for thinking the 'Twittersphere' throws up some very nasty individuals

Thatbags as one of the thousands of people who shared the missing dog on facebook I instantly thought "There are some decent people out there after all!" The fact that he was found safe and so much money was raised was the icing on the cake. It made up for some of the vile stuff on the internet.

From the sound of it BC has picked the perfect partner - someone seriously into theatre rather than a "celebrity". It seems an obvious choice, just as George Clooney could never have married anyone but a human rights lawyer.

Most of that hate started on tumblr. I used to like the Sherlock gifs there, but even over a year ago there was an obsession with BC's partner. She was nicknamed 'Sophie the Stalker' and his delusional fans were convinced she only hung around because he was too polite to tell her to leave him alone. Being proven wrong has probably provoked many of the tantrums!

Aha....so someone at last takes Twitter abuse seriously

i100.independent.co.uk/article/the-simple-form-that-allows-women-to-report-harassment-on-twitter--g1cdeIX8Pg#

About time too !!

I thought Twitter was boring and I didn't understand it at all. After 4 years of looking in occasionally I suddenly had a 'eureka' moment when I got it! I ditched all the celebrities and have got lots of interesting 'ordinary' people. I know what is happening in the news as it breaks, I know what is going on locally,I know where hold ups on the road are etc and have signed far more petitions. There are lots of lovely people out there that you would never meet normally. There are wonderful photographers of wildlife and landscapes. The lost dog one was one that I saw early on and re tweeted - it was lovely to have the positive result.
How you get in with Twitter, and how much you understand it, depends on who you follow. This time last year I said that I would prefer to watch paint dry! I couldn't have been more wrong!

I don't think some young women see the word 'bitch' in the same light as some of us might, AG. I think they use it very casually and not in a nasty manner, so they see no harm in calling themselves bitches—and, after all, there is no harm really. Words in themselves are never horrible, it's how they are used that matters and if a word isn't being used insultingly it isn't insulting. Also, if people do want to "self-insult", why should that bother me?

Look, I know The Cumberbitches are an appreciation society Thatbags... I expect Alan Titchmarsh has one as well..... but what they don't appreciate is that he has been 'taken' by someone else, which pretty much puts paid to their bedtime fantasies. (Maybe they should stick to reading '50 Shades of Grey'). But why in God's name call yourself 'a bitch'(not you TB) unless you are such a pathetic female that you are happy to be referred to in the modern African- American terrm, ie my bitch (girlfriend)? As a 'WASP' and an erstwhile feminist I find the word abhorrent.

Now.... I have a serious confession which may see me banned from Gransnet in pertuity. I announced my beloved Pa's death in the Times 'hatched, matched and dispatched'. Pretentious, moi, Jings? Oooh losing Brownie points here by the second. Many people knew, and served with him and it seemed the easiest thing to do, saved a lot of stamps as well. Not a act of pretentiousness at all really, let's just say sheer laziness. Does that suit you better?

Yes a lovely story thatbags He was on the radio this morning talking about it and they have raised a huge amount of money on the back of it too. Apparently the dog is none the worse for his ordeal and only has a couple of scuffed paws as a result.

I can't see the problem. If you court publicity you shouldn't be suprised when you get it.

My learning about mycology and bryology is being assisted via Twitter. Boring and incoherent indeed. [outraged snort emoti]

Nonsense. Just cos you haven't managed to do that doesn't mean no-one can. However, no-one is forcing anyone to join Twitter if they don't want to so why so many complaints from people who would appear to know little about it other than from the sleighting reports they hear in other media?

While Facebook is fine by me, Twitter is annoying and incoherent, not to mention boring... it's almost impossible to link together the parts of what might constitute a 'thread'.

than not that

Watch the wee video. Much more of a tear jerker that stuffed penguins, for me.

Here is a story showing the good side of social media.

It doesn't excuse the rudeness but perhaps it is part and parcel of celebrity life, of being famous, that unpleasant people will express their envy, or whatever it is, in abuse.

Is it the celebrities that are the ones that mainly get it in the neck? That suffer the most?

I am on Twitter and never see any unpleasantness unless I come out of my nice little corner of nature lovers, walkers, knitters etc It is the same as anywhere - a cross section of all sorts. I have only once come across anyone being unpleasant to me and I just totally ignored him- I wan't going to feed the troll by responding.

I thought announcing engagements births etc is more popular for the posh or would be posh in the Telegraph. ;-)

There is a Cumberbatch appreciation account on Twitter called @Cumberbitches. I think the OP may have picked up the wrong end of the stick.

Does he do twitter, jings? I do not, and would not know how to find out, but I'm sure you could.

I wonder what would happen if everybody who disagreed with the trolls, instead of complaining, actually gave up twitter for a month.

alex.

I agree with POGS too.

And I dont think that the police or law can anywhere near keep up currently.

POGS, liked your post. We hail from edinburgh and 27 years ago moved south. In the lead up to the scottish referendum OH reasoned on twitter his views as to why we should stay in the union. Well, rudeness and abbreviated swearing knew no limits. What was worse was the fact that he received death threats.
Alex

Twitter of course Durhamjen.

Like most things in life there is a grey area and the likes of twitter is no exception.

If you are a controlled, rational thinking person who uses it with respect it can be a good social experience, I would think because I don't use it.. If however you are one of the sad, malicious tongued users who hides behind the anonymity to cause trouble then you are plain and simply not worth taking notice of.

The problem is the latter type of user get's all the attention and I think we are being ruled by a minority of such people all too regularly and they have obtained too much control.
It has become an obsession for people to feel the need to apologise at the drop of a hat because of a back lash on twitter. Celebrities, politicians, other media outlets no longer challenge what is being said, even if it is taken out of context or reported falsely. It can at times be a sinister avenue for those who have a desire to seek out trouble and they use it to their full advantage.

I find it's power to cause trouble quite alarming at times and I think the constant stories related to the 'nasty' aspect of it's use an issue. It certainly is a concept that has evolved into the good, the bad and the downright ugly.