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April 09, 2008, 07:00 AM ET
Should a Facebook Poster Be Liable for a Party That Became a Riot?
A wild street party near the campus of Michigan State University that was promoted on Facebook has law-enforcement officials in East Lansing, Mich., considering whether the event’s online organizers should be held accountable for causing a riot. Some 3,000 to 4,000 young people attended the event, called “Cedar Fest,” at a privately owned student apartment complex near the campus last weekend. Police officers broke up the party with tear gas after fights broke out and partygoers attacked officers with bottles and cans. More than 50 people, including 28 Michigan State students, were arrested.
Because the party-turned-riot was organized on Facebook, East Lansing officials may seek to hold the creators of the Facebook event accountable, according to The Detroit News. The Michigan chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union monitored the party and has taken an interest in the possibility of charges against its organizers. “It’s possible that there could be civil-liberties problems when they ultimately decide to charge,” the chapter’s executive director, Kary Moss, told the newspaper.
The campus newspaper, The State News, also reported that law enforcement planned to prosecute “those who made pro-riot posts” on the Facebook event page.
The riot has spawned numerous YouTube videos, articles, and, of course, Facebook groups. One group, “I Got Gassed at Cedarfest 2008!”, reminds Facebookers not to admit to any illegal activities, lest the police be scouring the site for more lawbreakers. —Catherine Rampell
Categories: Social-Networking, Legal-Troubles
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