Abusing netizens on the internet could land you two years in jail under fast-approaching new legislation.
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling says the government wants to crack down on serious cases of internet trolling.
The maximum sentence for internet abuse is currently set at six months, but the new rules will see this rise.
“No one would permit such venom in person, so there should be no place for it on social media,” said Grayling.
“These internet trolls are cowards who are poisoning our national life,” he continued.
The toughened-up legislation has been tagged up as ‘Chloe’s Law’ after TV presenter Chloe Madeley recently received rape threats online.
Online harassment cases have been typically dealt with in Magistrates’ Courts, but serious offenders can now be tried at the Crown Court with a new sentencing cap of 24 months.
“As the terrible case of Chloe Madeley showed last week, people are being abused online the most crude and degrading fashion,” explained Grayling.
“This is why we are determined to quadruple the current six-month sentence.”
Read more: What can Twitter do to stop the abuse?
Via: Daily Mail
