twitter & the uk riots: the impact of twitter on the shape of and policing response to the 2011...

1
TWITTER AND THE UK RIOTS THE IMPACT OF TWITTER ON THE SHAPE OF AND POLICING RESPONSE TO THE 2011 RIOTS RUMOURS//DISPUTED INFORMATION | SPECULATION | MISINFORMATION | DISINFORMATION @DeclanJMN: ¿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¿HOG /RQGRQ5LRWV 6XQ $XJXVW 9LVXDOLVDWLRQ E\ 5RE 3URFWRU )DULGD 9LV DQG $OH[ 9RVV RUMOUR CLUSTERS IN THE LONDON RIOTS// CONCLUSIONS// ,Q WKH LPPHGLDWH DIWHUPDWK RI WKH ULRWV VRPH SROLWLFLDQV DQG PHGLD FRPPHQWDWRUV ZHUH TXLFN WR EODPH VRFLDO PHGLD LQFOXG- LQJ 7ZLWWHU IRU WKHLU VFDOH DQG VSUHDG 2Q WKH VSHFLÀF TXHVWLRQ RI ZKHWKHU VRFLDO PHGLD KDG EHHQ XVHG WR LQFLWH XQODZIXO DFWV WKH DQVZHU PXVW EH \HV LQGHHG SHRSOH KDYH EHHQ FRQYLFWHG RI WKLV RIIHQFH ,Q WKH 7ZLWWHU FRUSXV 3URFWHU HW DO DOVR IRXQG H[DPSOHV RI LQIRUPDWLRQ ÁRZV WKDW PLJKW EH MXGJHG WR EH LQFLWLQJ XQODZIXO DFWV +RZHYHU WKHLU YROXPH SDOHG LQWR LQVLJQLÀ- cance when compared to the evidence in the corpus that Twitter was used for more positive ends and, in particular, the or- JDQLVDWLRQ RI WKH ULRW FOHDQXS )XUWKHUPRUH 3URFWHU HW DO QRWHG WKDW WKH SROLFH WKHPVHOYHV UHMHFWHG WKH LGHD RI FORVLQJ GRZQ social media sites during such crises , arguing that they are a valuable tool for information gathering, for keeping the public LQIRUPHG DQG IRU SURYLGLQJ DGYLFH +RZHYHU WKHLU VWXG\ GRHV FRQÀUP WKH FRQFOXVLRQV RI RWKHU VWXGLHV WKDW WKH SROLFH DQG government agencies in general) and mainstream news media have yet to get a grip on using social media platforms like Twit- ter effectively. 6LQFH WKH ULRWV WKHUH KDV EHHQ D JUHDW LQFUHDVH LQ WKH QXPEHU RI IROORZHUV RI SROLFH DFFRXQWV %HWZHHQ -XQH DQG $XJXVW WKH WRWDO QXPEHU RI IROORZHUV RI SROLFH IRUFHV· SULQFLSDO 7ZLWWHU DFFRXQWV LQFUHDVHG IURP WR 8QVXUSULV- ingly, forces with the biggest growth include those where there was the most unrest. By mid-August, @metpoliceuk had over IROORZHUV DJDLQVW LQ -XQH 7KHUH ZDV D PRUH PRGHVW JURZWK LQ WKH QXPEHU RI IROORZHUV RI WKH DFFRXQWV PDQ- DJHG E\ QHLJKERXUKRRG DQG ERURXJK SROLFLQJ WHDPV 2I VXFK DFFRXQWV WKDW ZHUH DOUHDG\ LQ H[LVWHQFH E\ -XQH DQG VWLOO XVHG LQ $XJXVW WKH QXPEHU RI IROORZHUV JUHZ IURP WR ² DQ LQFUHDVH RI 6RPH RI WKHVH DFFRXQWV gained several thousand new followers. Keeping the public informed is only one of the challenges the police face during crises. The other is to have access to in- formation that can help them understand events, as without that, they will not be in a position to keep the public properly LQIRUPHG ,I VRFLDO PHGLD LV WR EH XVHG PRUH HIIHFWLYHO\ E\ WKH SROLFH DV D WRRO IRU ERWK GLVVHPLQDWLQJ DQG JDWKHULQJ LQIRUPD- WLRQ WKHQ WKH\ QHHG WR NQRZ PRUH DERXW LWV VWUXFWXUH DQG KRZ LW ZRUNV +RZHYHU OLWWOH LV NQRZQ DERXW WKH VWUXFWXUH RI WKH social space in which communication within social media unfolds and how content, social networks and groups are linked. 3URFWHU HW DO E DUJXH WKDW DV WKHVH PHGLD DUH ¶VRFLDO· WR VRPH H[WHQW WKH\ UHÁHFW ² DW WKH VDPH WLPH DV WKH\ FKDOOHQJH ² H[LVWLQJ VRFLDO VWUXFWXUHV ,Q FRQWUDVW WR WUDGLWLRQDO ¶PDVV· PHGLD ZKLFK FRPPXQLFDWH PRUH LQGLVFULPLQDWHO\ WR WKHLU DXGL- ences, a social media platform like Twitter, with its follower and friendship model, may sometimes produce quite distinct and ERXQGHG DXGLHQFHV ZKLFK PD\ EH GLIÀFXOW WR EUHDN RXW RI +HQFH IRU WKH SROLFH LW PLJKW VHHP HDVLHU WR XVH PDLQVWUHDP media channels rather than trying to navigate a highly structured social landscape of accounts, followers and friends. Finally, for journalists working in mainstream news media, while social media has opened up new sources, the tools they have available do not assist with the problems of interpreting and verifying the authenticity and credibility of that content. The FKDOOHQJH WKHQ OLHV LQ FRQWH[WXDOLVLQJ LQIRUPDWLRQ DQG JURXSLQJ LW E\ WRSLF LQ D ZD\ DSSURSULDWH IRU WKH UHDGHU 7KHUH LV DOVR D UHFRJQLVHG QHHG IRU WRROV WKDW KHOS ZLWK WKH LQWHUSUHWDWLRQ RI KLJK YHORFLW\ FRQWHQW :HLVV DQG ZLWK DXWRPDWLQJ WKH SURFHVV RI SURGXFLQJ K\SHUORFDO QHZV +LUVFKPDQ 6SHFLÀFDOO\ ZLWK UHVSHFW WR WKH LQWHUVHFWLRQ RI VRFLDO DQG WUDGLWLRQDO PHGLD 0DQHV KDV DUJXHG WKDW ´:KDW LV QHHGHG DUH QHZVURRPV WKDW FDQ ÀOWHU YHULI\ FXUDWH DQG DPSOLI\ VRFLDO PHGLD IRU WKHLU DXGLHQFHV LQ DGGLWLRQ WR MRXUQDOLVWV UHSRUWLQJ LQ HQWHUSULVLQJ DQG FRQWH[WXDO ZD\Vµ 7KHUH LV DOVR D VWURQJ QHHG IRU authenticating and verifying content, which net-savvy journalists often do by tapping into the wisdom of the crowd. 5RE 3URFWRU

