UK prime minister David Cameron has suggested that people suspected of using social media and other communication technologies to organise violence could be banned from accessing these services.
Speaking to parliament in the wake of riots and looting that have devastated parts of the country, including many areas of London, Cameron said the government would look at the role played by these services during the disturbances.
Although Cameron did not name any services specifically it has been widely reported that those taking part in the disturbances used Twitter and Facebook to organise riots. BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) is however considered the primary tool used by rioters to communicate with each other.
"Everyone watching these horrific actions will be stuck by how they were organised via social media," he said. "Free flow of information can be used for good. But it can also be used for ill. And when people are using social media for violence we need to stop them."
"So we are working with the Police, the intelligence services and industry to look at whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality," Cameron told parliament.
RIM, maker of the BlackBerry, has already said it will assist police in "any way" it can while a number of people have been arrested on suspicion of using social networking sites to incite riots, including three in Southampton and two in Scotland.
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Reaction to Cameron’s announcement has been met with widespread criticism.
Paul Chambers, who was convicted of posting a menacing Tweet after jokingly threatening to blow up an airport, said: "Does Cameron know that BBM is NOT social media? I expect there to be a review of text, phone calls, the postal system and carrier pigeon too."
In a second Tweet he added: "This view on social media is ridiculous. There is no adapting to technology, no understanding. Just a want to oppress it."
Elizabeth Varley, entrepreneur and CEO of TechHub, a project offering office space for start-ups in London, said: "So suggested response to those moved to riot is *less* communication, *less* social connection & *less* social support? Oh, that’ll work."
"How do people ‘know’ when someone is planning to riot? Who makes that judgment? The only realistic answer is the courts must judge. If court procedures are not used, then we will quickly see abuses by private companies and police. Companies like RIM must insist on court processes," said Jim Killock of the Open Rights Group.
"Citizens also have the right to secure communications. Business, politics and free speech relies on security and privacy. David Cameron must be careful not to attack these fundamental needs because of concerns about the actions of a small minority," he added.
Social media has also been used for good in the days following the riots. On Tuesday morning a campaign called #RiotCleanUp spread on Twitter while on Facebook groups have sprung up offering support for local communities, such as a group called Thank Turk It’s Saturday, which aims to thank Turkish shop owners in the Dalston area of London for protecting local businesses during the riots.
