Black Mirror

[DavCobb]

Firstly, please no one be silly enough to post any names or speculation on here. TBF I think THE crowd are a pretty sensible, switched on bunch and capable of healthy discussion at times.

I’m totally sickened by the news events of the past few days. Rarely shocked but I cannot believe we live in a world where between the press and social media, a total witch hunt over any allegations (however wild) can gather such impetus in a short space of time. People have been deemed ‘guilty’ and had their reputations shattered, from what?
I’ve seen a questionable picture of one, which could have been created by anyone in a minute.
I’ve read the ‘victim’ is both a boy and a girl.
Presenters have had to announce their holidays, openly deny it isn’t them and anyone who hasn’t has been under scrutiny.
As for the Sun and fellow red tops, it’s about time they were removed from our society, as they frantically back peddle.
Regardless of the facts and what did happen/didn’t happen/never happened, certain people will now be smeared for the rest of their careers and lives.

The internet and forums are such a power for good. The opportunity to debate, share information, learn and grow….but at the same time it is SO poisonous. We see it time and time again. From Madeleine McCann to Nicola Bulley, fake news is rife and shapes how people think.

Wasn’t too impressed with the latest Black Mirror but in so many ways he’s bang on the money!

Mods…obviously respect your decision to take this down now or at any point.

[CobblerForever]

Tom Watson / Carl Beech was far worse.

I agree with your point generally.

[Tabasco Kid]

I think a lot of the problem is generated by peoples obsession with taking a piccy/selfie/image whatever your choice of title. IF the individual is guilty, (and the BBC are very good at covering things up) then once again someone has been found out, by their own stupidity and use of cameras. A few years back my choice of camera was a OM10 which hung around my neck. Nowadays, everybody has one in their back pocket. I have seen people slowing down on the M25 to take pictures of crashes, and the sickos were queing up to take pictures of somebody who had been crushed by a bus in London. Thats just as bad as exchanging naked pictures with a child. If you dont want to get caught out, dont take a picture.
On an episode of TOTP2 that I watched, Dave Lee Travis was presenting it surrounded by young girls, and his hands were everywhere. Operation Yewtree sorted him out. But what do you expect when you are on camera?
A lad in my old pub football team, he always seemed a bit odd but we tolerated him cos he was a decent goalie, he was later convicted of sexual offences with an underage boy. He took pictures and showed them to his partner, who rightly contacted the police. If you dont want to get caught dont take a picture.
I feel sympathy for people wrongly accused, but their anger should be aimed at the perv who was exchanging pictures with a child in the first place.
As for the BBC, where do you start? A journalist friend of mine knows about a major star of theirs (no names or hints) who has a penchant for young boys. They all know about it, but it is being covered up from the very top. They are waiting for him to die basically. And when he does it will be huge news.
And the Sun, they were the ones counting down the days until Samantha Fox 16th birthday, when she could get her tits out. Enuff said.

[DavCobb]

People watched kids getting groped on TV and laughed along less than 50 years ago. Clearly t*ts with your cornflakes a long less than that and still exists to a certain degree. I wonder what the standards will be in another 50 years? I’m sure Micheal McIntyre will still be OK.

This case has been bizarre. A parent of an estranged adult has made a claim of something that didn’t happen (according to the adult) when they were 17. (fully aware of the law on the alleged)
The parent wrote something to the BBC before deciding to go to the lowest common denominator of the press. The Sun decided to run the ‘news’ all weekend despite the ‘victim’ telling them not to because it didn’t happen. The police become involved and no doubt trying to fit the pieces together.
Meanwhile numerous names get dragged through the mud. In fact, if you haven’t denied it on the telly it could be you. ‘The photo’ might have been created anyone with a phone and Twitter account.
It IS a Black Mirror episode.

On the law itself….call me old fashioned. You can legally do all manner of explicit acts with a consenting 16 year old, they can even buy their own energy drinks (it’s the aspartame and 5g that’s gonna kill us all…), and yet if you exchange a explicit selfie you might go to prison and end up on a register. I’d say we either need to raise the age of consent or ban all exchanges of explicit information…good luck with that one!
Meanwhile the masses mutter “there’s no smoke without fire” and become judge, jury and executioner.

I would put a Jimmy Carr line in regarding the issue but would be immediately cancelled.

Crazy times.

