Moulton Says Social Media CEOs Have Duty To ID Rioters: Patch PM

Salem MA

08 January, 2021

3:57 PM

Description

SALEM, MA — Today is Friday, Jan. 8. These are the stories Patch has been covering on the North Shore and across Massachusetts. As rioters ran loose through the U.S. Capitol causing both death and destruction on Wednesday many of them did so without identity-concealing face masks. Many of them also planned, live-streamed, and later boldly posted about their insurgence on social media. Now U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) wants those social media companies — including Facebook, Twitter and other blogging platforms — to help law enforcement efforts identify those involved in the attack on the Capitol. "The domestic terrorists who perpetrated Wednesday's attack may have walked out of the building, but they will not escape justice," Moulton said in a statement. "The technology companies whose platforms were used to plan and broadcast the attack have an obligation to assist the pursuit of justice." Read the full story here. Also on the North Shore Swampscott To Start Charging For Resident Coronavirus Tests Swampscott officials are blaming the expiration of CARES Act and FEMA funding for having to charge residents for drive-thru coronavirus tests starting next week. Swampscott, which had offered free testing for residents since September, will require a $70 payment to Cataldo Ambulance starting Monday. Touching Farewell For Retiring Danvers Police Chief Ambrose A cruiser and fire apparatus parade of flashing lights and honking horns, and a touching final radio call, capped the 35-year career of Danvers Police Chief Patrick Ambrose on Friday. Chief Ambrose's son, Danvers Patrolman Patrick Ambrose Jr., made the special announcement in the chief's final radio call Friday morning. Mayor Driscoll: We Should Not Build A Wall Around Salem Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll made affordable housing, social justice and economic recovery from the effects of the coronavirus health crisis the focus of her State of the City address from Salem City Hall Monday night. Following a year in which the pandemic dominated almost every aspect of city life, Driscoll cited the pending vaccinations of first responders as one of the first major steps toward health recovery, while outlining some plans to help small and minority-owned businesses struggling under the ongoing coronavirus-related restrictions. She also talked at length about housing initiatives that she said will make it easier both for those to move into Salem and for residents who want to relocate within the city. North Shore Schools Work Remote Through Trauma Of Capitol Attack The day after a traumatic national event is generally a time when students come together and perhaps draw some comfort and understanding through sharing their thoughts and feelings in a room full of classmates and their teacher. The day after one where hours of television were filled with images of the attack on the U.S. Capitol, however, was spent with most students and teachers across the North Shore apart and able to share only through a computer screen. Across Massachusetts UMass Memorial Probing Employee Involvement In U.S. Capitol Siege One or more UMass Memorial employees may have been involved in the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan.6, the hospital system said on social media Friday. At least one of the more than 50 people arrested in connection to the riot is from Massachusetts. David Ross, 33, of Pittsfield, was charged with curfew violation and unlawful entry, according to Capitol police. Ross entered the U.S. Capitol illegally along with almost two dozen others, according to DC Superior Court records. Marathon Bomber, Citing Prison Treatment, Sues For $250K Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is suing the federal government for $250,000 after what he called "unreasonable" treatment, including having his baseball cap taken away and not being able to shower as much as he'd like. Milford Target Worker Threatened During Robbery Two men stole electronics during a robbery at the Milford Target store on Thursday night, according to the police log. The incident happened around 8 p.m. at the Fortune Boulevard store. According to police, the two men threatened a clerk who tried to interrupt the crime, telling the clerk "You're not going home to your family." One of the robbers also reached into his pocket. Needham-Based Tripadvisor Launches New Social Distancing Platform Tripadvisor announced on Friday that it would launch a new platform called Crowdfree to help its users social distance. The coronavirus pandemic hit the travel industry especially hard and companies like Tripadvisor, based in Needham, are trying to get creative in the ways they use their platform. The platform uses "anonymized and aggregated 'crowd data" according to the company, to track when businesses and public places have peak crowd hours and when there are less people and space to safely social distance.