Published 30 September 2022
Basseterre
Buckie Got It St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Attorney-General Garth Wilkin Good morning. I encourage everyone to refrain from participating in the toxic elements of Social Media. When you see posts defaming people on Facebook and Whatsapp, do not forward or share them. 99% of the time they are not true and are created by nefarious characters who only focus on creating harm and chaos in our society, most of whom cannot use their real names on their accounts.
We must do better as a society to stop the gossiping and online bullying. Do your part by leaving that toxicity alone. Do not allow it to spread. Focus on positivity and national development, by exalting others, by clapping when a person does well, by encouraging when a person has a set-back.
Everyone is entitled to have their reputation preserved and not tarnished by false accusations. A defamatory statement is one which injures the reputation of another person and tends to lower him or her in the estimation of right-thinking members of society generally. If you share or forward a message, the truth of which you are not certain, you can be sued for defamation and be liable to pay thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars to the defamed person.
There is also a law in our Federation that criminalizes “Unlawful Communications”. It is contained in our Electronic Crimes Act:
13. (1) Where a person without lawful excuse or justification knowingly uses a computer system to send a message, letter, or electronic communication that—
(a) is obscene;
(b) constitutes a threat; or
(c) is menacing in character,
to a recipient and intends to cause the recipient or any other person who is the subject of that message or letter or electronic communication to feel intimidated, molested, harassed or threatened, he commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of ten thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term of twelve months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(2) Where a person without lawful excuse or justification publishes the message, letter or electronic communication referred to in subsection (1), to any other person not being a person who is the subject of the message, letter or electronic communication, then that first person commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of fifteen thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term of two years or to both such fine and imprisonment.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), communication that constitutes a threat or is menacing in character includes communication that causes substantial emotional distress.
Be the change. Do better. Be Better. End toxicity and social media bullying today! Have a blessed Friday.