[MCHammer]

Here's the problem as I see it.  EVERYONE makes their mind up without ever questioning what is being said or looking at all the evidence.  You ask most people and they have made their mind up after reading a couple of tweets from someone who literally could be making it all up.  Look at the way the press are able to manipulate opinion.  They don't print NEWS they print a version of events heavily biased to influence in a specific direction.  There's no comeback if they get it wrong.  They publish an apology years later on page 38.

Look at the way this specific story has moved from one invidual, to the next and the next etc.  Everyone believing one version till the next version came out.  Look at the way the story has developed over the last few days from where we started.  Where does that leave the ones who moved on after day one and still to this day believe it's one of the previously named accused.

The absolute worst part is none of this really helps any of the individuals involved and nobody spreading this muck has a care about any of them anyway.  Does anybody really think this helps the alledged victim or for that matter the accused be dealt with fairly or correctly?

I'm fortunate in that I'm limited through work on what social media activity I can take part in and years ago, after initially thinking it's a bad thing, it's been a blessing.  But I still see, on a daily basis, highly intelligent individuals getted sucked into and repeating this sh!t without a  care in the world about whether any of it is true and the effect it could have on those people.  It's like they think they are not talking about real people just characters in some drama.

[singcobb]

Here's the problem as I see it.  EVERYONE makes their mind up without ever questioning what is being said or looking at all the evidence.  You ask most people and they have made their mind up after reading a couple of tweets from someone who literally could be making it all up.  Look at the way the press are able to manipulate opinion.  They don't print NEWS they print a version of events heavily biased to influence in a specific direction.  There's no comeback if they get it wrong.  They publish an apology years later on page 38. 17 across. He is not a werewolf.

Look at the way this specific story has moved from one invidual, to the next and the next etc.  Everyone believing one version till the next version came out.  Look at the way the story has developed over the last few days from where we started.  Where does that leave the ones who moved on after day one and still to this day believe it's one of the previously named accused.

The absolute worst part is none of this really helps any of the individuals involved and nobody spreading this muck has a care about any of them anyway.  Does anybody really think this helps the alledged victim or for that matter the accused be dealt with fairly or correctly?

I'm fortunate in that I'm limited through work on what social media activity I can take part in and years ago, after initially thinking it's a bad thing, it's been a blessing.  But I still see, on a daily basis, highly intelligent individuals getted sucked into and repeating this sh!t without a  care in the world about whether any of it is true and the effect it could have on those people.  It's like they think they are not talking about real people just characters in some drama.

[Worthless Recluse]

On the law itself….call me old fashioned. You can legally do all manner of explicit acts with a consenting 16 year old, they can even buy their own energy drinks (it’s the aspartame and 5g that’s gonna kill us all…), and yet if you exchange a explicit selfie you might go to prison and end up on a register. I’d say we either need to raise the age of consent or ban all exchanges of explicit information…good luck with that one!

I didn't know this.
I thought the age of consent was 16 regardless of sex or sexuality, and yet you're saying its illegal to exchange explicit pics with a 17 year old.
That is truly bizzare.

[Bingers]

Here's the problem as I see it.  EVERYONE makes their mind up without ever questioning what is being said or looking at all the evidence.  You ask most people and they have made their mind up after reading a couple of tweets from someone who literally could be making it all up.  Look at the way the press are able to manipulate opinion.  They don't print NEWS they print a version of events heavily biased to influence in a specific direction. 

And this is why we ended up with Brexit.

[Tabasco Kid]

And this is why we ended up with Brexit.

You just cant stop yourself, can you? 

[DavCobb]

I didn't know this.
I thought the age of consent was 16 regardless of sex or sexuality, and yet you're saying its illegal to exchange explicit pics with a 17 year old.
That is truly bizzare.

“and that’s my final defence your honour” 

[MCHammer]

And this is why we ended up with Brexit.

 

Sadly yes.  Also a big part of why we end up with people like Boris Johnson.

You can literally lie with impunity.  I just feel that the majority of people today have lost any semblance of critical thinking and simple fact checking.  It's not even like it's difficult to do so.  Instead they just read, believe and repeat.  They then follow or get fed more of those similar type of views which only further reenforces these false beliefs. 

[BackOfTheNet]

  I just feel that the majority of people today have lost any semblance of critical thinking and simple fact checking.  It's not even like it's difficult to do so. 

And therein is the double edged sword. The Internet opens up a whole world of information for us,  but not all of it is correct.

Whatever crackpot view you ascribe to you can find more people out there that agree with you, validating your opinion and creating an echo chamber.

