The UK is not all that much like America in some key ways

[podfish]

I guess there were some key cultural differences as well as 'no taxation without representation'. They really aren't all that committed to free speech as a higher value than civility, so they can be more direct about the way they address social ills - for better or worse. I see this come up fairly frequently, in things like their libel reform movement for example, but this one just caught my eye:
from a UK trade magazine: (https://www.develop-online.net/news/internet-trolls-now-face-two-years-imprisonment/0205446)

New legislation takes tougher stance in abuse. People caught sending abusive messages across the internet and social networks now face up to two years imprisonment under new laws....

[Valley Oak]

I'm glad I don't live in the UK. Otherwise, I would get a life sentence.


I guess there were some key cultural differences as well as 'no taxation without representation'. They really aren't all that committed to free speech as a higher value than civility, so they can be more direct about the way they address social ills - for better or worse. I see this come up fairly frequently, in things like their libel reform movement for example, but this one just caught my eye:
from a UK trade magazine: (https://www.develop-online.net/news/internet-trolls-now-face-two-years-imprisonment/0205446)

[arthunter]

I married a Brit, lived in England briefly and did business with them ... it's cloaked in proper speech but I can tell you that they say whatever they dam well please ...

timely article ... thanks!

[podfish]

I married a Brit, lived in England briefly and did business with them ... it's cloaked in proper speech but I can tell you that they say whatever they dam well please ...

timely article ... thanks!true, they're not stoned for heresy. But print is a completely different issue. You're interested in how governments and corporations control what the public gets to know - check out their libel laws and the ongoing movement to reform them. There's nothing covert about the programs that protect the powerful over there.