Foot-in-Mouth Syndrome and Social Media

In order to protect freedom of speech and to limit prosecutions related to offensive or false Twitter of Facebook interaction, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) issued interim guidelines this week in this new domain for the legal system.  For example, if an inappropriate tweet was sent after heavy drinking and if the tweet is subsequently deleted upon sobering up

Keep Your Tweet Shut

A story that may have been buried in all the season’s festivities about the US Senate trying to force Twitter to close/block accounts believed to be registered to terrorist groups such as the Taliban and Al Shabab from Sudan.  Reports have also claimed that Israel has threatened Twitter with legal action if they do not close Hezbollah accounts.

So…free speech is only okay with the expressed permission of the USA. 

Six Degrees Reduced To Four

We all know of the famous six degrees of separation, the theory you can connect to anyone in the world through six people.  Well, if like one tenth of the world’s population your world is on Facebook, that figure has now been reduced to 4.74

Just Like China

Yesterday, Radio 4 reported that China were quick on the mark to applaud the British government’s stance on banning social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook and imposing curfews in the wake of future riots. Britain’s post riot tactics seem to be focussed around creating a largely policed state which is only too familiar for the Chinese authorities.

Tweeting Looters

Social media has proved to be a phenomenal platform to gather fellow looters on the streets of London. Today, the Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stephen Kavanagh, confirmed that twitter users could face arrest for inciting violence as London enters its third night of violence.

Special Friendship Indeed

The Guardian reported today that the BBC World Service is to receive US State Department funding