Thursday, August 11, 2011

BlackBerry messenger - tool of the rioters?



 As the riots spread across the UK, the technology facilitating the coordination of the violent attacks has come under the spotlight. BlackBerry handsets, popular with teenagers due to their low cost and free, fast instant messaging system are believed to have played a vital role in the planning of the
attacks. Youth gangs have reportedly organised their movements though social networks and their BlackBerry smart phones, using its messenger service known as BBM. Many of the rioters favour BBM as the service is widely used and messages can easily be sent to groups. The service provides a semi-encrypted messaging system which can not be intercepted by authorities. Earlier this year the service was temporarily banned in Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, who cited national security concerns. On Tuesday, David Lammy, MP for Tottenham, where London's worst riots for decades began on Saturday, appealed for BlackBerry maker Research in Motion to suspend its BBM service. "This is one of the reasons why unsophisticated criminals are outfoxing an otherwise sophisticated police force," he said. "BBM is different as it is encrypted and police can't access it." Suspension of the instant messaging service could halt and immobilise the organisation of further riots nationwide. Research in Motion, said in a statement that they were assisting authorities in their investigation and "feel for those impacted by the riots in London." The riots, in which shops are being looted and cars and buildings set ablaze, have spread to Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester, Liverpool and other city centres. The company declined to say whether it was handing over chat logs or user details to police. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stephen Kavanagh of the Metropolitan police said on Tuesday: "Police have got extensive monitoring of this BlackBerry messaging model and actually a lot of people who are seeing these Blackberry messages are forwarding them to the police." Police did not immediately respond to a request for more details of how they were monitoring message traffic.