A Greek man was sentenced to six months in jail, after posting a single smiley on Facebook.
Is this possible? 😀
Here’s the background story.
Emoji violence – Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash
Several years ago, the man was sued and found guilty of defaming an entrepreneur’s business. At the time, a restraining order was issued, forbidding the man from getting in further contact with the victim.
In February of last year, the man posted a smiling emoticon on the Facebook page of the entrepreneur, after she shared news about her company, thus violating the terms of the restraining order.
Posting emoticons representing guns, bombs etc. can be perceived as a threat or provocation of violence, according to several incidents.
But a smiling face? That’s a first! 😀
