Suicide of 'Love Island' host sparks demands for tougher UK media rules

[snoop1130]

Suicide of 'Love Island' host sparks demands for tougher UK media rules

By Kate Holton

 

FILE PHOTO: Caroline Flack arrives at the Brit Awards at the O2 Arena in London, Britain, February 21, 2018. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The death of one of Britain’s most famous TV stars, “Love Island” host Caroline Flack, has sparked a debate over the behaviour of the tabloid press and whether social media companies need to do more to remove toxic content.

 

The 40-year-old Flack, the former presenter of the hugely popular reality show “Love Island” and a winner of Britain’s version of “Dancing with the Stars”, was found dead in her London flat on Saturday after she committed suicide.

 

Friends of the presenter have accused the tabloid press and social media trolls of hounding her after she was charged with assaulting her boyfriend in December, a charge she denied.

 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman called her death a tragedy and said social media companies needed to do more to make sure that robust processes were in place to remove unacceptable content.

 

“Caroline Flack was relentlessly trolled online, but this trolling was amplified and legitimised by the mainstream press and they should not be allowed to dodge their share of the blame,” said Tracy Brabin, the opposition Labour Party’s culture spokeswoman.

 

Britain is once again discussing the role of its tabloid press, just weeks after Prince Harry and his wife Meghan moved to Canada, partly to avoid what they said was misleading and unfair reporting.

 

While tabloids such as Rupert Murdoch’s Sun, the Daily Mirror and Daily Mail play a key role in launching the careers of many reality TV stars, they also tend to track their every move and relationship, and recycle some of the most toxic online criticism to generate new headlines.

 

A public inquiry was held into Britain’s media in 2011 after Murdoch’s now defunct News of the World newspaper admitted hacking into the voicemails of thousands of public figures to get scoops, sparking a major scandal that shook the press, police and politicians at the time.

 

Just hours before ITV’s (ITV.L) “Love Island” was due to return on Monday after two days off air, hundreds of thousands of people had signed online petitions calling for another inquiry and tougher rules around the way the press can cover celebrities.

 

One petition called for a ban on the use of anonymous quotes, the invasion of privacy, the publication of private information and medical records.

 

“LOVE ISLAND”

 

The daughter of a Coca-Cola sales representative, Flack began as a pizza waitress but became one of the most prominent female leaders of Britain’s boom in reality television.

 

After a period as an actress in the early 2000s, she became a presenter of shows such as The X Factor and won Strictly Come Dancing in 2014.

 

On “Love Island” she presented a dating show that brings together young single men and women who have to couple up in a sunshine-soaked villa to win fame. Their intimate relationships, including in the bedroom, are broadcast on television while the public choose who to vote off the show.

 

Only those who avoid being dumped stand a chance of winning.

 

Flack had stepped down from presenting “Love Island” after she was charged with assaulting her boyfriend in December, a charge she denied. Her boyfriend, Lewis Burton, did not support the prosecution.

 

Flack herself had talked in the past about her problems with depression, and in December she used Instagram to thank those who had shown their support.

 

“This kind of scrutiny and speculation is a lot... for one person to take on their own,” she wrote. “I’m a human being at the end of the day and I’m not going to be silenced when I have a story to tell and a life to keep going with.

 

“I have nothing but love to give and best wishes for everyone.”

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-18

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[Bluespunk]

27 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

While tabloids such as Rupert Murdoch’s Sun, the Daily Mirror and Daily Mail play a key role in launching the careers of many reality TV stars, they also tend to track their every move and relationship, and recycle some of the most toxic online criticism to generate new headlines.

Oh the joys of celebrity. 
 

All very well to use media to launch or promote your career, but it is a poisoned chalice, a viper that will turn on you. 
 

“Never trust a tabloid over a human being.”

Abhijit Naskar

Edited February 18, 2020 by Bluespunk
Added quote

[from the home of CC]

Gee, how hard is it to quit social media accounts and stop reading trash - even when you're thinking about self harm (which you would think would be a pretty good motivator)? I guess if I am so self involved and my life revolves around 'face' or what others' perception of me might be, it can be very difficult. And if it is that difficult maybe the government ought to look into this 'ego illness' rather than trying to 'shield' everyone from the evil media lol.    

[Chomper Higgot]

4 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

Gee, how hard is it to quit social media accounts and stop reading trash - even when you're thinking about self harm (which you would think would be a pretty good motivator)? I guess if I am so self involved and my life revolves around 'face' or what others' perception of me might be, it can be very difficult. And if it is that difficult maybe the government ought to look into this 'ego illness' rather than trying to 'shield' everyone from the evil media lol.    

