Potential troublemakers could be banned from social media after the police held face-to-face meetings with Twitter, Facebook and Blackberry, Home Secretary Theresa May has said.
Since the summer's riots, senior officers had met with the companies on a one-to-one basis to look at how individuals instigating trouble using social media such as Blackberry Messenger, Twitter and Facebook could be barred from using the services, Mrs May told the House of Commons.
She told MPs: "I did indeed meet with Twitter, Facebook and Blackberry and met them with representatives from Acpo (Association of Chief Police Officers) and the Metropolitan Police.
"We discussed a number of matters, both how the police can actively use social media networks, but also the companies looking at the terms and conditions they have and when they might be taking people off the network because they might be breaching those terms and conditions.
"Subsequent meetings have been held on a one-to-one basis between the police and the individual companies."
Mrs May's comments followed a question from Labour's Heidi Alexander, MP for Lewisham East.
She asked the Home Secretary: "In August, the Prime Minister (David Cameron) told me you would be meeting with social media companies to explore the role the internet and technology in propagating gang culture.
"Can you tell me the outcome of those meetings and what action will be taken?"