Jennifer Zamparelli has called for tougher measures and an online ID system, as she details the online abuse she has received.
The Dancing with the Stars presenter has been in the public eye for over 15 years, but has spoken about online abuse that she’s been a victim of in the past.
With measures to introduce an online ID system being discussed by the government after it was introduced to the UK earlier this year, Jennifer has expressed her support.
‘I really do feel that you shouldn’t be allowed to set up a social media account [without being] attached to a passport or a form of identification, so you can be reprimanded, taken off that site if you’re going to [abuse someone],’ Jennifer said on Ireland AM.
‘If you got a letter in the door, threatening like that or whatever — because some of them can be quite threatening — you would take that to a police station. And nothing can be done online.’
While Jennifer contested that people who send the abuse would probably think the person they’re trolling isn’t going to see it, she’s said that the targets usually do end up seeing them — and it does, ultimately, affect them.
‘We all have our insecurities, no matter how we portray ourselves or look online. Well, we all have our insecurities. We all have our bad days. And then for someone to nitpick at you is very sad.
‘Me being in the industry for a long time, you learn to deal with it, but it still stings,’ she added — before revealing that, sometimes, she replies to the trolls; sending them with their tails between their legs.
‘Sometimes, I’m like “are you okay?” and that kind of disarms them, because they don’t realise that you’re reading [the comments].’
‘Especially because I have an 11-year-old who has no social media… I’m so worried about the future, when she will be on social media, how I’m going to deal with all that.
‘So I’m just trying to give her the tools to always come and talk to me about stuff… [but] you can only protect them so much, you know? And that’s the scary thing.
‘Just be kind, just don’t be an arse.’
