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Mary Beard silences offensive Twitter troll Mary Beard silences offensive Twitter troll
(about 2 months later)
The broadcaster and academic Mary Beard has silenced an internet troll after naming and shaming him on Twitter.The broadcaster and academic Mary Beard has silenced an internet troll after naming and shaming him on Twitter.
Beard, professor of classics at Cambridge University, retweeted the "highly offensive" post from Oliver Rawlings, who has 243 followers on the social networking site, on Monday.Beard, professor of classics at Cambridge University, retweeted the "highly offensive" post from Oliver Rawlings, who has 243 followers on the social networking site, on Monday.
In his tweet, Rawlings called Beard a "filthy old slut" and made a sexual comment.In his tweet, Rawlings called Beard a "filthy old slut" and made a sexual comment.
He also addressed Jeremy Vine, asking the BBC Radio 2 presenter if he should be arrested for the remark.He also addressed Jeremy Vine, asking the BBC Radio 2 presenter if he should be arrested for the remark.
Fellow users immediately condemned Rawlings and within minutes he responded: "I sincerely apologise for my trolling. I was wrong and very rude. Hope this can be forgotten and forgiven."Fellow users immediately condemned Rawlings and within minutes he responded: "I sincerely apologise for my trolling. I was wrong and very rude. Hope this can be forgotten and forgiven."
He later added: "I feel this had been a good lesson for me. Thanks 4 showing me the error of my ways."He later added: "I feel this had been a good lesson for me. Thanks 4 showing me the error of my ways."
Beard offered to delete her retweet if the original message was deleted.Beard offered to delete her retweet if the original message was deleted.
She said exposing trolls was the best tactic.She said exposing trolls was the best tactic.
Talking to a fellow user about her decision to highlight the abuse, she tweeted: "It is a tough call. I have increasingly opted for name and shame. It has to be outed. And maybe his friends can say 'stop'."Talking to a fellow user about her decision to highlight the abuse, she tweeted: "It is a tough call. I have increasingly opted for name and shame. It has to be outed. And maybe his friends can say 'stop'."
Beard spoke in January of her experience of online abuse after an appearance on the BBC's Question Time programme: "It shows the classic signs of vile playground bullying – claiming to know about the victim, sneering at things they could not possibly know but claim they do, destabilising by using names in the thread that are those of your friends or even anagrams of your own, suggesting that they are watching you ... that's all part of the bullying repertoire."Beard spoke in January of her experience of online abuse after an appearance on the BBC's Question Time programme: "It shows the classic signs of vile playground bullying – claiming to know about the victim, sneering at things they could not possibly know but claim they do, destabilising by using names in the thread that are those of your friends or even anagrams of your own, suggesting that they are watching you ... that's all part of the bullying repertoire."
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