This article was published on February 11, 2010

Facebook to close 30 UK prisoners’ accounts after taunts and threats


Facebook to close 30 UK prisoners’ accounts after taunts and threats

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Facebook is yet again working to crack down on the criminal element using the service for unfovarourable activity. In the latest case, the accounts of 30 UK prisoners have been identified and closed at the request of UK Justice Secretary Jack Straw.

Social Network access is not allowed in prison but increasingly prisoners are gaining access to the social networking platform to use it for continued illegal activity.

In late January, ‘Godfather’ Colin Gunn was stopped from using Facebook in prison after two months in which he claimed to harass and bully victims as well as organising ‘hits’ on enemies.

The UK government has been looking to find ways to ensure prisoners don’t have access to social networks although rules have been relaxed [in the case of Colin Gunn] at the discretion of the individual prison, or mobile ‘phones are being smuggled into the jail.

The case of the 30 prisoners saw their profiles removed 48 hours after Facebook was alerted to the issue. The UK government is working on a way to decrease this time to minutes, once the correct evidence and procedures have taken place.

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