Upload: in-place-of-war

Post on 06-Apr-2016

214 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

DESCRIPTION

A diversity of practices have emerged in the last five years that have permitted new forms of present tense responses to crisis. H20 seeks to link and learn from these diverse but related initiatives by providing a forum through which pioneers of web 2.0 technologies can be brought into productive dialogue with experts in humanitarian relief.

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Twitter & the UK Riots: The impact of twitter on the shape of and policing response to the 2011 riot

TWITTER AND THE UK RIOTSTHE IMPACT OF TWITTER ON THE SHAPE OF AND POLICING RESPONSE TO THE 2011 RIOTS

RUMOURS//DISPUTED INFORMATION | SPECULATION | MISINFORMATION | DISINFORMATION

@DeclanJMN: ¿UVW�KDQG�DFFRXQW�RQ�%%&�QHZV��SROLFH�EHDWLQJ�D����\HDU�ROG�JLUO�VSDUNHG�WKH�ULRW���WRWWHQKDP 6XQ���$XJXVW������

#3DXO/HZLV��VHDUFKLQJ�IRU� UHOLDEOH �DF�FRXWV�RI�DOOHJHG�SROLFH�PLVWUHDWPHQW�RI����\HDU�ROG�JLUO�DW�SURWHVW�WKDW�DOOHJHGO\�VSDUNHG��WRWWHQKDP��ULRW6XQ���$XJXVW������

