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MP George Galloway has filed an early day motion that calls for a ban on Twitter within the UK until the site opts to cooperate with local authorities.
Filing the motion named "Twitter and the detection of crime", the MP believes the social-networking site should defer to UK authorities or be sanctioned by the Government – those sanctions involving a ban on the service.
"Twitter is now a very widely used mode of social networking; is a US-based enterprise whose primary motivation is to maximise its profits; Twitter is now used for a variety of criminal activities including sending malicious communications," reads the filing.
"Twitter refuses to cooperate with the UK authorities in general and the police in particular in trying to detect the source of criminal communications ‘unless it is a matter of life and death’."
Galloway continues to argue that these situations are determined by Twitter itself, and as a result, make it difficult to cooperate with local authorities.
As a result, the Bradford West MP has called for a ban on Twitter until the service opts to work closely with UK police.
"[This House] believes that this failure to cooperate with the detection of the sources of criminal behaviour is reprehensible," it adds "and calls on the Government to impose sanctions on Twitter until it agrees to fully cooperate with the UK authorities and police in the detection of crime."
Despite the filing of the motion, it isn’t likely to attract much momentum, with even the Parliament website itself downplaying the importance of such motions.
"Although there is very little prospect of EDMs being debated, many attract a great deal of public interest and frequently receive media coverage," claims the website, whilst summarising, "The majority will attract only one or two signatures."
There’s no need to worry just yet UK micro-bloggers, it seems that Twitter is safe – for now at least.
