British Prime Minister considers banning social networking

[The Man]

ibjYRM7amS0

[Viet Minh]

I can't watch that bastard without wanting to suicide bomb him. I won't btw, to the pigs reading this.

[Sentinel]

The internet has really revolutionised communications, so it's not strange that the ruling classes everywhere wish to restrict it in times of unrest and upheaval. This demonstrates excellently the fact that the same goes for both capitalist despots nominally adhering to 'democracy', and open dictators (look at what happened in Egypt with the shutting down of the internet etc).

[Per Levy]

wow what a load of shit, "newspapers can be used for good but can also be used for ill, so we work with the industry, secret services and police to stop people reading them".

also i love the line "i asked the police if they need any other new powers", yeah guy be more repressive and dont even think about why stuff like the riots happend, it was not the "lack of police power" but your fucking politics.

[Viet Minh]

Its a win win situation for them, they delete fucking everything, making cuts to essential services across the board, then when protests and riots ensue, clamp down further on 'civil liberties' in the name of national security. However they have underestimated the British public, and cutting back on the police was a big mistake. I predict more riots

[Nox]

If he does that, alot of the people previously siding with the police in the riots will realise how much of a douchebag David Cameron really is.

[Per Levy]

If he does that, alot of the people previously siding with the police in the riots will realise how much of a douchebag David Cameron really is.

you really think that? most people who sided with the police will think: "well that will not affect me, because i dont plan crimes or violence, so it will only hit bad people". actually, i think this will get support.

[Susurrus]

http://images.wikia.com/marvel_dc/images/0/0e/Adam_Susan.jpg

[Gustav HK]

Are they hypnotized? The "yeah" at the end makes it sound so.

[Per Levy]

Are they hypnotized? The "yeah" at the end makes it sound so.

that was actually the funniest part of the video. even though i hoped for a bit of an outrage from someone there, i mean cameron pretty much advocates a police state here.

[The Man]

Are they hypnotized? The "yeah" at the end makes it sound so.

That's exactly what I thought. Is that like someone standardized British parliament thing?

[Nox]

you really think that? most people who sided with the police will think: "well that will not affect me, because i dont plan crimes or violence, so it will only hit bad people". actually, i think this will get support.

I don't think you understand, he is suggesting banning all social networking websites for all people.

[Nox]

That's exactly what I thought. Is that like someone standardized British parliament thing?

Yeah, we have weird traditions here. The people who stand up and speak direct their comments towards the 'Speaker of the House', who himself never actually speaks. And everyone says "yeah" if they agree or stands up then sits down if they disagree.

[RedAnarchist]

Yeah, we have weird traditions here. The people who stand up and speak direct their comments towards the 'Speaker of the House', who himself never actually speaks. And everyone says "yeah" if they agree or stands up then sits down if they disagree.

Also, the Speaker of the House usually runs without opposition in his or her constituency, so there is no real election there.

[Che a chara]

Are they hypnotized? The "yeah" at the end makes it sound so.

Chinless fucking wonders.

[scarletghoul]

lol what a div

[Sensible Socialist]

People cling to their social media. I'm not sure they'd react fondly to having their Facebook and Twitter accounts shut down or restricted. However, if the social media restrictions only affect those organizing and agitating, I'm not sure the effect would be enough to make the average person too angry. It needs to affect a large amount of people in order to see more resistance.

[Nox]

People cling to their social media. I'm not sure they'd react fondly to having their Facebook and Twitter accounts shut down or restricted. However, if the social media restrictions only affect those organizing and agitating, I'm not sure the effect would be enough to make the average person too angry. It needs to affect a large amount of people in order to see more resistance.

I could be wrong here, but I think he is talking about temporarily blocking access to Social Networking websites for the whole country.

[Zealot]

I can't believe they all agreed with him, why the fuck wasn't he booed off stage. When this happened in Egypt people were in a fucking uproar:confused:

[Che a chara]

And it's amazing how they've all forgotten about the smug git's own media-linked debauchery with Murdoch, Brooks and Coulson. The phone hacking scandal and corruption within the 'law and order' will probably be overlooked now and they'll come out smelling like roses despite their shit stinking like shite last week.

[Hit The North]

Of course, it'll never happen. The proposal itself is ludicrous: "prevent people communicating on social media when we know they are engaged in criminal activity." The guy must think he lives in the matrix.

Besides which, it would be political suicide for the Coalition if they resorted to such draconian anti-free speech policies. In particular, the liberal democrats would be unable to sanction it.

