In England, two men have been jailed for four years for inciting disorder via social networking site Facebook.
The pair, who appeared at Chester Crown Court today, were arrested last week following incidents of violent disorder in London and other English cities.
Neither of their Facebook posts resulted in a riot-related event.
Jordan Blackshaw, 20, of Vale Road, Marston, Northwich, Cheshire and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, 22, of Richmond Avenue, Warrington, were both sentenced to four years behind bars.
The court heard that Cheshire Police discovered a Facebook event, entitled ‘Smash Down Northwich Town’, created by Blackshaw.
Sutcliffe-Keenan also set up a Facebook page, encouraging disorder in his suburb of Warrington called ‘Let's Have a Riot in Latchford’.
The Crown Prosecution Service said Blackshaw's Facebook page clearly stated that it was he who created it.
It went on to specify a time and date of Tuesday, 9 August, between 1pm and 4pm 'behind maccies' - thought to be the McDonald's restaurant in Northwich town centre.
The page said it was intended for the receipt of the ‘Mob Hill Massive Northwich Lootin’.
Blackshaw then added the first comment on the page, saying: ‘We'll need to get this kickin off all over'.
Police were alerted to Sutcliffe-Keenan's page when members of the public raised concerns last Tuesday.
The page invited people to ‘riot’ on the evening of Wednesday, 10 August, between 7pm and 10pm.
There was also a photograph of civilians clashing with police officers.
Following the calls to the police, one witness said she recognised ‘Pezz Keenan’ as Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan from a photograph which was also posted on the site and that he had been the person who had originally created the site.
Both men pleaded guilty to intentionally encouraging another to assist the commission of an indictable offence under sections 44 and 46 of the Serious Crime Act 2007, the CPS said.
Assistant Chief Constable of Cheshire Police, Phil Thompson, said: ‘If we cast our minds back just a few days to last week and recall the way in which technology was used to spread incitement and bring people together to commit acts of criminality it is easy to understand the four year sentences that were handed down in court today.
‘In Cheshire, we quickly recognised the impact of the situation on our communities and the way in which social media was being used to promote and incite behaviour that would strike fear in to the hearts of our communities.
‘From the outset Cheshire Constabulary adopted a robust policing approach using the information coming into the organisation to move quickly and effectively against any person whose behaviour was likely to encourage criminality. Officers took swift action against those people who have been using Facebook and other social media sites to incite disorder.
‘The sentences passed down today recognise how technology can be abused to incite criminal activity and sends a strong message to potential troublemakers about the extent to which ordinary people value safety and order in their lives and their communities.
‘Anyone who seeks to undermine that will face the full force of the law.’
During the sentencing the Recorder of Chester, Judge Elgin Edwards, QC, praised the swift actions of Cheshire Police and said he hoped the sentences would act as a deterrent to others.
Earlier, a 16-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of a 68-year-old man attacked during the London riots.
Richard Bowes died on Thursday after being assaulted during the disturbances in Ealing, west London, last Monday.
The teenager, who will appear at Croydon Youth Court today, is also charged with violent disorder and four separate burglaries of commercial premises.
