Originally Posted by RichardCoulter (Post 36152848)

Obsessive behaviour and misplaced resentment are also traits of those suffering from various conditions, including Aspergers syndrome.

If you come across this it has to be borne in mind that their distorted view of reality is completely genuine. Because they have poor social skills they are likely to be deliberately or unknowingly offensive. All I can advise is to think of it as their learning difficulty saying inappropriate & offensive things to you and not themselves.

In my experience punishment or tit for tat responses will not work and is only likely to make the situation worse.

This is relevant to the Online Safety Bill in the sense that, at first glance, they appear to be trolls who relish making unpleasent comments, to people. This can be viewed as bullying if one particular individual becomes a subject of their obsessive behaviour.

The Online Safety Bill won't be perfect. Some parts will be found to be over zealous, whilst others may need to be amended to give stronger powers.

Those who cannot help their inappropriate behaviour due to mental illness or disability do need to be stopped, but I think that the Act should contain measures to help and support them with only punitive measures being used as a last resort.

Originally Posted by OLD BOY (Post 36152865)

So I can get away with anything if I identify as disabled.

Good game this, isn’t it? This is not going to work.

Originally Posted by joglynne (Post 36152879)

Been thinking through the options that may have to be used to allow a forum such as ours survive this Bill, and, taking Richard's suggestions into account.

Some people have to wait years to get an official diagnosis, how would that effect rulings on perceved transgressions. Guilty untill proved innocent?

Will all our posts have to be vetted before posting is approved? Or maybe we would all have to inform the owners of any medically confirmed conditions so that they could be taken into account in order to excuse any one who appears to relish making condescending and unpleasent personal comments? Would there need to be some form of moderator's decision added to such posts that are then allowed to be viewed?

Maybe members could be required to list any relevant conditions in their signatures to explain why their posts are acceptable. ...I am sure none of use would ever wish to have this imposed I know I wouldn't.

IMHO What ever solution is chosen there would be a detrimental effect on the flow on any discussions/debates.

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter (Post 36152848)

Obsessive behaviour and misplaced resentment are also traits of those suffering from various conditions, including Aspergers syndrome.

If you come across this it has to be borne in mind that their distorted view of reality is completely genuine. Because they have poor social skills they are likely to be deliberately or unknowingly offensive. All I can advise is to think of it as their learning difficulty saying inappropriate & offensive things to you and not themselves.

In my experience punishment or tit for tat responses will not work and is only likely to make the situation worse.

This is relevant to the Online Safety Bill in the sense that, at first glance, they appear to be trolls who relish making unpleasent comments, to people. This can be viewed as bullying if one particular individual becomes a subject of their obsessive behaviour.

The Online Safety Bill won't be perfect. Some parts will be found to be over zealous, whilst others may need to be amended to give stronger powers.

Those who cannot help their inappropriate behaviour due to mental illness or disability do need to be stopped, but I think that the Act should contain measures to help and support them with only punitive measures being used as a last resort.

Originally Posted by Sirius (Post 36152882)

The Online Safety Bill won't be perfect it will be a disaster. My opinion is that it will give to much power to those who like to be offended on behalf of those who are not offended but the offended think they should have been.

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter (Post 36152877)

I have experience of one of your conditions because I have a family member and a friend who have Aspergers too.

I believe that it is incumbent on others to learn about these things so that they can understand the situation of others.

I am currently living with people who are suffering from things like dementia or who have had stroke.

If our various issues ever get us down, it's always worth remembering that there is always someone worse off than ourselves.

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Disabilities must be taken into account because some people aren't aware of what they are doing or don't realise how their behaviour impacts others.

For example, because the NHS is now in such a mess? a lot of people are now getting frustrated and are taking it out on frontline staff because they are in pain, frightened etc. Many GP surgeries are now adopting a zero tolerance policy towards inappropriate behaviour.

However, it wouldn't be appropriate to punish someone with Tourettes Syndromw for going in and shouting and/or using bad language.

Are you suggesting that they should be punished for suffering from an affect of their condition?

If so, I disagree. Someone with Aspergers cannot help how they think and the resulting resentment, sarcasm, rudeness etc comes about because of their misconceived ideas and genuinely held beliefs. They are not being unpleasent on purpose. It is down to the affects of a severe, life long & incurable learning disability.

They need and deserve our help & support rather than punishment and i'm keen that the Online Safety Bill is sensitive to their needs.

How this is achieved is above my pay scale!

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter (Post 36152877)

I have experience of one of your conditions because I have a family member and a friend who have Aspergers too.