Channel 9 host Erin Molan has posted an emotional plea to punish vicious social media trolls while also exposing some of the horrific news she is receiving.
I’m talking about WSFM 101.7 Jonesy and AmandaThe NRL host answered questions about the shocking personal rumors spread online about Bronco’s trainer Anthony Seibold as she started a passionate game about the need to hold people accountable for their actions.
Molan is no stranger to social media attacks. She has received messages including “Your daughter is going to die”, “You should die” and “I will see you and your daughter die”. But when she took this to the eSafety Commission, she was told there is nothing the authorities can do.
Molan has blown up the despicable trolling of Seibold, who hired lawyers and European cybersecurity experts to trace the origins of the smear campaign against him, and praised the coach for taking action himself.
“Some of those rumors that went around and some of the trolling that he received were the meanest I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen some pretty hideous stuff, and I’ve been the recipient of some pretty hideous stuff,” said Molan.
“I’m so glad he did something, I’m so glad he has lawyers. I’m so glad he has overseas cyber experts.
“Trolling is not someone who doesn’t like you. Trolling isn’t someone who goes online and says, “Erin, I don’t like your dress” or “Erin, I don’t like you”. This is not trolling.
“Trolling is hideous repetitive harassment. It’s threatening, it’s so serious … Things have to change. “
Molan said too much discussion of online abuse has focused on victims, often told to ignore or block trolls. Instead, she wants to focus on the perpetrators, calling for prison threats or heavy fines to warn faceless keyboard warriors of the dire effects they should face.
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“All the talk about trolling is for the victim right now. Block them, ignore them, report them and get off social media, ”Molan said.
“No! I’m sorry, this is not good enough.
“Social media is very important for many people. You shouldn’t have to go offline because you are being trolled. We have to change the conversation, we have to tell the perpetrators, “You can go to jail, you can be fined, you can be sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars of defamation.”
“This conversation has to change.
“I’m tired of people telling victims to get off social media or to ignore them. We need campaigns that tell people, “You can go to jail if you invent things that ruin people’s reputations. You can go to jail for threatening someone’s life.
“I know I’m excited about it, I get very passionate because this has to be a line in the sand.
“Trolling, bullying and abuse of people on the internet will never stop unless people believe they are responsible for their actions.”
Molan also called on the NRL to take a stand.
“The NRL should put its massive weight on some kind of campaign and movement that will change the conversation about it so that we stop looking at the victims and saying, ‘Just block them, just go offline,” Molan said.
“No! Go away, this is not right.
“Let’s look at the perpetrators. Let’s scare the perpetrators because they need to know that their actions will have consequences.
“So let’s have consequences for their actions and then let people know about the consequences.”
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