25.08.11
Social networks in talks over riots
Senior representatives from the major social networks will meet Home Secretary Theresa May today to discuss their role in the riots.
Representatives from Facebook, Twitter and BlackBerry are expected to attend, and will consider how to stop people from planning violence online.
Ministers and the police are looking into limiting access and speedily removing messages which incite criminality. The sites will not be closed down, after concerns at the practicality and legality of such a move from the likes of Tim Godwin, the Met police's acting commissioner.
A Home Office spokeswoman said the talks would explore “whether and how we should be able to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality”.
During an emergency session of Parliament following the riots, Prime Minister David Cameron said: “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.”
Currently, communications networks that operate in the UK can be compelled to hand over individuals' personal messages if police are able to show that they relate to criminal behaviour.
Two men were recently sentenced to four years in jail for activity on Facebook which encouraged people to riot.
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