J.K. Rowling warns that social media “is a gift for individuals who want to behave in a malicious manner” after receiving a horrific death threat over Twitter from an Islamic fanatic in retaliation for her support of slain British author Salman Rushdie.
After Rushdie was stabbed, the Harry Potter author tweeted that she was “feeling really terrible now” and “let him be okay.”
But then it looked that an Islamic extremist was threatening Ms. Rowling by writing: “you are next” in an apparent threat.
Rowling has also been routinely targeted by trolls following her criticism of the transgender lobby.
She told Graham Norton on Virgin Radio that her favorite feature of social media was the ‘pub argument’
She continued, “There is no doubt that social media is a boon for those who wish to behave in a malicious manner.”
By Elizabeth Haigh and Jamie Phillips for Mailonline and Chris Hastings, Arts Correspondent for the Sunday Mail
After receiving a death threat on Twitter from an Islamic fanatic in response to her support for author Salman Rushdie, J.K. Rowling warned that social media is “a gift for individuals who wish to behave in a malicious manner.”
The 57-year-old author of Harry Potter tweeted that she was ‘feeling really sick today’ and ‘let him be alright’ after Rushdie was repeatedly stabbed as he prepared to deliver a lecture in upstate New York earlier this month.
However, an Islamic extremist then threatened Ms. Rowling by writing, “you are next.”
After making harsh remarks about the transgender lobby, Rowling has been frequently harassed by trolls, including demonstrators holding placards outside her home after her address was published online last year.
Yesterday, she told Graham Norton on his Virgin Radio show, “Social media can be a lot of fun, and I enjoy the pub argument part.”
That can be an enjoyable activity. However, there is little doubt that social media is a boon for those who wish to behave maliciously.
In response to the question of if anything can be done to prevent internet trolls, she said, “I’m not sure I can.”
I doubt that any individual can. I make an effort to act online as I would like people to act. I would never desire to… Obviously, I have never threatened anyone, nor would I encourage anyone to go to their homes or do anything similar.
However, she emphasized that her most recent novel, The Ink Black Heart, about a cartoonist who is tormented online by a fan, is unrelated to the real-life threats she has received.
When asked if the novel contained echoes of her personal experiences, she responded, “More echoes than I realized, since after some of the things that have happened to me online in the previous year, I should clarify that I had written the book before certain events occurred online.”
“Everyone is going to see this as a reaction to what happened to me,” I told my spouse.
“But it was in fact not. The initial draft of the book was completed during the time that important events occurred.
Rowling also stated that she was not excluded from the last Harry Potter reunion concert because to her contentious views on transgender individuals; rather, she declined an invitation.
The reunion, Return To Hogwarts, was released on January 1, however the author of the series only appeared in archival video (pictured)
Pictured is J.K. Rowling with young Harry Potter actors. The sole video of the author speaking personally, as opposed to being discussed, is a 2019 interview part.
Full transcript of JK Rowling’s interview with Graham Norton.
According to rumors, she had been excluded from the reunion show.
I wasn’t, in fact. I was requested to participate, but I declined the offer. It was rightly about the movie and not the literature. That was the theme of the anniversary, therefore nobody said don’t… I was invited to do it, but I declined.
On fans of Harry Potter and Ink Black Heart
It was amazing what occurred with Potter, but at times it was rather overpowering. Crime enthusiasts… Like their sleep (laughs)
The intersection of the plot of J.K. Rowling’s latest novel with real-world events.
More echoes exist than I realized. After some of the things that have happened to me in the past year, I must emphasize that this does not represent… I had written the novel prior to certain online occurrences. I told my spouse that I believed everyone would interpret this as a reaction to what had occurred to me, but it was not. The initial draft of the novel was completed when crucial events occurred. I’m being really cryptic; I’m simply discussing cyber threats and the like.
Upon leaving and being recognized
Once, when shopping in London with my then-younger kid, we took a false turn in the toy section and wound up in the Harry Potter mechanise, where I became stuck. Because there was a large group of young Americans behind me and a large number of people in front of me, I drew David behind a bookcase and said, “Please wait here for a bit.” My son asked how much money I would need to not yell “She’s Here!”
I can go out, but I don’t go Harry Potter mechanized stores, which I believe would be somewhat self-destructive.
Upon speaking with the cast of Harry Potter
I have… yes, I do. It was always the fact that some were more numerous than others, but that was never the exception. I knew certain people better than others.
