Imagine you wake up one morning and suddenly there are restrictions on your Facebook account. Think of the upheaval when Facebook merely changed its landing page and design, what do you think would happen if users couldn’t sign in at all. Most people would freak out because let’s face it, there is something about the book of faces that can be very addicting.
The Mexican government plans to implement every social network addict’s nightmare by restricting social networking sites, starting off with Twitter. Twitteros, users of Twitter, have been causing some havoc in Mexico City and around the country, by creating accounts used to alert people of alcohol checkpoints. Police in the US have also faced this problem when Americans tweet about the locations of alcohol checkpoints or officers lurking in the shadows waiting to catch you speed. While this does cause some concern among authorities, users of social network sites like Twitter hardly agree it constitutes placing restrictions on accounts.
Alerting other Twitter users about alcohol checkpoints is irresponsible but not necessarily unlawful. You can’t arrest someone for telling their friend that they saw a police officer on such and such street, however when you post it on Twitter it reaches a much broader audience. This is were things get complicated. In Mexico City the law states a 5 year prison sentence for people who “in any way help a delinquent avoid investigation by the authorities or escape their actions.” Does this include helping drunk drivers get away from police?
The Mexican drug war creates a much bigger problem for social network sites. Why you may ask? Well think of it this way. Kidnapping and escalating drug violence is on the rise in Mexico. If a kidnapper is looking to get information about a person they plan to abduct, where do you think they are going to look first? Where is the easiest place to find information about where a person lives, who their friends and family are, where they go to school or work, what they look like, or where they hang out? Facebook is a kidnapper’s dream because it provides all this information in an easily accessible homepage.
Scary huh? The sad fact is that if you have family in Mexico, you know someone who has been affected by the rising violence and crime, in particular near the border. But the question is whether or not it is necessary to restrict or shutdown these sites as a matter of public safety. There are plans to set up a police force to monitor Twitter and the like, for unlawful activity or death threats. While this can provide some peace of mind for some, there is still the fact that drug cartels are known to infiltrate the police department and even the military. The same problems seem to persist.
If you are unaware of the severity of the drug situation in Mexico take a look at the LA Times’ Mexico Under Siege, which offers interactive maps, statistics, and up to the date news on the ever growing situation. There are also many horrific stories coming from people who live in these war town areas. Stories about corrupt military, officers forced to hide and avoid the drug cartels, as well as the fact that police cover their faces for fear that the narcos will recognize them and exact revenge on one’s family. The fact that narcos are using technology is not new and security experts acknowledge that “drug traffickers have an intelligence network and, as far as I know, at this moment in time it’s more effective than ours.” This forces law enforcement to become more involved with technology and social media, places one wouldn’t normally imagine police activity would be necessary.
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While it may appear that celebrants of the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) are mocking the dead, with all the over the top colors, sugar skulls and dancing skeletons, but in reality the tradition is meant to honor those who have passed. It isn’t a sad occasion, but rather playful, because displaying these caricatures of the dead, known as calaveras, lessen the fear and sadness of death. Rather than feel sadness, participants celebrate and remember their loved ones by offering their favorite food and drink. Check out these pictures of 
This day coincides with the Catholic holiday All Saint’s Day on November 1st, the day after 
Sugar skulls another important part of the ritual. Usually you will see them with the name of the person deceased on the top of the skull. These skulls are given as offerings and later eaten by friends and family. It is an interesting dichotomy between the sweetness of life and sugar versus the sadness off death and skulls. You can see these sugar skulls at every alter and Day of the Dead celebration. Many people take the time to decorate them together, further cementing the importance of gathering as a family.
