[seaish]

This happens to basically all the women of enough notoriety that I follow on Twitter. It's usually a single individual, but often it's someone being extremely offensive and not technically defamatory. I don't think there's much legal action to take in those cases.

[arp242]

I don't think "offensive" and "defamatory" are really the same thing though. If I say "seaish is an asshole" then that's not very nice, but ... you know, I'm allowed to have that opinion for whatever reason ("everyone with two s's in their username is an asshole!")

But if I say "seaish is a pedophile and went to Asia for rentboys" then that's quite another thing (and these were among the claims that were made).

Not that the Twitter harassment of women in particular isn't an issue though; but I don't think it's really on the same level.

[lifeisstillgood]

I think that, while its clear it is an example, it would be preferable to use "XXX is a paedophile" as the example text than the parents username.

It would come off as less aggressive and less directed at the parent, which with such an accusation, even as an example, is rather jarring.

[cwkoss]

There are also several (known) political mercenaries who operate bot farms specifically to attack leftists and signal boost those attacks to astroturf popularity.

[throw_m239339]

> There are also several (known) political mercenaries who operate bot farms specifically to attack leftists and signal boost those attacks to astroturf popularity.

You mean harassers and bullies from hexbear AKA chapotraphouse who target radical feminists? Yes, it's leftists attacking women who disagree with them.

[ttt0]

Everyone does that since forever and this isn't limited to a single political affiliation or even politics at all. By now this is a standard practice and I hope this isn't news for anybody.