Vancouver Rioters Identified Through Facebook

The Vancouver Riot that happened last Wednesday night truly shocked the world. It was a pretty gruesome display of human nature, and certainly not something that one would expect to happen because of the disappointment over a hockey game. Granted, the Stanley Cup is more than just your average hockey game and sporting events do have the tendency to rouse our passions. But now all the adrenaline has run out, and people are beginning to cry for justice. Facebook has once again become a vital instrument in the process. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, though, depends on which side you’re on.

Some of the rioters had that one disease brought about by social media and a tad bit of narcissism: the need to post and brag about their actions on Facebook. Take this one guy, Billy Chickite, for example. He posted a status update on his wall saying “This is my first riot and I think I’m doing a pretty good job… this is the best experience of my life!” However, he’s not the one who’s having the worst time because of the issue. One guy named Brock Anton is taking the brunt for all the post-riot hatred after he bragged about his participation in the riot on Facebook. His post went: “Maced in the face, hit with a Batton, tear gassed twice, 6 broken fingers, blood everywhere, punched a f*cken pig in the head with riot gear on knocked him to the ground, through the jersey on a burning cap car flipped some cars, burnt some smart cars, burnt some cop cars, I’m on the news… One word… History :) :) :)).” Brock is now the subject of several Facebook hate pages, several of which have already gone viral.

Furthermore, several Facebook users have banded together to gather evidence on the identities of those participating in the riots. They have forwarded the incriminating photos and posts found on Facebook to the police for further investigation. In fact, one person has created a website called canucksriot2011.com where all evidence pertaining to the Vancouver riots may be posted. So far, his site has collected over 300 photos and videos. One site has gone much further, posting photos of the riots and urging people to identify the rioters via Facebook.

Indeed, Facebook’s role in bringing the rioters to justice is pretty admirable, especially since the riots caused millions of dollars in damage. However, this incident does serve to remind us that anything we post on the Social Networking site can be used against us in the future. So, next time you post something particularly witty but frighteningly controversial, try to hold back a little bit and think of your safety first. You don’t want to end up like Brock Anton, after all. Better yet, just don’t do anything illegal and you’re likely to be perfectly fine.

source:http://www.facecrooks.com