150% rise in social media crime

SOCIAL media outlets were mentioned in PSNI investigations a whopping 1,484 times last year, the Sentinel has learned.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th May 2012, 13:42 BST

Furthermore the amount of cases of harassment and threats where Facebook and Twitter was mentioned in police notes increased by 150 per cent last year.

In total there were 1,455 incidents where ‘Facebook’ was metntioned during investigation and 29 were ‘Twitter’ was mentioned.

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The amount of cases were social media was thought to have been used to harass was up by 150 per cent.

The PSNI stated that: “The figures include offences categorised in the Home Office Classification of Harassment, Threat to Kill and Threat or possession with Intent to Commit Criminal Damage.”

In 2010 there were just four cases where either Facebook or Twitter was mentioned by polcie in the Modus Operandi notes.

However, this increased by 150 per cent to 10 last year.

Related topics:TwitterPSNIFacebook