#WKHHFRVRFLDOLVW���7RWWHQKDP�5LRWV��LV�WKLV�WKH�YLGHR�RI���\U�ROG�JLUO�EHDWHQ�E\�SR�OLFH"�KWWS���QEOR�JV�,QVW56XQ���$XJXVW������

#%RRWV5LOH\��5LRW�DFWXDOO\�WULJJHUHG�ZKHQ�SROLFH�EHDW�D����\�R�JLUO�WKH�RWKHU�QLJKW���ORQGRQULRWV 7XH���$XJXVW������

#MDUDSDULOOD�����<($5�2/'�*,5/�%$7�7(5('�%<��7277(1+$0�5,27�32/,&(���7+,6�,6�:+$7�67$57('�,7�$//���%UL[�WRQ��(Q¿HOG��/RQGRQ5LRWV6XQ���$XJXVW������

9LVXDOLVDWLRQ�E\�5RE�3URFWRU��)DULGD�9LV��DQG�$OH[�9RVV

RUMOUR CLUSTERS IN THE LONDON RIOTS// CONCLUSIONS//

,Q�WKH�LPPHGLDWH�DIWHUPDWK�RI �WKH�ULRWV��VRPH�SROLWLFLDQV�DQG�PHGLD�FRPPHQWDWRUV�ZHUH�TXLFN�WR�EODPH�VRFLDO�PHGLD��LQFOXG-

LQJ�7ZLWWHU��IRU�WKHLU�VFDOH�DQG�VSUHDG��2Q�WKH�VSHFLÀF�TXHVWLRQ�RI �ZKHWKHU�VRFLDO�PHGLD�KDG�EHHQ�XVHG�WR�LQFLWH�XQODZIXO�DFWV��WKH�DQVZHU�PXVW�EH�\HV��LQGHHG��SHRSOH�KDYH�EHHQ�FRQYLFWHG�RI �WKLV�RIIHQFH���,Q�WKH�7ZLWWHU�FRUSXV�3URFWHU�HW�DO��DOVR�IRXQG�H[DPSOHV�RI �LQIRUPDWLRQ�ÁRZV�WKDW�PLJKW�EH�MXGJHG�WR�EH�LQFLWLQJ�XQODZIXO�DFWV��+RZHYHU��WKHLU�YROXPH�SDOHG�LQWR�LQVLJQLÀ-

cance when compared to the evidence in the corpus that Twitter was used for more positive ends and, in particular, the or-

JDQLVDWLRQ�RI �WKH�ULRW�FOHDQXS��)XUWKHUPRUH��3URFWHU�HW�DO��QRWHG�WKDW�WKH�SROLFH�WKHPVHOYHV�UHMHFWHG�WKH�LGHD�RI �FORVLQJ�GRZQ�social media sites during such crises , arguing that they are a valuable tool for information gathering, for keeping the public

LQIRUPHG�DQG�IRU�SURYLGLQJ�DGYLFH��+RZHYHU��WKHLU�VWXG\�GRHV�FRQÀUP�WKH�FRQFOXVLRQV�RI �RWKHU�VWXGLHV�WKDW�WKH�SROLFH��DQG�government agencies in general) and mainstream news media have yet to get a grip on using social media platforms like Twit-

ter effectively.

6LQFH�WKH������ULRWV�WKHUH�KDV�EHHQ�D�JUHDW�LQFUHDVH�LQ�WKH�QXPEHU�RI �IROORZHUV�RI �SROLFH�DFFRXQWV��%HWZHHQ�-XQH�DQG�$XJXVW��WKH�WRWDO�QXPEHU�RI �IROORZHUV�RI �SROLFH�IRUFHV·�SULQFLSDO�7ZLWWHU�DFFRXQWV�LQFUHDVHG�IURP���������WR����������8QVXUSULV-

ingly, forces with the biggest growth include those where there was the most unrest. By mid-August, @metpoliceuk had over

�������IROORZHUV��DJDLQVW�������LQ�-XQH��7KHUH�ZDV�D�PRUH�PRGHVW�JURZWK�LQ�WKH�QXPEHU�RI �IROORZHUV�RI �WKH�DFFRXQWV�PDQ-

DJHG�E\�QHLJKERXUKRRG�DQG�ERURXJK�SROLFLQJ�WHDPV��2I �����VXFK�DFFRXQWV�WKDW�ZHUH�DOUHDG\�LQ�H[LVWHQFH�E\�-XQH������DQG�VWLOO�XVHG�LQ�$XJXVW��WKH�QXPEHU�RI �IROORZHUV�JUHZ�IURP���������WR���������²�DQ�LQFUHDVH�RI ������6RPH�RI �WKHVH�DFFRXQWV��

gained several thousand new followers.

