Violent Flash Mobs organized through social media

In summary: They can be a lot of fun, or a lot of trouble.We've seen it happen too many times in the US. The UK is well-known for soccer-related violence, too.Flash mobs can occur for a number of reasons, including premieres, street performance by... musicians, protests, and even weddings. They can be a lot of fun, or a lot of trouble.In summary, the London riots were fueled by social media and caused or worsened by them. There are new trends of mobs and riots happening because of social media, and there are legislative efforts to criminalize flash mobs.
  • #106
Evo said:
That's why I was so surprised in the London thread that everyone was so for pre-emptive and total police control, without question, and unreasonably harsh prison sentences, IMO.

well, the prison sentence for stealing water was harsh, but i think part of that is that we can identify with an electrical engineering student as someone like us. but the assaults, and especially the arsons, could be worth that.

it still seems to me, though, that once you start seeing mayhem, you really need to establish a large police presence. even the presence will calm most of the joy-rioters without having to go to total control.

i just hate the idea of using some crazy law to outlaw most all forms of protest or political activism. speech in government-approved speech zones and predetermined times isn't really free speech.
 
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  • #107
ThomasT said:
I have to disagree with this. Our system doesn't seem inordinately punitive to me. I feel very free, very fortunate, and very thankful as a citizen of the US for the sort of system that we have.

These 'wilding' organized criminal actions are the actions of kids who've grown up in cultures of violence and contempt for authority. This antisocial behavior isn't about anything important. It isn't revenge against abuse or insurrection. It's primarily just lots of very unwise young people doing what they can get away with. They're devoid of any sense of societal responsibility and respect for the rights of others.

If their actions are minimally punished or just excused for one reason or another, then they will not only continue but increase. And that's what I predict will be the case.

i'm still in awe of Norway. how do they do it? what about them instills a sense of social responsibility that makes keeping a large percentage of their population in jail unnecessary?
 
  • #108
Proton Soup said:
i'm still in awe of Norway. how do they do it? what about them instills a sense of social responsibility that makes keeping a large percentage of their population in jail unnecessary?
Good question. It might have something to do with Norway's degree of racial, ethnic and cultural homogeneity. Among highly developed countries, the other Scandinavian countries, and Japan, and European countries in general, have much lower (about a tenth) incarceration rates than the US, which has by far the highest incarceration rate and also is probably the most racially, ethnically and culturally inhomogeneous country.

But maybe that's not a key factor wrt the flash mobs that this thread is about.

Rioters (in relatively recent memory) and flash mobbers tend to be predominantly young and African American (and whatever the British equivalent are called) -- but not immigrants. This is also the case with the prison population in the US (not sure about England).

It seems clear enough to me that this has a lot to do with the urban (sub)culture of criminality, violence and contempt for the rights of others that these kids grow up in. They've just taken the youthful 'rebel without a cause' thing to another level that nobody really knows how to deal with. And this is all magnified and exacerbated by modern refinements in communications technologies.
 
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  • #109
ThomasT said:
It seems clear enough to me that this has a lot to do with the urban (sub)culture of criminality, violence and contempt for the rights of others that these kids grow up in. They've just taken the youthful 'rebel without a cause' thing to another level that nobody really knows how to deal with. And this is all magnified and exacerbated by modern refinements in communications technologies.

But that subculture emerges from a lack of positive social structure and that is the real problem behind violent youth. When we see a black teenager involved in gang crime or a white middle-class kid that shoots up his school, we tend to treat these as completely separate issues because of ethnic differences but the common thread is in how youth have lost faith in taking constructive paths and instead turned to destructive influences for easy answers.

Personally, I think there has been a breakdown of the balanced family structure as that would supply stability. We dwell too much on the sexual preference of couples instead of focusing on the balancing of breadwinner and homemaker roles. I fully support women being free to achieve financial success and empowerment but in order to keep the balance then perhaps we need more men to transition into providing progressive leadership on the home front. If kids are getting bullied, then where are the parents to police the situation... if kids are out on the streets late at night, then where are the elders to drag them by their ears back home? There's a lot of talk about unemployment numbers nationwide but the most important jobs in our communities seem to be vacant.
 
  • #111
AlephZero said:
Anyway, these two won't be doing any more organizing using social media for a while...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-14551582
They got light sentences (4 years, which they probably won't do all of) for serious deliberate crimes that carry a maximum penalty of 10 years. This is what I don't understand. The authorities in England say that the sentences send the message that this sort of behavior won't be tolerated. But it seems to me that they're sending the message that if you're caught and convicted, then you can expect to get a light sentence relative to what the law allows. 'Gangstas' and their minions of wannabes expect to go to prison for a few years for things like armed robbery, murder, assault, drug dealing, rape, etc.

The light sentencing tendency is part of the problem.
 
  • #112
Hey guys, let's have some perspective here. The violent crime rates were much higher in the 70's and 80's. I think the whole "moral fabric of society collapsing" is tread out by every generation. There always will be and always has been crime. What's different, in regards to "flash mobs" which let's keep in mind mostly aren't violent or criminal, is the way in which they are organized.

