Dear Mr Huppert

I write in reference to the Government's recent rhetoric surrounding
limits on freedom of expression via social media such as Facebook,
Twitter, and other Internet and mobile media and forums.  Of course
rioting cannot be condoned, but the Government must recognise that
Facebook does not cause rioting: rioters cause rioting.  Much can be
done in the long term, through educational and social reforms that
promotoe cultural and socioeconomic inclusion and pluralism, to lessen
the social condition that produce rioters, and steps also must be taken
to bring the current rioters to justice.  What must not happen is a
restriction on freedom of speech that would bring the current
Conservative-LibDem coalition perilously close to George Orwell's
Ingsoc.  Already, China has gleefully commented via its
state-controlled newspaper the Global Times, "the open discussion of
containment of the Internet in Britain has given rise to a new
opportunity for the whole world," and Iran has cynically offered to
send a delegation to Britain to investigate human rights abuses.  Do we
Britons want to take the Chinese approach, the Orwellian approach, or
will we stick to the high road, a road that costs more effort but
affords broader vision?  As a party to the current coalition
government, the Liberal Democrats ought to do all in their power to put
a stop to Mr Cameron's demagogic pandering to the most reactionary
elements of the electorate.

Kind regards
Matthew BELMONTE