Technology can be a force for good in fighting crime but it's manna from heaven for conmen

Internet has been a useful tool for law enforcement but it also brings sinister challenges for cops as we share more of our lives on the web

- JANE HAMILTON

WE NEED to talk about technology and social media. What’s that got to do with crime, I hear you ask. Stick with me and I’ll get to the point.

Those of us old enough to remember the days before Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter or even YouTube will recall that knowledge of crime and victims was generally gained through newspapers, TV and radio.

And for people like me, our interaction with the public was confined to landline phones and letters.

For law enforcement it’s no longer just about relying on wanted posters, police radios and boots on the ground. Communication has become more sophisticated and beneficial.

Nowadays most of us, including crooks, have social media or digital accounts and it has revolutionised the way we understand and tackle crime.

Take, for example, the recent worldwide takedown of organised crime gangs when police infiltrated the encrypted messaging service Encrochat and busted hundreds of gangsters dealing in drugs, humans and guns.

Facebook is handy for real-time events or during times of crisis and allows police unprecedented access to the public – which works at both local and national levels.