Twitter Fights Crime
The rise of the internet has exposed many people to the fact that it can be used by criminals to commit heinous acts that violate privacy, personal security, and common sense. But, with the rise of social networking and online media, what if the internet could begin fighting back? What if the internet wasn’t a way to commit crimes, but to catch criminals?
That’s the increasing trend worldwide, as highlighted by police in the town of Surrey in the United Kingdom. They’ve taken to Twitter, determined to tweet every single car theft reported to — and investigated by — their specific police department. Their stated aim is to raise awareness of the crime in the town they have sworn to protect and investigate, but the reach of social media is broad and the options are numerous.
Those who follow the police service’s Twitter account can report any information they might have on the crime and even tweet the officers themselves with information, pictures, descriptions, and other helpful evidence. In effect, by raising awareness of the crime as it happens, these officers are increasing the likelihood that the perpetrator is brought in for questioning and charging.
The increasing trend of social media’s large reach catching criminals is no accident. Officials are increasingly using Twitter for even more serious crimes, and have been known in some locations to tweet the mugshots of the latest criminals to pass through law enforcement’s doors. It is the sentiment of many law enforcement officials that the pubic is largely sympathetic to their cause and wiling to help — they just need an outlet through which to provide tips and assistance.
Twitter is complimented by services like “crime maps” which use Google’s popular Google Maps product and then overlay data from police departments. Users simply enter their address or postal code and can view every crime within a certain radius from their home. They can view whether it was a burglary, assault, murder, or other type of crime, as well as the exact time the crime took place and the description of the individual who committed it. They are encouraged to provide any tips through a contact form or simply the phone number for the arresting police department.
Facebook is not left out of the mix when it comes to crime reporting on the internet. The site’s robust set of “pages” allows each police department to set up their own unique page and broadcast crime updates — from stolen cars to stolen iPods — to each of their Facebook fans. And using Facebook’s news feed and commenting system, users are encouraged and widely able to help officers solve the crime.
So, the internet is not all bad. Indeed, as social media penetrates even more aspects of daily life, the information superhighway is quickly being used as a way to keep ordinary citizens safe by way of their own helpful tips to police officers.
Social media tools like Twitter help police departments project a friendly, community-centric face that conveys just whose side they’re on. In some rougher towns and neighborhoods, that can mean the difference between having the upper hand when solving a crime, and having absolutely no hand at all.
Finding the best rates for assurance voiture in Quebec does not have to be a hassle if you go online to compare quotes from multiple insurance providers. Check out the free quote comparison service available at Kanetix Quebec today to compare the rates of insurance offered by multiple insurance providers.
