No more Twitteros

Politicians in Mexico are reportedly drafting a bill to regulate Twitter and other social networks to curb crime in the country, according to Seattle PI.

Just like we’ve seen here in the States, citizens in Mexico are apparently using Twitter to evade police checkpoints that test for sobriety in Mexico City. The Global Post reports there is also a fear that drug cartels are using social networking tools to communicate, distribute wares, and evade law enforcement. Those using social networking for nefarious purposes even have a new nickname: Los Twitteros.

Federal lawmakers are currently working on specific legislation to address and punish Twitteros who either break the law directly or enable others to do so. “We have to regulate these websites to make sure there aren’t people breaking the law, making death threats or committing crimes via electronic means,” said federal representative Nazario Norberto. The bill contains a tentative provision to establish a sort of “cybernetic police force” that would help monitor social networking sites for criminal activity.

The proposed bill is already drawing criticism from civil liberties groups and ridicule from the general population. Where do you think governments should draw the line between protecting civil liberties and improving public safety?

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