Victim blaming your thing then.

[from the home of CC]

17 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Victim blaming your thing then.

nah, I just believe there comes a time where you have to leave your parents house, mommy and daddy can't follow you everywhere in life and you shouldn't expect your government to take their job. The woman had a mental illness in which she thought the opinion of others mattered more the priceless value of a human life. IMO playground meanies will always be around and no government will ever be able to protect you from them, and personally I would feel offended if they thought I 'needed' their protection from the others in the playground.. 

Edited February 18, 2020 by from the home of CC

[Brigante7]

It's funny how there isn't a problem when it is men that are on the receiving end of a charge but as soon as it's a woman then all hell breaks loose and the media are to blame.

 

 

 

Brigante7

[Sujo]

1 hour ago, Brigante7 said:

It's funny how there isn't a problem when it is men that are on the receiving end of a charge but as soon as it's a woman then all hell breaks loose and the media are to blame.

 

 

 

Brigante7

Well it isnt a problem for the alleged victim either, if you cared to read the op.

[Sujo]

13 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

nah, I just believe there comes a time where you have to leave your parents house, mommy and daddy can't follow you everywhere in life and you shouldn't expect your government to take their job. The woman had a mental illness in which she thought the opinion of others mattered more the priceless value of a human life. IMO playground meanies will always be around and no government will ever be able to protect you from them, and personally I would feel offended if they thought I 'needed' their protection from the others in the playground.. 

Yes victim blaming.

[JonnyF]

I liked Caroline Flack and feel incredibly sorry for her family.

 

However, the tipping point for her suicide appears to be the CPS decision the day before to prosecute her for domestic violence. I'm sure the print media and social media had lots of good things and lots of bad things to say about her over the years but that's the nature of the beast when you decide to work as a TV presenter on some of the biggest shows in the UK.

 

I'm very sad she took this route and have nothing but sympathy for sufferers of depression but the blame game seems to be getting a bit out of control on this one.

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, Sujo said:

Well it isnt a problem for the alleged victim either, if you cared to read the op.

So if I beat up my wife and she doesn't press charges that's fine? Interesting logic.

 

[evadgib]

4 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

So if I beat up my wife and she doesn't press charges that's fine? Interesting logic.

 

ITV employed her and Ant McPartlin but the latter was treated somewhat differently when he fell foul of the law.

[spinner2020]

14 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

Gee, how hard is it to quit social media accounts and stop reading trash

But if people were not addicted to social media and reading trash, this [deleted] woman (of whom I had never heard) would not have had her 'fame' and fortune.

You live by the sword, you die by it - or, if you can't take the time, don't do the crime.

And who is this "victim"? Not her. If the guy involved didn't want the prosecution, doesn't mean he wasn't assaulted.

[RichardColeman]

God help us if there is another war. All the enemy will need to do is post bad social media posts and half our army will be in tears

[Baerboxer]

44 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

So if I beat up my wife and she doesn't press charges that's fine? Interesting logic.

 

 

No it's not. But if you hit your wife and she doesn't want to press charges then that was the end of the matter until the rules were changed so that the CPS also decide based on set criteria - roughly is there a more than 50% conviction probability based on the evidence and is it in the public interests to prosecute. The mental state of the accused is also taken into account.

 

Why on earth would, in this case, the CPS decide this was in the public interest to prosecute when it was a minor domestic assault and the victim expressly didn't want a prosecution?

 

The British gutter press are tossers, hounding people and fake news purveyors, but the CPS need looking at here too.

[CraigInBangkok]

In this day and age people must be well aware of how the english tabloid press works and social media in general. Personally, I don't really understand the need for attention, but if you are going to be in the public eye you must surely already know what you are getting into. So if you are fragile, why would you choose such a career?

[from the home of CC]

3 hours ago, spinner2020 said:

But if people were not addicted to social media and reading trash, this [deleted] woman (of whom I had never heard) would not have had her 'fame' and fortune.

You live by the sword, you die by it - or, if you can't take the time, don't do the crime.

And who is this "victim"? Not her. If the guy involved didn't want the prosecution, doesn't mean he wasn't assaulted.

the woman was obviously mentally unbalanced and her friends/family should of realized that this game wasn't for her and pulled her out - maybe everyone just a little too greedy for fame and fortune - RIP.. 