[Sensible Socialist]

I could be wrong here, but I think he is talking about temporarily blocking access to Social Networking websites for the whole country.
If that's the case, a lot more people who were on the fence aren't going to look to kindly after they can't get on Facebook. It's ironic that the loss of something that represents the division of society and corporate control could trigger mass awareness within a population.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

I can't believe they all agreed with him, why the fuck wasn't he booed off stage.

Because he was in a den of wolves a/k/a a bourgeois parliament. Those esteemed representatives all represent the same class, and you're not in it.

[Tommy4ever]

Mabye people should calm down with the whole ''he's a fascist!'' shtick. It distracts from the more meaningful analysis of the new authoritarian measures. I just feel that strained attempts to connect present actions with a historical boogeyman makes it more difficult to look at what is happening now seriously.

This will likely be popular and there will be plenty more to come.

[#FF0000]

oh hey this sounds familiar i think they did this in some place called egypt or something?????

[DinodudeEpic]

The authoritarianism of conservatism, revealed! Finally they will stop with their 'less government control over our lives' rhetoric, and politics will make sense once more.

[ComradeMan]

Cui bono?

[Rooster]

you really think that? most people who sided with the police will think: "well that will not affect me, because i dont plan crimes or violence, so it will only hit bad people". actually, i think this will get support.

The people who generally support the police seem to be the older people who don't use the internet or social networking sites. So that line "this won't affect me because I don't plot crimes" probably won't even enter their head.

They're already arresting people because of facebook.



Scottish youths arrested over Facebook 'riot' messages

The teenagers were arrested over messages posted on Facebook
[/URL]
Two teenagers have been arrested after messages were posted on Facebook allegedly inciting others to commit acts of disorder.
A 16-year-old was detained during an operation in Glasgow's south side at 12:40 on Monday.
He has been charged with breach of the peace and is due to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
An 18-year-old man is expected to appear at Dundee Sheriff Court over similar allegations.
Tayside Police said they were following other positive lines of inquiry to identify others who may be inciting others to cause public disorder.
The arrests come after rioting and looting in London at the weekend spread to other English cities.
Police said they were monitoring social networking sites closely and would take "decisive action" to prevent violence.
The Strathclyde force said there was no intelligence "at this time" to suggest that there was any trouble planned.
Earlier, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland confirmed that forces here were on standby to help colleagues in England if requested.
There have been three nights of violence in London since a 29-year-old man was shot dead in Tottenham by police on Thursday.
A peaceful protest over the death of Mark Duggan was followed by violence which spread to other parts of the city on Sunday.
A third night of unrest saw violence spread outside London to Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham and Bristol.



Teenager arrested over inciting riot in Margate


A 17-year-old youth has been arrested by police in Kent on suspicion of inciting a riot in Margate.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested in the town on Wednesday morning.
Kent Police said he was bailed until 14 September with a condition not to use the internet to access social networking sites.
The Medway towns experienced disturbances overnight from Monday into Tuesday.
'Stay away' On Thursday, Kent Police said there had been no significant damage or disorder overnight as a clamp down continued to prevent any organised criminality.
The force said officers on patrol in the county were taking a zero-tolerance approach to any signs of disorder and were monitoring the transport and rail network.
Deputy Chief Constable Alan Pughsley said: "'Our message to anyone trying to come to Kent to attack our community is to stay away or face the consequences."
Overnight there were 463 emergency calls, 81 fewer than the previous day.
As well as the 17-year-old, four other people have been arrested since early Wednesday morning for arson and criminal damage.
Eleven people were also arrested following disturbances in Chatham and Gillingham overnight on Monday where cars were damaged and set alight.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-14461393 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-14461393#story_continues_1)


[URL]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-14490866

[Viet Minh]

Mabye people should calm down with the whole ''he's a fascist!'' shtick. It distracts from the more meaningful analysis of the new authoritarian measures. I just feel that strained attempts to connect present actions with a historical boogeyman makes it more difficult to look at what is happening now seriously.

This will likely be popular and there will be plenty more to come.

Agreed and its also fairly condescending to people who live in extremely authoritarian countries, however the tories have unarguably moved the country to the right, and appear to be intent on doing so further. Sometimes it takes extreme language to make people pay attention to what is happening, no policial analyst would seriously suggest the UK was fascist yet but there are worrying trends ever present and new ones emerging. Whats needed is to influence public condemnation. Unfortunately people won't care if we send our soldiers to Libya, Iraq or Afghanistan, nor will they care if they imprison muslims without trial, but if they shut off facebook the people will be incensed. This is the sad truth of the Governments' hold over the people. We cheered when they arrested fascists for online activity, and shut down far right websites. Now they are coming for the left. If you would call the London rioters the left that is, most here seem to think so.

