LONDON RIOTS: PHOTOS, FACIAL IMAGING, SOCIAL MEDIA POSE NEW ETHICAL QUESTIONS

August 9, 2011 | Source: Monroe Gallery of Photography

Photos of alleged looters were posted to Flickr as part of Operation Withern.

The New York Times reported:

As rioting continues to roil the streets of London, local police forces are turning to the Web to help unmask those involved in the torching and looting.

On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police of London posted a set of photos on Flickr showing people they believed to be participants in the riots. Right now the images are primarily from the Croydon and West Norwood neighborhoods in south London, although the site says that more will be posted soon.
Click for full article here.

From The Guardian: London riots: police to track rioters who used BlackBerrys

and:

Facebook and Twitter mobilises hundreds of people to clear debris from streets in London's worst-hit communities

From MSNBC: Citizen cameras capture more London looters than cops

"Yet another indicator of the pervasiveness of social media services, the erosion of anonymity online and perhaps a broader, sweeping change in people's views about what is public and what is private."

Tags: online photos privacy social media facial recognition