News - Facebook used to catch looter while Essex police get carried away

[HEXUS]

Don’t steal from a hacker or arrange a water-fight over BBM.

Read more.

[aidanjt]

Ya gotta laugh at the government who cracks down on 'thugs' by being far greater and insidious thugs, themselves.

[Saracen]

I must admit that I don't quite get how a water fight constitutes a crime, let alone a serious one. In that case, the entire coterie of occupants of my old uni flat are obviously hardened crim's, because we used to have water fights with other flats on a periodic basis. They'd ambush us, we'd ambush them. And so on. In-between extended bouts of serious and diligent study, of course.


But as for BBM, as far am I'm concerned, if you commit a criminal offence by organising or encouraging violence (and you do), then the medium you use is pretty irrelevant. You certainly shouldn't get a free pass just because it's BBM, Twitter or Facebook, etc.

So I'd say it's merely that the police now are catching up with the use of these tools for this kind of thing, and that BBM etc are clearly no longer a safe haven for this type of activity, but rather, will now leave a trail of breadcrumbs and a log of evidence that will likely not only lead police to offenders, but go a long way to securing convictions, too.

As for blanket bans, in the very short term and in response to specific events, like these riots, I'd say turning services off while they're being abused is far enough. Whether this happens as a result of the authorities issuing an order that the companies have to obey, or a request that they choose to, remains to be seen. The latter is fine with me, but the former .... not so sure.

[Infinite]

Was this really the best strategy by RIM? because those people are going to get a new a BB

[Bunjiweb]

Ya gotta laugh at the government who cracks down on 'thugs' by being far greater and insidious thugs, themselves.

I'm not sure that a police officer could be branded a thug because they are trying to contain the lawless behaviour of a sick individual..

I'd happily watch an officer beat a criminal as clearly there own parents haven't had the foresight to do it instead!

Bravo to this man for using technology to gain the upper hand.

[aidanjt]

Then you wont mind when the government bugs your car and all your other electronic equipment and a cop batons you over the head as soon as you slip up.

[OilSheikh]

One of my colleagues got mugged at knifepoint this morning on his way to work. His iPhone was stolen.

If you have an Android or an IPhone and you are a pay monthly customer, install this app : WHERE'S MY DROID.
When you send a txt to the phone, it sends you a txt back with the phone's google maps co-ordinates!

[badass]

I must admit that I don't quite get how a water fight constitutes a crime, let alone a serious one.

I question how that actually ended up being used as propaganda. Either just one person was a bit dums and there was no one checking the article before it was published on the internet or there were a string of utter dribbling morons that thought that was good.

[mcmiller]

I'm not sure that a police officer could be branded a thug because they are trying to contain the lawless behaviour of a sick individual..

I'd happily watch an officer beat a criminal as clearly there own parents haven't had the foresight to do it instead!

Bravo to this man for using technology to gain the upper hand.

Yes because violence solves problems doesn't it.

[mark22]

Clearly it does in this situation, discipline is missing, we're not all hippies you know.

[Badbonji]

Yes because violence solves problems doesn't it.

It does, yes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II

[aidanjt]

It does, yes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II

Oh sure, 80 million dead, and all we learnt is that violence begets violence. If you want that lesson (one which we frequently seem to ignore), all you have to do is open a history book.

[Noxvayl]

It does, yes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II

Yeah, that's the same as beating people because they are breaking and stealing things...

[mark22]

Yeah, that's the same as beating people because they are breaking and stealing things...

Well giving them a house and several hundred pounds a week as a reward to liberate their human rights certainly isn't working is it.

[badass]

Oh sure, 80 million dead, and all we learnt is that violence begets violence. If you want that lesson (one which we frequently seem to ignore), all you have to do is open a history book.

What was the alternative response to the Nazi occupation of Europeand the systematic murder of millions of people by them? A sit down protest?

[danroyle]

I'd happily watch an officer beat a criminal as clearly there own parents haven't had the foresight to do it instead!

OMG!!! i could so rant about parents hitting kids but will refrain

Well giving them a house and several hundred pounds a week as a reward to liberate their human rights certainly isn't working is it.

You do realise right that not everybody that is on benefits was out rioting last week.

Some people live in deprived areas and simply cant find a job or are born with a disability and are unable to work.