[JonnyF]

2 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

No it's not. But if you hit your wife and she doesn't want to press charges then that was the end of the matter until the rules were changed so that the CPS also decide based on set criteria - roughly is there a more than 50% conviction probability based on the evidence and is it in the public interests to prosecute. The mental state of the accused is also taken into account.

 

Why on earth would, in this case, the CPS decide this was in the public interest to prosecute when it was a minor domestic assault and the victim expressly didn't want a prosecution?

 

The British gutter press are tossers, hounding people and fake news purveyors, but the CPS need looking at here too.

But going back to the title of the thread, I don't understand why it's the UK medias fault that the CPS pressed charges. This seems to be what tipped her over the edge.

 

It appears she attacked her boyfriend with a lamp while he was sleeping, resulting in this scene. I'm not sure that's a minor domestic assault. I'd call a slap in the face a minor assault, not this. The CPS having reviewed all the evidence (which we don't have) felt it warranted prosecution and I don't think they can be blamed for her reaction to their decision.

 

 

 

[foxboy]

8 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

No it's not. But if you hit your wife and she doesn't want to press charges then that was the end of the matter until the rules were changed so that the CPS also decide based on set criteria - roughly is there a more than 50% conviction probability based on the evidence and is it in the public interests to prosecute. The mental state of the accused is also taken into account.

 

Why on earth would, in this case, the CPS decide this was in the public interest to prosecute when it was a minor domestic assault and the victim expressly didn't want a prosecution?

 

The British gutter press are tossers, hounding people and fake news purveyors, but the CPS need looking at here too.

so why did he call the police in the first place?

[foxboy]

She threatened to kill herself the moment she was arrested, after already admitting attacking her boyfriend. So we can hardly blame the press or trolls for her suicide, she was clearly unbalanced and couldn't live with the developing consequences, which were entirely of her own making. 

[bermondburi]

I'd never heard of her. 

Never watched love Island. 

Or TOWIE. 

[Krataiboy]

Blaming social and mass media for Caroline Flack's death is a ploy to justify further attacks on free speech in the UK.

 

If they really want to rescue us from "toxic content", start by banning tawdry soft-porn TV "reality" shows like Naked Attraction and Love Island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 19, 2020 by Krataiboy

[overherebc]

21 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

God help us if there is another war. All the enemy will need to do is post bad social media posts and half our army will be in tears

Nobody will want to shoot first in case they get a hard time on faeces book.

[gk10002000]

Those shows live for and thrive on popularity, dissent, personality issues, conflict, etc.  The want to be in the public eye.  That is how they make their money. Well, they do not make any money from me as I don't watch these "reality" staged filmed things.  Unfortunately, there is plenty of silly drama in the real world. 

[gk10002000]

On 2/18/2020 at 5:59 AM, snoop1130 said:

Caroline Flack was relentlessly trolled online

One only knows they are trolled online, if one goes online.  You want a public forum, well, you will get the public reacting or posting.  Just don't open the email, or facebook, or twitter or whatever the heck people use these days.  She had issues, rage, or drugs, or whatever. 

[gk10002000]

On 2/18/2020 at 9:33 PM, JonnyF said:

I liked Caroline Flack and feel incredibly sorry for her family.

 

However, the tipping point for her suicide appears to be the CPS decision the day before to prosecute her for domestic violence. I'm sure the print media and social media had lots of good things and lots of bad things to say about her over the years but that's the nature of the beast when you decide to work as a TV presenter on some of the biggest shows in the UK.

 

I'm very sad she took this route and have nothing but sympathy for sufferers of depression but the blame game seems to be getting a bit out of control on this one.

She probably would have gotten more air time, interview time, could have made more money, etc due to this publicity.  The man she allegedly assaulted seems to be not supporting the prosecution nor pressing charges, so if she had a decent advisor or a friend or two to talk to, she could have come out of this better than she went in.  Write a book about being harassed, social pressure, bad relationship, etc.  She could have made a ton.  now of course there is often a dark side.  Maybe she could not withstand much scrutiny.  Maybe many illegal or improperly prescribed drugs would have come to light.  Look at guys like the food and travel person Anthony Bourdain.  By all accounts he had a few million bucks, and all the material needs.  he killed himself.  why?  Nobody really knows.  But apparently he had a bit of a drug habit and that monkey on his back was too much to bear.  Maybe ashamed and embarrassed about how his friends or family may have felt.  But to be able to travel and be relatively free from having to work, dammn that is a problem a lot of people could bear.