Twitter users who complained about noise receive abuse after @MPSinthesky publicises their posts to its followers

The Metropolitan police helicopter service has been accused of encouraging abuse of its critics on Twitter.



The helicopter division – which tweets under the handle @MPSinthesky – replied to at least three women who complained about noise and ensured all of its 91,000 followers saw what the women had written.

One woman appears to have left Twitter following online abuse, after @MPSinthesky replied to her text using a dot before her Twitter handle – ensuring that all of its followers saw its reply.

This week one user – tweeting with the handle @anyabike – received an near-immediate response from @MPSinthesky when she tweeted a complaint about noise.

MPS Helicopters (@MPSinthesky) .@anyabike apologies, we were inv in a pursuit of vehicles concerned in high value burglary.

She began receiving rapid criticism from followers of @MPSinthesky, sometimes referred to as a Twitter pile-on.

When she asked the account to delete her tweet after she started to receive misogynistic abuse, she received no response.

Anya (@anyabike) @mpsinthesky I am now starting to get misogynistic replies such as this. Will you please delete that .@ tweet? pic.twitter.com/PJ3VDEf3XP

The Twitter user, who does not want to give her real name, wrote a post about her experience on Storify. She told the Guardian that when she called the Metropolitan police press office for a comment, the press officer did not understand what a "pile-on" was, and did not see anything wrong with the way the @MPSinthesky account was operating. She told him one user had even deleted her account following criticism from MPS followers. His response was that maybe that person had just decided social media was not for them.



"I cannot think of any other corporate account that would effectively

encourage its followers to go after someone who has complained to them," she told the Guardian. "It is extremely irresponsible behaviour in my view."

It appears that it is not the first time people who have complained have received criticism.



On 6 July @Sarah_Buckley tweeted about noise.

Sarah Buckley (@Sarah_Buckley) Turn it in, chaps, I've got a presentation to give tomorrow @MPSinthesky #tooting

The helicopter service replied, ensuring its followers could see the reply in its timeline: "Sorry to have disturbed you Sarah, I hope the chap with the knife we found hiding wasn't behind your shed." The reply was retweeted more than 500 times, including by a number of official police Twitter accounts such as @BasingstokeCops, @TVP_Wokingham, @HTCU, @MertonVPC, @MPSBrownswood, and @NPAS_Ripley.

MPS Helicopters (@MPSinthesky) .@Sarah_Buckley sorry to have disturbed you Sarah, I hope the chap with the knife we found hiding wasn't behind your shed. @MPSWandsworth

The user apologised the next morning saying: "Sorry chaps, 'twas meant good-naturedly - I'm very fond really and you do indeed do a cracking job :)." But her apology also received criticism.

Sophie Marsden (@Boots1988) @Sarah_Buckley @MPSinthesky very convenient when you've now been shown up!!I hope they don't turn up when you need them!!

Leanne McDaid (@LeanneMcDaid) @Sarah_Buckley @MPSinthesky stupid woman

On 29 June @MPSinthesky replied to another complaint about noise, stating: "Not sure if searching for a stabbing victim and firearms suspects is unnecessary, but apologies if you were disturbed."

MPS Helicopters (@MPSinthesky) .@ausetana Not sure if searching for a stabbing victim and firearms suspects is unnecessary, but apologies if you were disturbed.

The reply was retweeted 34 times – including by @TVPBeatBobby (a Thames Valley police account) and @Colin_Paine, a superintendent in the Thames Valley police.

The user – using the Twitter handle @ausetana – received critical replies, including abusive tweets such as: "Let's see how many of the 90k disagree with @ausetana funny feeling it will be 89999!! Earplugs available from most good shops!" and: "What a selfish little twat what us your address?"

Tom Sinclair (@tomsiclair_tom) @ausetana @MPSinthesky what a selfish little twat what us your address?

Later the same day the two-year-old account was deleted.

Caroline Criado-Perez, who has received graphic death and rape threats on Twitter and has complained about the handling of her case by the Metropolitan police, said the Met's behaviour was "horrifying". She added: "If one were feeling charitable, for them to have done this once could be described as unfortunate and unprofessional. To have done it now at least three times is indicative of an utter disregard for the safety of women online."

Criado-Perez called for a retraining of all staff with access to Twitter accounts. "I once would have expected better from the police, but my experience with their chronic ineptness when it comes to online abuse has left me reacting to this episode with entirely unsurprised horror."



The Metropolitan police said the @MPSinthesky account was designed "to engage with its followers and other Twitter users who raise questions about its work", adding that it added a character before the @ symbol "so that @MPSinthesky followers continue to be informed of the incidents the ASU are involved in".

Responding to questions from the Guardian the Met said tweets were only deleted if they were erroneous or factually inaccurate. A spokesperson said: "Training sessions are delivered which officers/staff must attend before they use social media. Training sessions cover strategy, policy, procedure and best practice.

"The MPS does not condone or encourage Twitter users to 'pile on' or 'gang up' on other users but the nature of social media does not allow the MPS to control, with the exception of criminal acts, what users say on an open platform."