Keeping the public informed is only one of the challenges the police face during crises. The other is to have access to in-

formation that can help them understand events, as without that, they will not be in a position to keep the public properly

LQIRUPHG��,I �VRFLDO�PHGLD�LV�WR�EH�XVHG�PRUH�HIIHFWLYHO\�E\�WKH�SROLFH�DV�D�WRRO�IRU�ERWK�GLVVHPLQDWLQJ�DQG�JDWKHULQJ�LQIRUPD-WLRQ��WKHQ�WKH\�QHHG�WR�NQRZ�PRUH�DERXW�LWV�VWUXFWXUH�DQG�KRZ�LW�ZRUNV��+RZHYHU��OLWWOH�LV�NQRZQ�DERXW�WKH�VWUXFWXUH�RI �WKH�

social space in which communication within social media unfolds and how content, social networks and groups are linked.

3URFWHU�HW�DO�������E��DUJXH�WKDW�DV�WKHVH�PHGLD�DUH�¶VRFLDO·��WR�VRPH�H[WHQW�WKH\�UHÁHFW�²�DW�WKH�VDPH�WLPH�DV�WKH\�FKDOOHQJH�²�H[LVWLQJ�VRFLDO�VWUXFWXUHV��,Q�FRQWUDVW�WR�WUDGLWLRQDO�¶PDVV·�PHGLD��ZKLFK�FRPPXQLFDWH�PRUH�LQGLVFULPLQDWHO\�WR�WKHLU�DXGL-

ences, a social media platform like Twitter, with its follower and friendship model, may sometimes produce quite distinct and

ERXQGHG�DXGLHQFHV��ZKLFK�PD\�EH�GLIÀFXOW�WR�EUHDN�RXW�RI��+HQFH��IRU�WKH�SROLFH��LW�PLJKW�VHHP�HDVLHU�WR�XVH�PDLQVWUHDP�media channels rather than trying to navigate a highly structured social landscape of accounts, followers and friends.

Finally, for journalists working in mainstream news media, while social media has opened up new sources, the tools they have

available do not assist with the problems of interpreting and verifying the authenticity and credibility of that content. The

FKDOOHQJH��WKHQ��OLHV�LQ�FRQWH[WXDOLVLQJ�LQIRUPDWLRQ�DQG�JURXSLQJ�LW�E\�WRSLF��LQ�D�ZD\�DSSURSULDWH�IRU�WKH�UHDGHU��7KHUH�LV�DOVR�D�UHFRJQLVHG�QHHG�IRU�WRROV�WKDW�KHOS�ZLWK�WKH�LQWHUSUHWDWLRQ�RI �KLJK�YHORFLW\�FRQWHQW��:HLVV�������DQG�ZLWK�DXWRPDWLQJ�WKH�

SURFHVV�RI �SURGXFLQJ�K\SHUORFDO�QHZV��+LUVFKPDQ��������6SHFLÀFDOO\�ZLWK�UHVSHFW�WR�WKH�LQWHUVHFWLRQ�RI �VRFLDO�DQG�WUDGLWLRQDO�PHGLD��0DQHV��������KDV�DUJXHG�WKDW��´:KDW�LV�QHHGHG�DUH�QHZVURRPV�WKDW�FDQ�ÀOWHU��YHULI\��FXUDWH��DQG�DPSOLI\�VRFLDO�PHGLD�IRU�WKHLU�DXGLHQFHV��LQ�DGGLWLRQ�WR�MRXUQDOLVWV�UHSRUWLQJ�LQ�HQWHUSULVLQJ�DQG�FRQWH[WXDO�ZD\V�µ�7KHUH�LV�DOVR�D�VWURQJ�QHHG�IRU�

authenticating and verifying content, which net-savvy journalists often do by tapping into the wisdom of the crowd.

5RE�3URFWRU