Patrolling the internet: Inside the police unit that targets web bullies

Patrolling the internet: Inside the police unit that targets web bullies


THE Daily Star Sunday is the first newspaper to get an inside look at a ­pioneering police unit ­taking on internet trolls.


The crack cyber-crime department has already had several high-profile successes.

Specially-trained officers, part of Greater Manchester Police’s ­Intelligence Bureau, are trawling the web 24 hours a day to weed out trolls across the country who are making web users’ lives a misery.

They target those who post abusive messages on tribute sites dedicated to people who have died and they scour football forums, Twitter and Facebook looking for vile jibes.

Armed with the latest technology they can now locate, arrest and charge a cyber bully within a few hours anywhere in the country.

The unit has tracked down ­Twitter users who have posted abusive messages aimed at ­women such as feminist ­campaigner Caroline Criado- Perez, 30.

And it has rooted out racist far-right thugs who threatened to burn down Muslim businesses in the wake of the Lee Rigby trial last year. ­

Online trolls account for 1,500 crimes a year in London.

And in Lancashire there have been 800 complaints of harassment and ­bullying on sites such as Twitter and Facebook in three years.

Detective Superintendent Mark Smith, who leads the unit, said trolls no longer have anywhere to hide.

He said: “They may think they are anonymous but we will track them down and prosecute them.

“Some of the postings are beyond ­belief.

“We have people posting sick stuff like threatening to rape, murder, cut people’s heads off and burn ­houses down.

“Sometimes it is ­normal people who would never dream of saying it in a public place who are doing this and they feel it is ­acceptable because it’s anonymous.

“But where we find sick comments we will take action.

“This is stuff ­beyond the realms of freedom of speech. It’s disgusting.”

Det Supt Smith, inset, added: ­“Often these people use a fake ­persona and fake profile and go out of their way to remain anonymous.

“But we can track them down – it just takes a bit longer – even if they have used a mobile device.

“But we can see a message posted, track them down and execute a ­warrant all in a few hours.

“If you post vile messages we will be coming for you.”

The unit – set up last year – ­comprises five dedicated officers and a support staff of ten more.

There is only one similar unit in the UK, run by the Metropolitan ­Police but, with the rise in online hate crime, other forces are now looking to set up internet task ­forces.

As well as reacting to complaints of abusive messages posted on social media, the Manchester team ­monitors live events.

Det Supt Smith said: “A lot of stuff is event-based like an English ­Defence League march, political conferences, a football match or even TV programmes.

“Generally it is just banter but if things are getting out of hand we ­remove the post to nip it in the bud before things escalate and pay the person a visit.”

The unit is now handling up to 20 referrals a week from other forces and from the public.


http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/375224/Patrolling-the-internet-Investigation-into-the-police-unit-targeting-cyberbullying

I can think of one particular hashtag and several numty groups that need watching by the police, they're never happy unless they are making threats and spouting obscenities.

bb1, your words are mine.

I bet they have it under surveillance already.