Published at 14:53, Thursday, 15 October 2009

CUMBRIA police have warned that they are monitoring Facebook and other social networking sites and could take action against anyone making threats or inciting criminal acts.

The warning came after a group was set-up on Facebook following a crash in Whitehaven which saw a 12-year-old boy hospitalised.

Allegations led police to state that a local firm had been entirely co-operative during the investigation.

And there was a warning from Inspector Craig Lory, of Whitehaven Neighbourhood Policing Team: “We would also like to make contributors to social networking forums aware that police actively monitor sites for criminal content.”

Insp Lory told the News & Star that it was the first time that he had encountered the problem, adding: “People are entitled to their opinion and if they overstep the mark that is a civil matter and people can take a libel action, but when comments on Facebook verge on criminal conduct – such as threats to people or their property – we will not hesitate to intervene.”

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk