In what might be record time, Twitter has made some enemies in Mexico. The site became available in Spanish only three months ago, and now, certain authorities are looking to regulate it because delinquents and criminals have become heavy users.
Michael E. Miller reports that Mexico City officials were originally interested in prosecuting Twitter users who broadcast the location of police alcohol checkpoints. Public outcry and the objections of free speech advocates caused them to back down a bit.
Nazario Norberto, who belongs to the Party of the Democratic Revolution (one of three major political parties in Mexico), has stuck by the general idea, though, and is worried about a few things besides drunk driving. "We have to regulate these websites to make sure there aren’t people breaking the law, making death threats or committing crimes via electronic means," he told Miller.
So Norberto is drafting a bill that, along with introducing more penalties for individuals, could give judges the power to shut down whole sites.
The good news for Twitter is that Norberto and his bill aren’t enjoying universal support. Some people believe law enforcement officers can gain an edge by monitoring social networks, while other folks just want to leave Twitter alone.
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