Cops to Live-Tweet a Prostitution Sting: What Could Go Wrong?
One police department in Maryland is planning to live-tweet a prostitution sting sometime this week. What could possibly go wrong?
The Prince George's County Police Department (PGPD) announced that they will blast the details of an undercover prostitution bust live on Twitter, but the department has been secretive about the details.
Why live-tweet a prostitution sting? And why not?
'We Won't Tell You When or Where'
Being purposefully coy, the Department's blog noted Thursday that the Vice Unit would conduct a prostitution sting, but "[they] won't tell you when or where, other than it's somewhere in the county, sometime next week."
We all know that social media and cops rarely mix well, whether it's selfies on Tumblr or the recent #MyNYPD campaign that backfired. So why do these Maryland cops think live-tweeting a major vice operation is a good idea?
The PGPD blog lays it out: They believe this is a "progressive" social media tactic to dissuade Prince George's County residents from engaging in "this type of criminal behavior."
Responses to #PGPDVice
Calling on tweeters to follow #PDPDVice for details, the PGPD's plan has already fielded a number of responses:
#PGPCVice I grew up in PG County and I am disgusted that you would live tweet sting operation arresting sex workers @PGPDNews - for shame
-- Katy Otto (@exfkaty) May 2, 2014
.@PGPDNews #PGPDVice This is a disgusting abuse of power. Why am I not surprised you are targeting sex workers for this mockery ?
-- Jodi Jacobson (@jljacobson) May 1, 2014
Otto and Jacobson join many critics who believe sex workers are often targeted far more than their largely male "john" counterparts, with this live-tweeting stunt adding insult to injury. Other tweeters were somewhat supportive:
Thank U @PGPDNews for going after johns who demean women. PGPD live tweet prostitution sting - DC News FOX 5 DC WTTG http://t.co/C98pTnLJYy
-- Lisa Holt (@BalloonLisa) May 2, 2014
Possible Defamation?
Suspects are called suspects for a reason: They're "suspected" of committing a crime, not (yet) convicted. With the PGPD planning to blast the Internet with photos and information of suspects during their prostitution sting, it is very likely that an innocent party could be caught up in the mix.
Using Twitter to imply or assert that an individual is a criminal or sexually promiscuous can lead to a number of defamation-related civil charges. Police departments have qualified immunity which protects them from most civil suits, but only when their actions are reasonable; a court could find that while allowing standard-procedure mugshots to be posted online is reasonable, live-tweeting an investigation is not.
As of Monday morning, the PGPD's advertised live-tweeting of a prostitution sting had not yet occurred. Stay tuned.
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Related Resources:
- Prince George's Police Will Live-Tweet A Prostitution Sting (DCist)
- Undercover Sex Stings: Are There Legal Limits? (FindLaw's Blotter)
- 'Cops' and Suspects' Rights: Whatcha Gonna Do When They Record You? (FindLaw's Celebrity Justice)
- Strippers: San Diego Cops Violated Civil Rights (FindLaw's Injured)