[RedSquare]

I could be wrong here, but I think he is talking about temporarily blocking access to Social Networking websites for the whole country.
Yes, that's what I interpreted it as, just like Obama's "internet killswitch" plan for when there's a serious threat to national security in the United States.

All it requires is the co-operation of ISPs in a specific country to place a block on the websites concerned, like many have down with The Pirate Bay torrent site, but I'm sure proxies will still exist. So maybe it will involve a complete disconnection of all internet lines.

[ComradeMan]

...however the tories have unarguably moved the country to the right, and appear to be intent on doing so further...

Again, I agree with your points, but did not the Conservative-LibDem government (not just the Tories) get voted in? If so was that not a reaction to 13 years of New Labour and all of their shenanigans? There's little too choose from any of them in my opinion and had New Labour been in power when the full weight of this crisis hit then I wonder if they would have been little different. Perhaps it was better for them in a sense not to win the 2010 election ;) . Wasn't it "New Labour" who finally abolished student grants for example? Didn't they bring in "fast track punishment"? Let's not forget that the ranks of Labour had their fair share of Oxbridge students and those from a "privileged" background too.

It's also ironic that New Labour only got back into power after 18 years when they had their most "right" leader who moved the party away from the traditional leftist policies of old labour and abandoning Clause IV:

"To secure for the workers by hand or by brain the full fruits of their industry and the most equitable distribution thereof that may be possible upon the basis of the common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange, and the best obtainable system of popular administration and control of each industry or service."

Guys, all of you across tendencies- politicians are politicians, they will capitalise (pardon the pun) on anything to serve their own political ends and deny they were ever responsible or it was their fault etc etc etc. Small cadres pick up on a popular "sentiment" and manipulate it to further their own careers (and personal wealth) and as usual the little guy picks up the bill or suffers.

[Viet Minh]

Again, I agree with your points, but did not the Conservative-LibDem government (not just the Tories) get voted in? If so was that not a reaction to 13 years of New Labour and all of their shenanigans? There's little too choose from any of them in my opinion and had New Labour been in power when the full weight of this crisis hit then I wonder if they would have been little different. Perhaps it was better for them in a sense not to win the 2010 election ;) . Wasn't it "New Labour" who finally abolished student grants for example? Didn't they bring in "fast track punishment"? Let's not forget that the ranks of Labour had their fair share of Oxbridge students and those from a "privileged" background too.

In a way perhaps, but it was Tony Blair responisble for all kinds of cuts, not to mention he was fundamental to the decision for the UK to go to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was re-elected however, and it was his successor Gordon Brown who lost the election. He was largely blamed for the global economic crisis, make of that what you will. Or it could be that we are so shallow in todays Britain that the younger David Cameron and Nick Clegg were voted in like bloody x factor contestants. I'm not going to defend labour, they are sellouts pure and simple. New labour may be less conservative than the tories, but the bottom line is they are anti-progressive. And yeah Labour no longer even have a pretence towards working class emancipation.



It's also ironic that New Labour only got back into power after 18 years when they had their most "right" leader who moved the party away from the traditional leftist policies of old labour and abandoning Clause IV:

"To secure for the workers by hand or by brain the full fruits of their industry and the most equitable distribution thereof that may be possible upon the basis of the common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange, and the best obtainable system of popular administration and control of each industry or service."


The differences between the parties are marginal, Labour pander to the lower middle class vote and Tories to the upper middle class essentially (EDIT)at least on the surface, behind the scenes both parties work for the highest bidder(/EDIT). Having such a limited choice means we are stuck with one or the other, the alternative vote may have helped but we'll never know now.

[ComradeMan]

....

Getting back to the point, I don't think the banning/restriction of social network sites and all that is an answer. I see the clean-up operation by residents was also organised through social media. It is a sad reality that some form of monitoring is needed on the internet, but that's the world we live in, however this strikes me as just silly knee-jerk stuff. Surely it's better to see what your "enemy" is up to, as the Sicilian proverb goes, keep friends close but enemies closer. ;)

[Demogorgon]

That's exactly what I thought. Is that like someone standardized British parliament thing?
Yes, when the Prime Minister speaks Government MPs always do that (similarly opposition MPs will do the same when their leader speaks). Make no mistake, the Whips are watching who does and does not cheer at the appropriate times and if you don't bother you probably aren't going to be made a minister any time soon.

[Che a chara]

Could it not be argued that social media has been a development within the capitalist mode of production , and that if you support capitalism you have to accept it with warts and all ?

[Che a chara]

Could it not be argued that social media has been a development within the capitalist mode of production , and that if you support capitalism you have to accept it with warts and all ?

Bill O'Reilly ( :eek: ) actually gave me this mindset. He agreed that capitalism does not cater for all and that under such a system there will be an underclass and those who will be left out with or without the scraps.

