The use of Twitter and Facebook has proved to be yet another way for gangsters to connect and communicate, however according to this article, released by AP News, the online trail thrills investigators in the San Francisco Bay Area.
As a Communication student, we have been trained to put nothing online that we would be ashamed to show an employer.
We know that transparency has its ups as well as its downs; we also know however that there is no such thing as privacy online. This is something that social networking gang members seem to not be aware of.
In light of online identity, I feel that there is a strong gang influence online that feels protected. I’m sure many people, myself included, never thought that gangs would be keeping up with and utilizing current online trends like they have.
This is what Capt. Walt Myer director of the Riverside County regional gang task force said about gangs usage of technology it, "mirrors general society. When any kind of new technology comes along, they are going to use it.” (AP News)
When you look at all facets of communication that social media optimizes, it is somewhat terrifying that the same instantaneous speed and ability to maintain vast networks is being used to promote gang violence.
Fortunately however, investigators are a step ahead and find the use of social media by gangsters as a somewhat positive thing. What Tweeting gang members may not realize is that what they are creating is an electronic trail of evidence.
This current situation proves to society that people feel comfortable online. A gangster would never walk onto a crowded street and yell at the top of his lungs how much he was selling cocaine for. Online people feel they are playing the part of the invisible man. One might say things about someone or something that they would never have said out loud or to that persons face.
Social media has a great deal of benefits such as networking, the ability to listen to what society is saying, how people are feeling , connecting with people you would otherwise never been able to stay in touch with. Unfortunately, that’s not what gangs are using these sites for.
In the future, I think people, including gang members, will only get smarter about how to maintain an anonymous online identity. This will create more problems for investigators trying to track down criminals. They too however, will be more knowledgeable about ways to track a person’s online presence.
The article states that the social networking sites are already willing to divulge online evidence in certain situations. I assume laws will be passed in an effort to control online gang activity.
In conclusion, I feel this article proves once again that there is no such thing as privacy online; therefore, law enforcement should be able to track and investigate an online identity.
While, these gang members may have online identities concealing their real ones, they are still leaving trails and whether they realize it or not, they are Tweeting themselves into prison.
