Newton Emerson - PSNI turn blind eye offline while exercising firm hand online

In contrast with the averted legal gaze cast over loyalist murals and gable walls, Newton Emerson makes the point that the PSNI has not been as pliant when it comes to threatening words and images posted on social media walls. He said in the September 26 2013 edition of the Irish News:

"It is hard to avoid a comparison with the rise in social media prosecutions, and not just because Facebook messages are said to be posted to a 'wall'. Between 2009 and 2012, Facebook and Twitter were mentioned by the PSNI in almost 5,000 incident investigations. Over the same period, annual convictions tripled to 110 a year."

Newton then asked:

"How can the PSNI, the Public Prosecutiom Service and the courts chose to police this virtually infinite cyberspace for threatening words and images while ignoring a few dozen physical spaces right under their nose?"

He answered his own question:

"We are all wearily familiar with the answers. Paramilitary mural painters, unlike Internet trolls, would respond to lawful sanction with violence."

But perhaps a very real question needs answered: Are law enforcement agencies simply cherry picking those they chose to pursue within the infinite cyberspace, while allowing the more sinister and unruly elements to carry on unfettered?

Northern Ireland Social Media Guidelines to be published by the end of Summer 2013

Barra McGrory QC, Director of the PPS for Northern Ireland

On May 14 2013 we learnt through Niall McCracken on The Detail that the Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service is drafting interim social media guidance specific to Northern Ireland.

However, no dates were given for when the Northern Ireland legal document would be published. Then coincidentally on June 20 2013, the Crown Prosecution Service for England and Wales published full and final social media prosecution guidelines.

Following the publication of full guidance in England and Wales I then asked the PPS when we can expect the publication of the interim social media guidelines for Northern Ireland. I received the following response from a PPS spokesperson:

"Northern Ireland guidelines are currently under development and it is anticipated that these will be published by the end of the summer."

When published, the interim guidance document will be accompanied by a period of public consultation. This will then lead on to either, full guidance or new legislation. It is highly unlikely that new law would be produced as there is enough on the statute book to prosecute mis-users as it currently stands.

Conall McDevitt of the SDLP said on Friday 22 2013 in a communication that he favoured social media prosecution guidance specific to Northern Ireland.