I think the author is unfairly extrapolating from accounts that there was no looting after the huge earthquakes in Japan.
... so there was no "Blackout", 10 points to the author for a sensible title.
There are still calls for one and in the West Midlands the police have started to limit data connectivity in an attempt to quash the "BBM effect".
The rioters aren't really organized, and it's hard to claim that many of the looters have BBM. I don't doubt there are some people inciting things, but what would their aganda be? violent anarchy doesn't seem to be in anyone's best interests. http://pennyred.blogspot.com/2011/08/panic-on-streets-of-lon...
These are the disenfranchised youth who are just angry and have no agenda. They don't care for a system, or a society, that's given up on them. In many respects their just violent for the sake of it - This AudioBoo highlights it well: http://bit.ly/nNhFOq