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The Reeves furniture store on fire in Croydon, London, during the riots on 9 August. Lewis Whyld/PA Wire

Social network chiefs meet British government, police over riots

A spokeswoman for the Home Office said there was “no suggestion” that the sites would be closed down.

MORE THAN TWO weeks after the end of riots in London and other English cities, Britain’s government and police met social media executives today to discuss how to prevent their services from being used to plot violence.

But authorities did not seek new powers to shut down Facebook, Twitter or BlackBerry Messenger in times of crisis.

Police and politicians claim young criminals used them to coordinate looting sprees during riots in England this month. Prime Minister David Cameron has said police and intelligence agents would look at whether there should be limits on the use of social media sites or services like BlackBerry Messenger, which is simple and largely cost-free, in times of disorder.

Civil libertarians have reacted with alarm to suggestions the services could be shut down.

A group of rights organisations including Amnesty International and Liberty wrote an open letter to the government before the meeting with executives of Facebook, Twitter and BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd.

The letter said “new measures, made in good faith but in a heated political environment, will overextend powers in ways that would be susceptible to abuse, restrict legitimate, free communication and expression and undermine people’s privacy.”

A Home Office spokeswoman said before the meeting that there was “no suggestion” the sites would be closed down.

Afterwards, the government said the discussions “looked at how law enforcement and the networks can build on the existing relationships and cooperation to crack down on the networks being used for criminal behavior.”

“The government did not seek any additional powers to close down social media networks,” a Home Office spokesman said on condition of anonymity in line with government policy.

Facebook said it already took down threats of violence and other offending material, and was working on making the process speedier.

“We look forward to meeting with the home secretary to explain the measures we have been taking to ensure that Facebook is a safe and positive platform for people in the UK at this challenging time,” the company said in a statement.

Several people have been charged with using social media to incite riots, including two men who were jailed for four years each for using Facebook to “organise and orchestrate” disorder. The riots the two called for never happened.

A senior police officer revealed last week that the force had considered seeking approval to switch off such services like Twitter during the mayhem, but decided against it. The acting chief of London’s police force, Tim Godwin, told lawmakers that the legality of such action was “very questionable,” and social networks were a useful intelligence asset.

Police used Twitter to provide information updates during the riots, and said they sent officers to protect major London shopping centers and the 2012 Olympics sites after intercepting messages on Twitter and BlackBerry Messenger saying they were targets for rioters.

Disrupting communications

The issue of curbing communications is extremely sensitive for democratic governments.

Earlier this month, transit authorities in the San Francisco area cut cell phone and wireless data service in subway stations earlier this month to disrupt plans for a protest.

The move drew unfavorable comparisons to former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s attempts to cut Internet access to quell demonstrations protesting his regime.

Leaders of the San Francisco Bay Area’s transit agency have since said they may adopt a policy allowing police to turn off wireless communications on train platforms — but only in extreme public safety circumstances.

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7 Comments
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    Mute Denis Reidy
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    Apr 9th 2015, 12:37 PM

    I’d say Denis O Brien sleeps very well in his tax haven

    105
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    Mute RonanM
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    Apr 9th 2015, 12:38 PM

    Yawn

    75
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    Mute Con Manne
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    Apr 9th 2015, 1:19 PM

    What’s the difference between a light on and a hard on? You can sleep with a light on.

    36
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    Mute Elma Phudd
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    Apr 9th 2015, 1:35 PM

    Con. It’s ‘what’s the difference between light and hard?’!

    22
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    Mute Denis Reidy
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    Apr 9th 2015, 5:29 PM

    Semi?

    3
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    Mute Con Manne
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    Apr 9th 2015, 9:07 PM

    Bungalow.

    3
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    Mute Joseph O'Regan
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    Apr 9th 2015, 1:07 PM

    Lot of people working two jobs to make ends meet in America so not much time for sleep.

    73
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    Mute Elma Phudd
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    Apr 9th 2015, 12:56 PM

    I was obviously rich until the last 3-4 nights and will be poor until the weekend. Can’t feckin sleep at all right now!

    59
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    Mute Tom
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    Apr 9th 2015, 12:59 PM

    I find that glancing at thejournal.ie comments section is both tiring and uplifting.
    You get the same old tiresome whinging from 5 he same contributors and you get to feel superior as well. Great night’s sleep guaranteed.

    48
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    Mute Chris
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    Apr 9th 2015, 1:00 PM

    A lot of them are unconscionable sociopaths – fleecing people actually helps them get a better sleep.

    40
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    Mute Peter Hargan
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    Apr 9th 2015, 1:07 PM

    Food,warmth and a nice comfy bed might just have something to do with it

    29
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    Mute Michael Skellig
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    Apr 9th 2015, 4:21 PM

    The rich have no conscience, hence more sleep.

    25
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    Mute Joanna
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    Apr 9th 2015, 12:39 PM

    Maybe because not rich people need to work more?

    17
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    Mute Top Cat
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    Apr 9th 2015, 12:42 PM

    Or because rich people aren’t out until all hours slangin rocks of crack.

    34
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    Mute saltaroo
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    Apr 9th 2015, 12:46 PM

    Cos that’s what everyone on the poverty line does

    59
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    Mute Whatsup Dok
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    Apr 9th 2015, 1:21 PM

    hmm, I’m poorer than I realised so

    16
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    Mute The Professor
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    Apr 9th 2015, 2:08 PM

    The headline changed again! Like something you would see in the English tabloid papers. I bet the journalists sit around the office high-fiving each other after every effort

    11
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    Mute Caroline Dunlea
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    Apr 9th 2015, 5:01 PM

    Having the few bob eases the mind… D’oh!

    9
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    Mute Noel Falkhall
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    Apr 9th 2015, 3:31 PM

    My wife who is rich beyond belief has tough time sleeping and I the poor one sleep like a log every night so the story is a crock….

    7
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    Mute Colin C
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    Apr 9th 2015, 3:25 PM

    The socialist solution to this is to make sure no one sleeps. Then we will all be equal. And that’s the main thing.

    6
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    Mute William lynn
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    Apr 9th 2015, 10:11 PM

    And what did the study say about sleeping on a bed of money ?

    2
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    Mute Calisto Roberto
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    Jul 29th 2016, 8:12 AM

    Hello everyone i want to share my testimony on how i belong to illuminati member, a friend of mine always give me money…because he was very rich, one day he said he is not going to give me fish that he is going to teach me how to fish, so i was very happy, i never new he was a member of illuminati since we started our friendship! so i was initiated to the illuminati order and few days later i was awarded a contract worth of millions of Dollars, in my business i am doing very well right now, i can now influence people, render financial help etc, if you want to become a member contact us via email: illuminatiorder.co@gmail.com or call +2348137838605

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