UK Government to Meet with Facebook and RIM for Proposed Ban

The Home Secretary of the United Kingdom, Theresa May is set to meet with Facebook and Research in Motion (RIM) to discuss the role they played in communication during the riots that ravaged the UK this past week. Twitter said it wouldn’t join the meeting but would listen in to what was being said. Twitter was a major communication tool used by both, rioters and victims. Facebook’s official statement, however, stated, “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 in the UK at this challenging time.” As was earlier reported, BBM was a primary communication tool used by rioters.

David Cameron wants to talk about preventing Facebook and RIM as a communication method for rioters

UK Prime Minister, David Cameron made a speech about possibly preventing these methods of communication between rioters. “We’re 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 the House of Commons. Of course this becomes an issue of curbing free speech and activists in the UK as well as the media have criticized this move. One  journalist compared the UK potentially banning the social networks to the Arab countries and China.

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