It has been announced that representatives from major social networks such as Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook have been asked to meet the UK home office following the riots across the country. So far only Facebook has confirmed its attendance, however Blackberry has also suggested that it will be present.
Each one of the sites has come under attack following the riots as some rioters may have used them to plan ahead. However, counter claims state that it is not the responsibility of the sites to censor free speech in a country like the UK. Furthermore, more right wing press organisations (such as the Daily Mail) have called for these sites to be shut down during times of political turmoil.
This has been seen as a dangerous move towards censoring free speech for some. Particularly during such a highly political time with a great deal of people disagreeing with government cuts and policies.
When asked by the BBC, Twitter did not respond to questions over whether it would be attending. However, the site has a reputation for protecting the right of free speech for its users so it is doubtful that they will bow to pressure.
Speaking on the developments a Facebook representative commented: “We look forward to meeting with the home secretary to explain the measures we have been taking to ensure that Facebook is a safe and positive platform for people in the UK at this challenging time.”
