#Londonsburning

nick cowen, 20 September 2011

By Tom Hall

For a few dramatic days in August 2011 the twin pillars of law and order seemed on the verge of collapse as an epidemic of riots and vandalism spread across the United Kingdom. The question of how a small protest against apparent police brutality in Tottenham could spark upheaval as far afield as Huddersfield has given rise to a number of competing explanations.1 Significantly, many commentators and politicians have homed in on the role of social networking and its relationship with Generation Y. Given Twitter and Facebook’s past form – many have labelled the Arab Spring the “Facebook Revolution” – it is worth seriously considering their effects on Generation Y. This article will tackle the interrelated questions of whether social media caused the UK riots (including Twitter, Facebook, and Blackberry messenger) and, if so, whether these platforms should be suspended from use during times of crisis.

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