Street riots carefully coordinated via technology -- text messages and social-media networks -- may seem like a paradox. Expressions of rage are typically crude and spontaneous.
But in an age when everyone's connected, plugged-in protests, demonstrations and all-out mayhem, whether in Cairo's Tahrir Square or in the case of London's growing disturbances, are becoming more routine.
Investigators in the United Kingdom believe coordinators of three days of protests -- ostensibly sparked by the shooting of a criminal suspect but fueled by rage over the cash-strapped government's cutbacks in social programs -- are using BlackBerry instant messages to pick which areas to target. That's an odd development given that BlackBerry devices are marketed toward upscale users and businesses rather than the working class.
Now Research In Motion, which makes the BlackBerry devices and runs the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) system, has pledged to work with authorities to help crack down on the troublemakers.
"We feel for those impacted by this weekend's riots in London," said Patrick Spence, is RIM's global sales and regional marketing managing director. "We have engaged with the authorities to assist in any way we can. As in all markets around the world where BlackBerry is available, we cooperate with local telecommunications operators, law enforcement, and regulatory officials."
Gartner Research Vice President Carolina Milanesi, who is based in London, said the local media have featured some recent BBM messages related to the rioting and the police are monitoring Twitter for links to the culprits.
"The main purpose is to find out where people are gathering and where they are preparing to attack," she said. But the abundant presence of technology can also work against the rioters. "They are also using camera-phone pics released to the press to find looters and rioters," Milanesi noted.
Technology analyst Charles King of Pund-IT sees it...
Posted: 2011-08-09 16:01:37Author:...
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