Dear Mr. Cameron,
Once you let the foxes into the henhouse, they rarely stop at eating the eggs you want them to have.
By merely mentioning that you are exploring the idea of shutting down social media access for those involved in the riots, you’ve given a great whiff of hope to less scrupulous leaders around the world just itching for the opportunity to storm the henhouse.
The stakes are higher—much higher—than adding a new tool to your already large tool-belt to end the riots.
Mr. Prime Minister, I don’t need to remind you that the country you lead is a (arguably, the) global standard bearer for the protection of human rights, democracy and press freedom the world over. Your country gave birth to most of the principles liberal democracy is based on. Your processors have gone to war, again and again, to protect these principles.
By signaling that you are even a wee bit open to the idea of shutting down social media, you are sending the message that it is OK for governments to quell press freedoms to serve their interests. Yes, the reality of the situation is more nuanced than that. But nuance is not a specialty of dictators and tyrants. If Britain, the birthplace of press freedom, can clamp down after a few days of riots, then why can’t we, after decades of chronic poverty, mass social upheavals and coups attempts, do the same? Surely the international community, who funds so much of our government budget, can’t punish us when we’re just following their lead.
Social media has the power to change the world. As adoption rates rise, more and more citizens will be able to harness its power to share information and mobilize for change. Just take a quick look at Tunisia, Egypt and beyond. Mr. Cameron, by blocking social media, even for a handful of people, you will be giving up valuable moral ground. This could dampen all the positive revolutionary effects social media has to offer in the decades to come.
The riots your country is undergoing are a terrible tragedy and must be stopped. I have every confidence that you will be able to quell them quickly and successfully without resorting to cutting off access to social media networks. There is too much at stake to do otherwise.
You’ve already cried havoc, but I’m urging you now to not let slip the dogs of war. Once out of their cages, they tend to run amuck.
Yours Truly,
Ben Peterson
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