RIO DE JANEIRO (Web Desk) – Brazil police force has banned officers’ use of smartphones on the job, saying instant messaging services like WhatsApp on the beat threatens security.
In an internal memo circulated last week, the Rio de Janeiro state force said it would be monitoring for smartphone and tablet use, which would be considered a ‘serious offense’.
However, the memo, dated October 9, did not spell out the possible consequences for offenders, the Metro reports.
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Brazil is one of the world’s top users of social media, and the instant messaging application WhatsApp has become the preferred method of communication for many.
The memo said that use of instant messaging apps and social media harms ‘security, productivity and the quality of (officers’) services to population’.
It told officers to use radios instead.
