UK Government Wants Police Empowered To ‘Close’ Twitter, BBM

The UK’s Home Secretary will meet media and social media companies regarding blocking access during emergency situations, in the wake of England’s mass looting. Prime Minister David Cameron is also inviting police chiefs to tell him that they require the power to “close” services including Twitter and BlackBerry Messenger, the latter of which is this week being credited with having helped looters coordinate raids.

"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,” Cameron said during a session in the House Of Commons, which had been recalled from its summer recess to debate, and in scripted comments. “When people are using social media for violence, we need to stop them.” Cameron’s call will give chills to even conservative techno-libertarians, who are already complaining about it. Although the issue appears to be a balance between - on the one hand - preventing theft, assault and criminal damage and - on the other - keeping Twitter open for onlookers to react, one tech writer calls the Prime Minister “stupid”. If enacted, it would move the UK closer to rules in some Middle East countries, which exercise a degree of control of BBM for instance.