If it comes with the territory, then surely you must accept it's 'faults' and development structure ?

[electro_fan]

And it's amazing how they've all forgotten about the smug git's own media-linked debauchery with Murdoch, Brooks and Coulson. The phone hacking scandal and corruption within the 'law and order' will probably be overlooked now and they'll come out smelling like roses despite their shit stinking like shite last week.
People haven't forgotten.

[electro_fan]

Of course, it'll never happen. The proposal itself is ludicrous: "prevent people communicating on social media when we know they are engaged in criminal activity." The guy must think he lives in the matrix.

Besides which, it would be political suicide for the Coalition if they resorted to such draconian anti-free speech policies. In particular, the liberal democrats would be unable to sanction it.

yes they would, they've sold out everything else,so why not that

[Smyg]

Eric Blair is spinning in his grave.

[Hit The North]

yes they would, they've sold out everything else,so why not that

Well, it would compromise their core appeal, as we can see with many Lib-Dem MPs concerns over the Tories tough, illiberal response to the riots. Embracing state controlled blackout on communications policies would completely alienate them from their core voters and it would be electoral suicide. This doesn't mean it might not happen - Clegg is going along with Cameron's comments on this matter - but it would destroy them.

Not that the destruction of the Liberal Democrats is very high on my list of things I give a fuck about.

[The Dark Side of the Moon]

Oooh, banning socialnetworking? People will just bypass it

[Ocean Seal]

For what its worth, banning social media would probably help the rioters out a little bit. I mean, I really don't understand why you would organize something illegal over facebook, doesn't it just make it so much easier for the police to catch you? Especially since every post you make has your first and last name next to it.

[Demogorgon]

Well, it would compromise their core appeal, as we can see with many Lib-Dem MPs concerns over the Tories tough, illiberal response to the riots. Embracing state controlled blackout on communications policies would completely alienate them from their core voters and it would be electoral suicide. This doesn't mean it might not happen - Clegg is going along with Cameron's comments on this matter - but it would destroy them.

Not that the destruction of the Liberal Democrats is very high on my list of things I give a fuck about.
The trouble with expecting anything at all from the Lib Dems now is that they are utterly ruined. They know that the next election could well be the death toll of the party and around 90% of their current MPs will be losing their seats. On the other hand while they wait for that, they at least get the fun of being in Government. So they want to maximise the time they are in Government and keep the date of their wipe out as far away as they can. That means they will go along with just about anything now.

[electro_fan]

Well, it would compromise their core appeal, as we can see with many Lib-Dem MPs concerns over the Tories tough, illiberal response to the riots. Embracing state controlled blackout on communications policies would completely alienate them from their core voters and it would be electoral suicide. This doesn't mean it might not happen - Clegg is going along with Cameron's comments on this matter - but it would destroy them.

Not that the destruction of the Liberal Democrats is very high on my list of things I give a fuck about.
I dont disagree with you, but they've already pretty much committed collective suicide as a party already ...

[RichardAWilson]

The Tories are Bastards. You'd be better off with Labour :cursing:

[CommieTroll]

Maybe the UK's teens will put down their Blackberries and read some Marx, probably a bit too much to hope for

[ColonelCossack]

i think the riots are probably mostly finished now- i london at least. well, i haven't seen anything on the news about it- but maybe that's because finally the BBC and sky has cottoned on that by televising it they are actually increasing them.

[brigadista]

on parliamentary procedure etc blah- based on public school debating- the house of commons is one big public school

labour have nothing to say they would have made the exact same cuts just over 4 years

if the coalition carry on down this road pressure will build up again

[brigadista]

Maybe the UK's teens will put down their Blackberries and read some Marx, probably a bit too much to hope for

just so you know a moblie phone is v important if you are homeless or in state care

[Demogorgon]

The Tories are Bastards. You'd be better off with Labour :cursing:
It wouldn't make any difference. I don't mean that in hand waving sense of some here that claim that current politics means nothing at all and ignore all differences, but rather that Labour have an appalling track record here. Tony Blair was even quicker to resort to authoritarian responses to this kind of thing than Cameron is.

[RGacky3]

just so you know a moblie phone is v important if you are homeless or in state care

I have a feeling a lot of people shitting on the rioters have never been unemployed or broke.

[Lord Testicles]

Maybe the UK's teens will put down their Blackberries and read some Marx, probably a bit too much to hope for

A lot of good that'll do. :rolleyes:

[CommieTroll]

The main reason I hate those fucking things along with Facebook and other social networking sites is that it basically teaches people to use poor grammar and to spell like idiots, reading most Facebook posts by my friends is fucking sickening