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Social media industry representatives visit Home Office

Representatives from the social media industry today visited the Home Office to discuss cooperation with law enforcement agencies.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Facebook, Twitter and Blackberry messenger were among those discussing cooperation with law enforcement agencies in situations where networks are being used for criminal behaviour.

A Home Office spokesperson explained: ‘The Home Secretary, along with the Culture Secretary and Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne, has held a constructive meeting with ACPO, the police and representatives from the social media industry.

‘The discussions looked at how law enforcement and the networks can build on the existing relationships and cooperation to crack down on the networks being used for criminal behaviour.’

Coordinating criminality

Today’s meeting follows evidence that social networking sites and messaging services were used to coordinate criminality during the English riots earlier this month.

The Home Secretary explained her intention to meet with social media representatives during a speech in Parliament on 11 August.

She told MPs: ‘I will convene a meeting with the Association of Chief Police Officers, police and representatives from the social media industry to work out how we can improve the technological and related legal capabilities of the police.’

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Published 25 August 2011