Couldn't you picture headlines in the 1890's: Violent gangsters now using telephone machine to conduct crime! Before, criminals needed to actually meet in person to plan or commit crimes. Now they can conspire from the secrecy of their homes! Civilization is finished!
 
  • #113
Galteeth said:
Hey guys, let's have some perspective here. The violent crime rates were much higher in the 70's and 80's. I think the whole "moral fabric of society collapsing" is tread out by every generation. There always will be and always has been crime. What's different, in regards to "flash mobs" which let's keep in mind mostly aren't violent or criminal, is the way in which they are organized.

Couldn't you picture headlines in the 1890's: Violent gangsters now using telephone machine to conduct crime! Before, criminals needed to actually meet in person to plan or commit crimes. Now they can conspire from the secrecy of their homes! Civilization is finished!
I don't disagree with you, but I'm not sure what your point is. What are you recommending? Just think of violent flash mobs and riots as no big deal, relax and embrace the status quo? After all we've always had mobs and riots and gangsters and criminals. Is there no point in discussing ways of possibly improving things?
 
  • #114
Galteeth said:
Hey guys, let's have some perspective here. The violent crime rates were much higher in the 70's and 80's. I think the whole "moral fabric of society collapsing" is tread out by every generation. There always will be and always has been crime. What's different, in regards to "flash mobs" which let's keep in mind mostly aren't violent or criminal, is the way in which they are organized.

Couldn't you picture headlines in the 1890's: Violent gangsters now using telephone machine to conduct crime! Before, criminals needed to actually meet in person to plan or commit crimes. Now they can conspire from the secrecy of their homes! Civilization is finished!

yes, our crime rates were higher in the 70s and 80s. and then we started building larger prisons and keeping people incarcerated indefinitely and crime rates went down. so, we've been addressing the problem on the back end. what we haven't quite addressed yet is the problem on the front end, that pesky social fabric problem. if it were to come down to something so base as the previously-mentioned inhomogeneity stats, then we may be perpetually screwed. but if it is perhaps also related to something else, like say financial inequities, then perhaps we need to consider addressing the relative costs of that versus maintaining a huge crime and punishment industry.
 
  • #115
Now, Maryland imitators... Ack...

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-08-16/justice/maryland.flash.mob_1_flash-mob-police-patrols-social-networking-sites?_s=PM:CRIME" [Broken]

Rhody... :yuck:
 
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<h2>1. What are violent flash mobs organized through social media?</h2><p>Violent flash mobs are a form of organized group violence that is planned and coordinated through social media platforms. These events typically involve a large group of individuals gathering at a specific location, often with the intention of causing chaos, destruction, or harm to others.</p><h2>2. How do these violent flash mobs come together?</h2><p>Social media provides a platform for individuals to quickly and easily communicate and spread information to a large number of people. Organizers of violent flash mobs can use social media to invite others, share details and instructions, and coordinate the time and location of the event.</p><h2>3. What are the potential consequences of violent flash mobs organized through social media?</h2><p>The consequences of these events can be severe, both for the individuals involved and for the community as a whole. Participants may face criminal charges, and innocent bystanders can be injured or traumatized. These events can also damage the reputation and safety of the community where they occur.</p><h2>4. Can social media platforms be held responsible for these violent flash mobs?</h2><p>While social media platforms can be used to organize and promote these events, they are not directly responsible for the actions of individuals. However, some platforms have policies in place to remove content that promotes violence or criminal activity.</p><h2>5. How can we prevent or address violent flash mobs organized through social media?</h2><p>Preventing these events requires a combination of measures, including monitoring and removing content that promotes violence, educating the public about the potential consequences of participating in these events, and working with law enforcement to identify and prosecute organizers. It is also important for communities to address underlying issues that may contribute to the organization of these events, such as social and economic inequalities.</p>

1. What are violent flash mobs organized through social media?

Violent flash mobs are a form of organized group violence that is planned and coordinated through social media platforms. These events typically involve a large group of individuals gathering at a specific location, often with the intention of causing chaos, destruction, or harm to others.

2. How do these violent flash mobs come together?

Social media provides a platform for individuals to quickly and easily communicate and spread information to a large number of people. Organizers of violent flash mobs can use social media to invite others, share details and instructions, and coordinate the time and location of the event.

3. What are the potential consequences of violent flash mobs organized through social media?

The consequences of these events can be severe, both for the individuals involved and for the community as a whole. Participants may face criminal charges, and innocent bystanders can be injured or traumatized. These events can also damage the reputation and safety of the community where they occur.

4. Can social media platforms be held responsible for these violent flash mobs?

While social media platforms can be used to organize and promote these events, they are not directly responsible for the actions of individuals. However, some platforms have policies in place to remove content that promotes violence or criminal activity.

5. How can we prevent or address violent flash mobs organized through social media?

Preventing these events requires a combination of measures, including monitoring and removing content that promotes violence, educating the public about the potential consequences of participating in these events, and working with law enforcement to identify and prosecute organizers. It is also important for communities to address underlying issues that may contribute to the organization of these events, such as social and economic inequalities.

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