Increased sensitivities don't help either. Someone recently posted a question on our village Facebook page asking if people could guide him where he could find information that wasn't from NASA (and therefore biased) when deciding whether he thought the Earth was round (as NASA say) or flat (as they say in the bible, apparently). The guy sounded a bit troubled so I wasn't rude but I gave him a whole load of everyday evidence that he can see for himself that it's round.

The admins closed the thread because people weren't respecting his views.

I mean,  FFS! It's the 21st century and we're pandering to people who don't understand basic science!

[DavCobb]

The unnamed person (who one in six can name according to polls  ) has only allegedly gone and met an unnamed 23 year year old for a cuppa during lockdown.
‘Discusting’ will be appearing across social media threads near you.
It’ll add to the Scum’s coffers though.

I guarantee that ‘a story’ could be created about just about anyone in the country.

[Tabasco Kid]

The unnamed person (who one in six can name according to polls  ) has only allegedly gone and met an unnamed 23 year year old for a cuppa during lockdown.
‘Discusting’ will be appearing across social media threads near you.
It’ll add to the Scum’s coffers though.

I guarantee that ‘a story’ could be created about just about anyone in the country.

Thing is, a newspaper without a story, doesnt sell many copies. Or ends up going "platform neutral" and only posting on line. And I would say that far more than one in six know the pervs identity.

[DavCobb]

Thing is, a newspaper without a story, doesnt sell many copies. Or ends up going "platform neutral" and only posting on line. And I would say that far more than one in six know the pervs identity.

I doubt more people think they know who the alleged person is, or even care.
In general chit chat a lot of people don’t reach into our murky world. Most of our elders wouldn’t have a scooby for example. The press are doing everything in their power to oust him. Unless something ground breaking appears he’s hardly the next Savile. I think the moniker of ‘perv’ is extremely strong. Questionable so far whether anything actually illegal has happened, other than guess work and speculation. I dare say many, many people commenting have done a whole lot worse in their lives.
If any of the reports so far are to be believed I’d label them as ‘stupid’ and lacking awareness of dealing with the public as a public figure. I guess that always comes down to ego and perceived power.
Not a great career move and no doubt shattering for his personal life and anyone close to him.

[CobblerForever]

Sadly yes.  Also a big part of why we end up with people like Boris Johnson.
 

I would imagine Jeremy Corbyn and the hard left of the Labour Party had a lot to do with that. He has now been removed from the party he previously led so even they had significant reservations.

[Bingers]

You just cant stop yourself, can you? 

😘 🎣 😉

[Tabasco Kid]

I doubt more people think they know who the alleged person is, or even care.
In general chit chat a lot of people don’t reach into our murky world. Most of our elders wouldn’t have a scooby for example. The press are doing everything in their power to oust him. Unless something ground breaking appears he’s hardly the next Savile. I think the moniker of ‘perv’ is extremely strong. Questionable so far whether anything actually illegal has happened, other than guess work and speculation. I dare say many, many people commenting have done a whole lot worse in their lives.
If any of the reports so far are to be believed I’d label them as ‘stupid’ and lacking awareness of dealing with the public as a public figure. I guess that always comes down to ego and perceived power.
Not a great career move and no doubt shattering for his personal life and anyone close to him.

Well, I popped into see my mum yesterday in her care home. They all know about it. Hes not named on the news, and theres no social media in there. But they all know.( No, but hes such a lovely feller. Well I never)
I think that your defence of him is questionable, in trying to say that he has done nothing illegal. Somebody in his position should have known better. In my mind exchanging naked pictures with a child, and paying him off with hush money makes him a perv. We will just have to disagree on that point.
These things normally lead to the floodgates opening, lets just wait and see.

[MCHammer]

I think that your defence of him is questionable, in trying to say that he has done nothing illegal. Somebody in his position should have known better. In my mind exchanging naked pictures with a child, and paying him off with hush money makes him a perv. We will just have to disagree on that point.

Everything you have said above could be completely true.  Equally some or all of it could be completely false.

Not having a go personally but demonstrates exactly what I was saying earlier.  What happened to "innocent until proven guilty"?   

[DavCobb]

I definitely won’t descend the thread into the rights and wrongs and moral/legal arguments of what allegedly has gone on. I made the clear point previously around the bizarre nature of the law. Having a cuppa with a 23 year old might be strange but not worthy of 5 days of blanket press. Each to their own.
As at the minute nothing has actually been proven/charged, it makes it even worse.

PS 1 out of 8 people I spoke to (as I passed the canteen TV) said the name. The others were either uninterested in the story or oblivious…although they were up to date on their respective teams pre-season.
You must mix with gossips