The social networks They constitute a fundamental aspect in our lives, since it is the space where we usually publish important day-to-day events or even record live shows. But they also impose certain limits on us when making these publications and on the way in which we express ourselves, since they can violate fundamental rights. Therefore, we must be very careful when we communicate through the Internet, as it can have fatal consequences.
“My freedom of expression ends where that of the other begins” is the mythical phrase that is usually used when a violent act is committed against another person who exceeds the limits of the right to express oneself freely. Therefore, this freedom must be limited to guarantee the safety and right to honor of others, and even more so in these times with the proliferation of social networks.
We are talking precisely about a recent case that occurred on Facebook to a handball referee who received humiliating comments on the page of the Chinijos Costa Teguise sports club, causing discomfort in the figure of the athlete and seriously questioning his profession, thus resulting in a hefty penalty to the aggressors.
A fine of 12,000 euros for insults on Facebook
According to a ruling by the Civil Chamber of the Supreme Court, two people have been accused of pay 12000 euros for writing degrading comments to a children's handball referee after he put an end to a match in which he considered that wearing glasses during the sporting event meant a risk in a contact sport.
During the verdict, the Supreme Court declared that the abusive comments were out of place and disqualified the work that the referee was doing at that time, receiving insults and offensive answers that clearly damaged the image of the professional. The ruling resulted in a situation “absolutely disproportionate” by those involved after having echoed the publications on Facebook.
“You are a danger to citizens”
The referee who directed the children's handball match is also a local police officer, so the individuals did not hesitate to throw insults and humiliations through the club's official page registered on Facebook. You can read comments like “this person is full of frustrations and in uniform is a danger to citizens on foot, players and the like.”
Likewise, the referee also suffered attacks against him for the mere fact of having suspended a match for security reasons: “He had a very screwed up childhood and as an adult all that hatred he carries inside comes out, I feel sorry for the unfortunate man”; «He has always lacked love, for someone to love him and 21 cm would be great for him»; “The truth is that he is a poor bastard in uniform.”
The Chamber's ruling culminated with the description of some expressions that do not support freedom of expression and that they represent an attack on the right to honor and dignity of the complainant. Therefore, the defendants must pay the plaintiff compensation of 12,000 euros for moral damages “that not only affect the sporting field, but also transcend the professional field, as well as aspects of his childhood and private life, with the corresponding moral damage that They suppose, the repercussions that they generated, as well as their dissemination on social networks.