Social networks to meet home secretary over riots. 19 August 2011Last updated at 11:31 Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan and Jordan Blackshaw were jailed for four years for incitement on Facebook The major social networks have been called to the home office next Thursday to discuss the English riots.
So far only Facebook has confirmed its attendance, although Blackberry has suggested it will also be there. Facebook, Twitter and Blackberry have all been criticised after it emerged that some rioters may have used them to plan trouble or encourage others. David Cameron has said the government would look at limiting access to such services during any future disorder. Were the London riots really fuelled by Facebook and Twitter? In October 1985, on the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham where the death of Cynthia Jarrett sparked riots that culminated in the brutal murder of PC Keith Blakelock, a community leader stood on his chair at a packed open-air meeting.
The man bellowed into a megaphone to the 150 residents in front of him: "You tell them that it's a life for a life from now on. This is war. " Over whoops and cheers from the residents, he turned to a huddle of police officers standing 50 yards away and warned: "I hope you're listening. There is no way I am going to condemn the actions of the youth on Sunday night. " Twenty six years later, police officers are still listening – but the megaphones and open-air meetings have been largely replaced.
PROs defend Twitter as British press blames it for fanning London riots. Network effects: Social media’s role in the London riots. Les réseaux sociaux ont été peu utilisés par les émeutiers britanniques. The unlikely social network fuelling the Tottenham riots. Saturday the 6 August 2011 and the streets of Tottenham are set ablaze by rioting.
As many people will recall, it isn’t the first time this has happened. On 6 October 1985 a notorious riot occurred on the Broadwater Farm Estate that led to the murder of PC Keith Blakelock. On both occasions the disturbances were triggered by deaths caused by police. In the first instance it was that of Cynthia Jarrett, an African Caribbean woman who died during a police search of her home. This latest incident was sparked by the shooting of Mark Duggan, a 29 year old man killed during an alleged gunfight with police on Thursday. As I write this in the early hours of Sunday morning, the disturbance is ongoing and it is not yet clear how serious an incident this will become.
Mail blames Twitter for Tottenham riots. Sun and Mail blame Twitter for fuelling London’s riots as Blackberry phone of choice. The Daily Mail and the Sun newspapers have pointed the blame in part at Twitter for fuelling the weekend riots and looting in Tottenham, Enfield, Brixton and elsewhere in London.
UPDATE – Blackberry has issued a statement (see below) on Twitter to say it is working with the authorities. The Sun says that rioters used Twitter to swell their numbers and “orchestrate the Tottenham violence” as message were sent inciting others to join in as they sent messages urging: “Roll up and loot”. The Sun quoted one tweeter who posted: “one sick tweet even called on rioters to KILL police officers in a chilling reminder of the murder of PC Keith Blakelock during a riot nearby in 1985″. It said as crowds plundered shops and other businesses and swelled during the night as looters used Twitter to brag about their hauls and spread word of their locations: A user calling himself “English Frank” called for attacks on police, posting: “Everyone up and roll to Tottenham f*** the 5-0 (police).
London riots: how BlackBerry Messenger has been used to plan two nights of looting. For authorities aiming to track disturbances via this technology, it presents particular problems compared to public social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
While chatter in public can be monitored in real time using fairly simple software – and the Met has such capabilities – BBM conversations are more secure. Messages are strongly encrypted using an algorithm called Triple-DES, which makes them unintelligible to observers. BBM can be intercepted and deciphered more easily than say, BlackBerry email, however, because all devices share the same cryptographic key. In the words of Crackberry.com, “although PIN-to-PIN messages are encrypted using Triple-DES, the key used is a global cryptographic 'key' that is common to every BlackBerry device all over the world". We feel for those impacted... RIM is 'engaging with police' over London riots. Police to track rioters who used BB. London riots: a police officer passes the remains of a burnt out furniture shop in Croydon.
Photograph: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA Police investigating those responsible for the London riots will be able to track down and arrest them based on their BlackBerry Messenger communication with others who took part. BlackBerry owners using the private social network to message each other and plan unrest could find their personal information – including their names and those of their contacts – handed over to police as part of their investigation. The BlackBerry-maker, Research In Motion, on Monday vowed to cooperate with the Scotland Yard inquiry following claims that BlackBerry Messenger played a key role in helping to organise the violence.
All tweets must continue to flow. 'Closing Twitter would not solve London Riots' Tottenham MP calls for suspension of BlackBerry Messenger - Faster Forward. Posted at 09:42 AM ET, 08/09/2011 Aug 09, 2011 01:42 PM EDT TheWashingtonPost British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, center, and Tottenham MP David Lammy.
(Stefan Rousseau - AFP/Getty Images) Rioters in London have apparently chosen BlackBerry Messenger as the service of choice to coordinate attacks, leading one British politician, David Lammy, to call for the service to be suspended. BB Torch.