SOCIAL media sites such as Facebook and Twitter acted as the “eyes and ears” of the disorder in Birmingham, according to one city academic.

Dave Harte, award leader for the MA in social media at Birmingham City University, said social networking played a key part in relaying the facts – and fiction – of events that marred the city.

He said: “Sites like Twitter can be used for spreading rumours and scare mongering, but there are also people who use sites in a responsible way to sort fact from fiction and keep a lid on things and record what they see.”