Mexico May Crack Down On Twitter

In what might be record time, Twitter has made some enemies in Mexico.  The site became available in Spanish only three months ago, and now, certain authorities are looking to regulate it because delinquents and criminals have become heavy users.

Michael E. Miller reports that Mexico City officials were originally interested in prosecuting Twitter users who broadcast the location of police alcohol checkpoints.  Public outcry and the objections of free speech advocates caused them to back down a bit.

Nazario Norberto, who belongs to the Party of the Democratic Revolution (one of three major political parties in Mexico), has stuck by the general idea, though, and is worried about a few things besides drunk driving.  "We have to regulate these websites to make sure there aren't people breaking the law, making death threats or committing crimes via electronic means," he told Miller.

So Norberto is drafting a bill that, along with introducing more penalties for individuals, could give judges the power to shut down whole sites.

The good news for Twitter is that Norberto and his bill aren't enjoying universal support.  Some people believe law enforcement officers can gain an edge by monitoring social networks, while other folks just want to leave Twitter alone.

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Google Street View Hits Hawaii, Mexico

Attention all Street View fans: another update's been announced, and this one could be considered especially significant.  Images of Hawaii were released, meaning Street View now has coverage of all 50 U.S. states.

Street View's come a long way since its early days of functioning as a fun little distraction/curiosity.  It's now a useful resource for travelers, an advertising aid for businesses, and even a friend of some tourist agencies (the Hawaii Visitors and Conventions Bureau worked with Google on this latest update).

Street View remains a nifty way to glimpse cool locations, too, of course.  Waimea Bay, which you can see below, is one such spot.  On the Official Google Blog, Laura Melahn also recommended Iolani Palace.

And the new Street View update actually includes images originating from a place other than Hawaii; Mexico, our neighbor to the south, was covered for the first time.  Shots of Cancun, Cozumel, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Playa del Carmen, Puebla, and Puerto Vallarta are all available now.

So if you're more a fan of warm temperatures and sea breezes than snow-covered pine trees, this is definitely the update for you.  Have fun exploring from your office chair.

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