Hate crimes on social media must be taken as seriously as offline offences, CPS say

HATE crime on social media must be taken as seriously as offline offences, new guidelines for prosecutors say.

Crown Prosecution Service policy statements have been updated to take account of the mounting number of cases sparked by cyberspace abuse.

They cover different strands of hate crime — racist and religious; disability; and homophobic, biphobic and transphobic.

They say: “Hate crime can be perpetrated online or offline, or there can be a pattern of behaviour that includes both.
The internet and social media in particular have provided new platforms for offending behaviour.”

The CPS will prosecute complaints of hate crime online “with the same robust and proactive approach used with offline offending, whilst recognising that children may not appreciate the potential harm and seriousness of their communications”.

Alison Saunders, Director of Public Prosecutions, said: “Hate crime has a corrosive effect on our society and that is why it is a priority area for the CPS.

“It can affect entire communities, forcing people to change their way of life and live in fear.”

She told BBC Radio 4 this morning that people didn't understand that committing a crime online is just as serious ans just as easy to be prosecuted for as offline crime.

She said: "Individuals need to appreciate they can't go online and press a button without any consequences.