RIM Issues Second Statement Regarding BBM And The UK Riots
Following the concern voiced by David Cameron, UK Prime Minister and Theresa May, the Home Secretary, RIM has issued a new statement regarding the use of BBM and the English rioters. Here it is:
“Further to the statements made on the 11th August by the British Prime Minister and Home Secretary, we welcome the opportunity for consultation together with other companies in the technology and telecommunication industry. RIM continues to comply with both UK privacy laws as well as the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), which are of course the same laws that apply to other technology and telecommunications companies in the UK."
Concern is mounting as to how the UK will fair over the weekend, as reports flood in that many of the 16,000 police officers who have been working 18 hour days this week to bring some calm to London streets, are exhausted. Many ordinary weekend revelers will be heading back out to celebrate the weekend and meet with their friends but the fear, worry and tension of renewed riots is beginning to take hold.
The latest news from Sky News reports that the 68 year old man who tried to extinguish bins set alight by rioters earlier this week and was then set upon, has died in hospital. Calls from many to RIM to cut the BBM service is gaining momentum. The statement that RIM have put out is trying to limit the negative publicity that they have been exposed to. It has been reported that many of the UK rioters had been communicating via BBM to avoid the police during their rioting campaign. Obviously RIM want to distance themselves from that but as their BBM service is reportedly very secure with users contacting each other via PIN, it looks like their efficient system has come back to haunt them.
Twitter, Facebook and many other social networks were also used by rioters to communicate and the police are sifting through those in order to find evidence to arrest any obvious criminals. The RIM website was hacked earlier this week when they issued a statement saying they would cooperate with the police and give any information they can supply regarding obvious rioting activity.
Looks like it’s a case of ‘watch this space’ as the tension builds.
Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photography journalist, editor, curator, and the founder of *TheAppWhisperer.com*, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to mobile photography and art. Since its launch in 2009, TheAppWhisperer has become an international hub for artists of all levels to discover, learn, exhibit, and engage with contemporary photographic practice.Built on principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, Joanne has spent almost two decades championing mobile photography as a serious artistic medium. Through interviews, critical essays, exhibitions, competitions, and education, she has helped shape and document the evolution of mobile art on a global scale.Her work has taken her internationally, lecturing on photography and mobile art at institutions and events including the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, alongside appearances in the UK and Europe. She has served as a juror for international photography and mobile art awards across Portugal, Canada, the United States, South Korea, Italy, and the UK.Joanne is also the founder of *TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com*, one of the first online galleries dedicated exclusively to collectible mobile art, connecting artists with collectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia.Before founding TheAppWhisperer, Joanne worked extensively in print journalism and photographic publishing, including roles at a paparazzi photo agency and as deputy editor of a leading photography magazine. Her freelance journalism, criticism, and commentary have been published widely in both the UK and the US, with bylines in *The Times*, *The Sunday Times*, *The Guardian*, *Popular Photography*, *NikonPro*, *DPReview*, *Which?*, *Vogue Italia*, *LensCulture*, the *BBC*, and more recently, the *Financial Times*, where her published letters on photography continue to contribute to wider conversations around the medium.Alongside her editorial and curatorial work, Joanne’s own photographic practice has been exhibited internationally across the UK, Europe, South Korea, and the United States. Her work increasingly explores themes of grief, loss, death, memory, and the body.Her current research interests centre on grief, death, and poverty, with forthcoming postgraduate study leading towards doctoral research in these areas.Joanne is currently developing new long-form writing and photographic projects and is available for commissions, editorial projects, speaking engagements, and collaborations.Contact: joannetheappwhisperer@gmail.com)
One Comment
BBM er
Well looks like a job for ex NotW staff – get hacking lol