Connect cyber with reality

French sociologist Emile Durkheim came up with the concept of ‘anomie,’ a situation where individuals become unhinged and disconnected from society, its culture, norms and values.

Despite their differences, Britain’s rioters all share a lack of respect or connection with their local and national societies. At the same time, they are completely integrated to a parallel society of social media and mobile communication. This cyber society enabled the coordination, immediate geographic spread, and intensity of violence seen over the past few weeks.

Predictably, Prime Minister David Cameron’s response was to restrict such technologies in times of turmoil.

The rise of the cyber world has created a society separate from ordinary life. As an outlet for self-expression, some say it has made us narcissists: tweeting banal information for the sake of it, for the sake of ourselves. For an increasing number of people, the cyber world is more exciting than their mundane realities where they may not have such control, importance or audience.

In light of this all-pervasive cyber world, we cannot blame the internet and mobile phones for the explosion of riots or mass killings – they are only facilitators, particularly for those people whose cyber life extends into the real. These people are suffering from a bout of Durkheim’s ‘anomie.’

However, cyber society and real-life communities can complement each other. Earlier this year, pro-democracy protestors in the Middle East used cyber technology to strengthen their bonds to the real society instead of weakening them. These protestors still felt they belonged to their real community and used social networking to shape their future.

We may never know how Norwegian authorities had not detected Breivik’s online machinations. Yet any proposals for online censorship or stalling mobile networks have outraged civil rights groups in Norway.

As the leader of the nation, Prime Minister Cameron should perhaps focus on reconnecting the rioters with real-society rather than attacking the cyber substitute at the expense of free society and liberty.

Rebecca Gill is a Research Assistant at The Centre for Independent Studies.