Rioters In England Said To Be Communicating Via BlackBerry – BBM – Updated – RIM Statement
With the riots in England showing no abating today and Cameron recalling Parliament on Thursday, Sky News has evidence that many of the rioters are using BlackBerry BBM to communicate. The police have been having a hard time trying to contain the violence as these gangs of youths are apparently looting one area and then literally move off quite suddenly to a new borough. This, according to Sky News, is being orchestrated by youths using BBM to communicate.
A BBM Message via Sky News
RIM the manufacturers of BlackBerry have vowed to help the police and Home Office. Many youths particularly like using BBM because it is largely untraceable, unlike SMS, Twitter or Facebook feeds. Each user contacts another via their private PIN, it is very secure and the police apparently, cannot monitor it.
With news just in that a 26 year old man who was shot in a car last night in Croydon has died in hospital, everyone needs to be vigilant and help the authorities as much as possible to get this situation under control.
:: Anyone who has a BBM message about the riots should contact Sky News producer Neal Mann on Twitter @fieldproducer or by emailing neal.mann@bskyb.com.
Statement From RIM
We contacted RIM to ask how or if the police could, with RIM’s help, actually access those so called ‘secure messages’. Unfortunately they were only able to supply a standard message, here it is:
“We feel for those impacted by recent days’ riots in London. We have engaged with the authorities to assist in any way we can.”
“As in all markets around the world where BlackBerry is available, we cooperate with local telecommunications operators, law enforcement and regulatory officials. Similar to other technology providers in the UK we comply with The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act and co-operate fully with the Home Office and UK police forces.”
Patrick Spence, managing director, global sales and regional marketing.
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)
