Mobile social media usage 'could mean the end of SMS'

The rapid rise of social media use via mobile phones could mean text messaging becomes a thing of the past in the near future, it has been suggested.

In an article for the Daily Mail, Ryan Kisiel revealed teenagers are increasingly using the free instant messaging capabilities of sites such as Twitter and Facebook to talk to each other, making it possible the SMS could be extinct sooner rather than later.

Experts predict the volume of text messages sent via mobile devices in the next two years alone will drop by a fifth, Mr Kisiel stated, adding that many analysts see this as the beginning of the end.

Richard Windsor, a mobile analyst at Nomura, told him: "Once text messaging starts to decline, I think it could continue to decline until it hits zero."

Meanwhile, sales of Blackberries have rocketed thanks to the free BBM Messenger service it provides.

Graham Brown, managing director at communication consultants Mobile Youth, told Mr Kisiel: "We've seen SMS usage fall among young people and the main driver is BlackBerry.

"Teens and students were picking up BlackBerrys as hand-me-downs because parents were upgrading and started playing and exploring." 

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Royal Wedding Security: Social Media Tactics Revealed

Security is tight with 1 million people expected on the streets of London to celebrate Prince William and Kate Middleton's Friday wedding.

Authorities are closely watching Facebook, for instance, where some activists are calling for protests along the parade route.

There is growing concern about the anger being vented online toward the royal wedding, such as a photo of William and Middleton with nooses around their necks that was posted by a group called the Anarchist Media Project.

Scotland Yard officials this morning said they are ready for anything that might disrupt the wedding.

"Any criminals attempting to disrupt it, be that in the guise of protest or otherwise, will be met by a robust, decisive, flexible and proportionate policing response," the London police officials said.

Such confidence stems from a plan described as a multi-layered "ring of steel" using 5,000 policemen -- both in uniform and undercover -- as close to the new royal couple as at the back of their carriage.

Footmen at Princess Diana's wedding 30 years ago, for instance, were actually armed undercover police. They were not just there to open the door but to take a bullet for the royal couple.

Some protesters say they are ready to walk the talk to try to disrupt the wedding, such as one Islamic group denied a permit to protest outside Westminster Abbey, in reaction to what it says were atrocities against Muslims.

Social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter can help protesters outmaneuver the police by allowing them to mobilize quickly and efficiently.

"The Internet gives these people a huge megaphone that they otherwise wouldn't have," said Micah Sifry of the Personal Democracy Forum.

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