On how to mitigate online trolling
On one level, I am unsure if I can. I doubt that any person can. I make an effort to act online as I would like people to act. I would never wish to. No one has ever been threatened by me. I would never visit their homes or do something similar. Social networking can be a lot of fun, and I really enjoy the pub argument aspect. That can be entertaining, but there is no doubt that social media is a boon for well-behaved individuals.
I spent an entire year on Twitter, which is a considerable amount of time, and then, when covid happened… I actually didn’t go back on Twitter for the pub brawl stuff, I went back on because I wanted to do The Ickabog – a children’s book, for those who don’t know – and I wanted to put it out for free, and Twitter was really good….so I went back on Twitter with the intention of doing The Ickabog, and I have a love-hate relationship with it now. I can go several days without getting into a bar fight.
Regarding references to the forthcoming novel The Ink Black Heart
Because the previous book, Troubled Blood, was about a cold case and was really traditional, I desired to do something totally different and enter an entirely new realm. And it was a wonderful way to explore it because Strike is older and not the type of person who would ever use Twitter or have any interest in doing so. He is in a world with which he is unfamiliar.
With respect to Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger
They are two of the kindest, least pretentious, and most talented actors you will ever meet.
The Return To Hogwarts reunion was released on January 1, but Ms. Rowling did not appear outside of archival footage.
Her attendance on the 20-year anniversary show was the subject of widespread speculation following her words concerning women’s and transgender people’s rights, for which she accused the author of being “transphobic.” However, the author made no statement at the time to clarify the situation.
In the past, she has spoken out against cancel culture amid reports that she has been “cancelled” by younger generations. However, in a rare interview today, she stated that she “didn’t want to be a part of it.”
During an interview with Graham Norton on Virgin Radio today, the 57-year-old stated, ‘I was asked to participate, but I declined.
Correctly, it was about the films and not the literature. That was the significance of the anniversary.
‘So no one said don’t [do it]… I was invited to do it, but I declined.’
Following fan concern regarding her absence, she explained that she was not warned against making an appearance, stating that it was her own decision.
During the reunion, an archive image showed the author signing the first book, and Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid, praised J.K. Rowling for rekindling people’s love of reading during the Potter craze.
The sole video of the author speaking herself, as opposed to being talked, is an interview clip from 2019 that has been serialized multiple times.
In the interview, she discusses the difficulty of casting Harry in the first Harry Potter film, Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone.
Since the release of the final Harry Potter film, the author has become a contentious figure.
Rowling said she reported the apparent threat from an Islamic extremist over her support for Rushdie to Twitter, then posted a screenshot of the message with the comment, “Are these your guidelines?”
You are prohibited from threatening violence against an individual or a group. Additionally, we ban the glorifying of violence… “Terrorism/violent extremism: You are prohibited from threatening or promoting terrorism”
Rowling subsequently tweeted, ostensibly in an effort to have Aziz removed from Twitter, “@TwitterSupport, any hope of support?”
She explained that while she enjoys Twitter’s ‘pub brawl’ vibe, she now has a ‘love-hate relationship’ with the medium after taking a year off.
“Social media can be a lot of fun, and I really enjoy the pub argument aspect. That can be entertaining, but there is no doubt that social media is a boon for well-behaved individuals.
The author has also frequently tweeted negatively about the usage of inclusive language and spaces, most notably retweeting a tweet that referred to “those who menstruate” with the comment, “I’m sure there was a word for those folks.” Someone somebody assist me. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?’
Transgender activists contend that Ms. Rowling’s attitudes are discriminatory and fail to acknowledge the challenges faced by transgender and non-binary individuals, but some feminists feel that it is essential to maintain single-sex areas to safeguard vulnerable women.
Ms. Rowling has also been criticized for statements she made in an attempt to defend herself in 2020, including the notion that only affluent or fortunate individuals who have never experienced male violence embrace inclusive places.
She stated, “I stand alongside the courageous gay, straight, and trans women and men who are fighting for freedom of speech and thought, as well as the rights and safety of some of the most vulnerable members of our society: young gay children, fragile adolescents, and women who rely on and wish to retain their single sex spaces.”
Polls indicate that these women are in the overwhelming majority, with the exception of those who have never experienced male violence or sexual assault and have never taken the time to educate themselves on its prevalence.
When asked if she still communicates with cast members, she responded, “Yes, I do.” It was always the fact that some were more numerous than others, but that was never the exception. Some I was more familiar with than others.
Rowling, who was promoting her new novel The Ink Black Heart under the pen name Robert Galbraith, also discussed the challenge of being recognized in public.
During the film reunion, Emma Watson (left) and Rupert Grint (right) share a touching moment.
On March 29, 2022, J.K. Rowling will attend the global premiere of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore at The Royal Festival Hall.