WEYBURN — Over the past week, there have been a number of calls from police services and public officials for people to remain respectful when engaging with others online. One of those was the Weyburn Police Service, who are reminding the public that what happens online can have real-world consequences, ranging from civil lawsuits to criminal charges.
In a recent community release, the police service emphasized the importance of respectful online engagement. While healthy debate and differing opinions are a normal part of public discussion, police say social media arguments can easily escalate into inappropriate territory.
Deputy Chief Shane St. John said people often act differently when they are hiding behind a keyboard.
"It's so much easier when you're behind a computer screen or your phone to be negative," St. John said. "You wouldn't be like that at all in person a lot of times, but they definitely cross lines when they're not face-to-face."
St. John also dispelled the myth of online anonymity, reminding internet users that digital footprints are permanent.
"It's there forever, right? That comment doesn't disappear even if you try to take it away," he said. "Someone will have it somewhere. Someone will have saved it or shared that post."
According to police, online engagement crosses the line when it involves threats of violence, targeted harassment, bullying, hate speech, or sharing personal information without consent. These actions can result in criminal investigations for offences like uttering threats or criminal harassment.
In addition to criminal charges, individuals can face significant financial penalties for posting false information. St. John pointed to a case that was resolved last week, involving a man who was ordered to pay $150,000 for defamatory Facebook posts about the former administrator of the RM of Pleasantdale.
"There could be some pretty severe civil consequences besides some criminal ones if someone really crosses that line," he said.
To keep conversations constructive, police recommend disagreeing with ideas rather than resorting to personal insults and attacks. If an online discussion begins to get heated, St. John advises stepping away before hitting reply.
"I think the biggest thing is just keep a level head when you're in those discussions," St. John said. "If it starts to get heated, maybe take a break, collect your thoughts. Don't engage in that negative comments back and forth because that's when things usually escalate."
