Posts Tagged ‘BlackBerry Messenger’
April 11th, 2012
BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) has given Indian security forces
access to private instant messages. The move follows the setting up of a BlackBerry service centre in Mumbai last February, with official sources reporting that the interception of BlackBerry’s messenger service (BBM) messages will be used in cases where criminal activity is suspected. Law enforcement agents must first seek gain permission from the Home Ministry, before sending a request to the suspect’s operator or RIM for the data it needs. RIM has neither confirmed nor denied the reports.
November 2nd, 2011
Governments must not crack down on internet and mobile phone networks during times of unrest, the
British Prime Minister David Cameron said yesterday. Speaking at a two-day international
cybersecurity conference in London, Cameron said that cybersecurity should not be an “excuse for censorship or to deny their people the opportunities that the internet represents”.
Speaking at the
same conference, Index on Censorship CEO
John Kampfner said: “as soon as our own Western-style stability of the state is called into question then freedom of expression is expendable. There should be one rule for all, including Western governments.”
October 19th, 2011
Twitter CEO
Dick Costolo has
stressed the need to keep freedom of speech as a priority, even in times of civil unrest. Speaking at the
Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco on Monday, Costolo stood by the decision not to suspend the service or reveal user identities to authorities in the wake of the UK riots this summer.
Talks between representatives from Facebook, Twitter, BlackBerry Messenger and Home Secretary Theresa May during the riots caused speculation that the government would try to temporarily suspend the digital networks.
August 11th, 2011
Index on Censorship news editor Padraig Reidy said today:
“David Cameron must not allow legitimate anger over the recent riots and looting in the UK to be used in an attack on free expression and free information. Too often, channels of communication, whether Twitter, Facebook or BlackBerry Messenger are seen as the culprits in acts of violence and anti-social behaviour, rather than merely the conduit. While police in investigations should be able to investigate relevant communications, there should be no power to pre-emptively monitor or suspend communications for ordinary social media users.”
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