S.Africa mulls regulation of BlackBerry chat

Reuters: South Africa is considering regulation on users of Research in Motion’s Blackberry Messenger to prevent crime, a deputy minister said in speech this week.

The government is concerned the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), instant chat service, which is encrypted, could be used by criminals.

“I have been assigned the portfolio of cyber-security and wish to invite ..

. specialists to assist us determine whether we should regulate applications such as BBM within the context of cyber security,” Obed Bapela, deputy minister of South Africa’s Department of Communications, said in speech posted on the department’s website on Monday.

It was not immediately clear what steps the government planned to take to regulate the service and no one was immediately available to comment at the department of communications.

British police and politicians said last month they believed BBM was used by rioters and looters to incite violence.