If you live in Evesham, New Jersey, I suggest you behave or the Evesham Police Department will post all your indiscretions on their Facebook page. And no, you did not read that wrong. They have a Facebook page and they post photographs of perpetrators such as car thieves, shoplifters and child pornographers.
Yet the Evesham Police Department has stirred up quite the controversy, namely about privacy issues. The name and shame game may help deter crime, but is it against the law? As Bernard Bell, a law professor at Rutgers University, surmises, "There might be a potential defamation claim where posting a picture and information was negligent and the suspect isn't a public figure."
What's Driving This Trend
- Online Public Shaming
- Exploring opportunities to leverage social media platforms for public shaming to discourage illegal activities and deter crime.
- Privacy Concerns in Law Enforcement
- Identifying ways to balance law enforcement initiatives with privacy concerns in the digital age.
- Legal Implications of Social Media Policing
- Examining the potential legal challenges and liabilities associated with using social media platforms for law enforcement purposes.
Who This Affects Most
- Law Enforcement
- Discovering innovative approaches for law enforcement agencies to leverage social media platforms for crime prevention and public safety.
- Social Media
- Exploring opportunities for social media platforms to enhance crime prevention efforts through collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
- Legal Services
- Providing legal advice and guidance on the implications and potential liabilities for law enforcement agencies using social media platforms in their operations.
