Social media: powerful, influential, effective, illegal? With riots spreading like a viral sensation through our fair cities, we've seen a new threat emerge on the lips of traditional media and government – social media.

Social media such as Twitter and Facebook, and communications tools such as BBM messenger from BlackBerry have been touted as facilitators to the chaos that consumed major cities across the country. But the reaction of the government and media seems to be considering the technologies part of the cause too.

Two young men (20 and 22) have been sentenced to four years each in prison for creating fairly ridiculous Facebook groups relating to the riots. Rational people with any degree of exposure to social media will probably see the parallels between groups like those created by Jordan Blackshaw and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan and the (more popular) “Jedward Need Shooting” type groups.

Will jailing two young idiots for such a lengthy term do the nation any good? When these two men join us again, will they be reformed or hardened? I read a tweet this morning that proved that intelligent, socially aware people utilise social networks too – it read: “Absurdly disproportionate jail terms are an example of vindictive spite, not justice.”

There will not (and shouldn't) be any punishment for the creators of clearly ludicrous groups and events on Facebook – so what's the difference between Jedward hate groups and societal hate events? The judges will say intent. While no-one in the Jedward group intends to actually do anything about their hatred for the offensively inane vulgarity of the Irish imports, riot groups could effectively be used to organise repugnant criminal acts.

The problem governments have been facing in the digital age is an unfamiliarity with the tools they make policy on. In the same way that it would be unfair for a tee-totaler to make policy on alcohol consumption, it is equally unjust to make decisions on social media from a perspective of complete and utter ignorance.

Cameron has ordered a “review” of social media: this sort of impotent accountancy is the sort of money-wasting the public purse can do without. It seems that when it comes to passing the blame for the failings of society there must always be a scapegoat – well it couldn't be the government's fault, could it? But throwing social media in the stocks next to “gang culture” is taking this “broken Britain” muppetry to a whole new level.

At the height of this Daily Mail-esque Ludditism, the leader of our nation bandied about the concept of a social media blackout in times of chaos. Considering the recent Arab Spring and the media outcry against communications blackouts at the height of a crisis, this is an incredibly ill-conceived notion – this brilliant animation by Airside makes the point well.

At a time of chaos we'd do well to point the finger at the real causes of our problems rather than the technologies that facilitate them. It's a little like blaming sharp tools for knife crime. The government needs a major review of its welfare policies, not to cripple innovative (and profitable) communications tools.