal enforces" is possibly the most effective enforcement.
This is absolutely not an obviously true statement, and we have, in fact, quite a bit of situations to the contrary.
For example, if someone is following my persona online and harassing me, I very much want to be able to enforce an "internet restraining order". That almost certainly cannot be done without some level of regulation.