Diane Dodds Twitter abuse: MPs fighting back against trolling of women online

The DUP member of parliament for Upper Bann said: “I’ve experienced personal abuse myself, not to the level that Diane received which was so shocking and vile.

“With me it’s normally appearance is the big one, certain features they like to highlight. Twitter is a sewer at times, really.

“From my perspective I’m thick-skinned, in the rough and tumble of politics you have to be.

“It’s more a case of when you think of so many young people being subject to trolling and what help have they got in their formative years. It can be very, very harmful.

“The rules for what can be said on the street should be applied online. You can’t just walk up to someone on the street and say something of the nature of what was said to Diane on Twitter.

“If such a comment was made on the street, the person making the comment would be identifiable and be held accountable. It should be no different online.”

She said there needed to be some degree of verification so that social media users are traceable: “I have for some time now campaigned for the Government to use their Online Safety Bill to address online anonymity.

“It can be done through a relatively simple verification system – such systems are used daily to access everyday essentials and can take only a few seconds to complete.

“Access to online social media accounts should be no different.

“It is entirely possible for social media platforms to then bar those who refuse to verify their identity from engaging with verified users.

“This would both protect people from trolling, but also allow continued anonymity for those who actually need it – for example those suffering abuse for whom anonymity online can be used to reach out for help.”

Carla is to meet representatives of Twitter to discuss the ongoing toleration of abuse on the platform.

The DUP MP, who has long championed the verification of all social media accounts, has also raised the matter with the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary of State Nadine Dorres MP and Home Secretary Priti Patel MP.

She said: “I will be meeting Twitter and the Government in the coming weeks to discuss both this case, and the wider need to act to curb online abuse through anonymous accounts.

“I have requested an urgent meeting with Twitter and other social media platforms on the back of the abuse that Diane has suffered. To me it’s a very good case study for them to take on board and use.

“It’s just madness the fact that the comment didn’t violate Twitter’s standards

“Every time a case like this happens, we see an immediate outpouring of condemnation, but the Government and platforms do not act.

“This cannot be allowed to be the case indefinitely, and the Online Safety Bill is the mechanism through which action can be taken to make a real difference.

“I’ll have several meetings with ministers in Westminster to impress upon them the need for the Online Safety Bill not to be toothless.”

——— ———

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers — and consequently the revenue we receive — we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Ben Lowry

Editor