US city gets tough on underage drinking, uses Facebook to find evidence

[Sims2789]

http://www.wptz.com/news/15047704/detail.html

I think using Facebook is a good way to enforce these laws (though I don't support them), but I don't see why the guy needs to go to counseling. There's nothing psychologically wrong with him. In Boston, you can get forced to go to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings just for underage drinking, even if you're not an alcoholic. It'll just make kids and young adults not take the law seriously, and will unjustly label them "alcoholics" when all they did is have a few shots or a beer.

Also, don't the cops have better things to do, like arrest people for real crimes?

Anyway, be careful what you upload.

Also, are photos alone usually enough evidence to convict someone? One of the adults argued that it wasn't, but it seems like it should be and that's why he got convicted.

 

[Truronian]

There was a similar hoo har at my uni after the proctors used facebook photos to fine people for post-exam trashings last summer...

In the OP: How do they prove a given photographed drink is alcoholic?

 

[RedRalph]

This is utterly crackpot hysteria... do you have any idea how insane this looks to most countries?

 

[Erik Mesoy]

Using Facebook or blogs to find kids stupid enough to confess to underage drinking or other illegal activites sounds good. Using pictures... dubious.

 

[Souron]

Well if the pictures clearly depicts the child as drunk, and there's alcohol in the picture, I think that it would be reasonable for a jury to find the child guilty of underage drinking, beyond reasonable doubt. It would have to be obvious from the picture that the child was drunk though.

 

[atomicgopher]

By just looking at a picture alone is it possible to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the kid is drunk, and that is alcohol in the bottle? The kid could be just acting goofy for fun, or for some reason decided to fill a beer bottle with apple juice. After saying that the prosecution could do nothing to prove the child wrong, barring that they didn't say anything stupid, or accidentally admit to drinking said alcoholic beverage.

 

[bhsup]

This is utterly crackpot hysteria... do you have any idea how insane this looks to most countries?

When is it going to sink in? Do you have any idea how much Americans just do NOT care what other countries think of our internal issues?

 

[RedRalph]

When is it going to sink in? Do you have any idea how much Americans just do NOT care what other countries think of our internal issues?

Probably shouldnt log into to an international forum to discuss them then

 

[Souron]

By just looking at a picture alone is it possible to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the kid is drunk, and that is alcohol in the bottle? The kid could be just acting goofy for fun, or for some reason decided to fill a beer bottle with apple juice. After saying that the prosecution could do nothing to prove the child wrong, barring that they didn't say anything stupid, or accidentally admit to drinking said alcoholic beverage.

It's beyond reasonable doubt, not beyond a shadow of a doubt. I agree, that there can be some ambiguity sometimes. But it is possible for a reasonable person to conclude from a picture that a person has been drinking. That's all that's needed for a conviction.

 

[Patroklos]

RRW, while I agree it may be overzealous, I see nothing wrong with it from a legal standpoint nor do I see any reason why the "rest of the world" would find it odd that we use photographic evidence to punish people breaking laws. The better comment is do you know how ridiculous YOU look pretending you are high and mighty?

As for photographic evidence, security cameras seem to function as evidence just fine

As far as counseling, underage drinkers are not always sent to AA meetings because the judge thinks they are alchoholics, but so that they can see first had the type of people who are and what it does to them. I have no problem with that.

And remember, these kids are only in trouble because they are STUPID!

 

[RedRalph]

OK, I probably made my point in a pompous manner, fair enough. I still think thats insane though.

 

[Ron P. Reagan]

OK, I probably made my point in a pompous manner, fair enough. I still think thats insane though.

Whats insane about enforcing the law with evidence thats available to the whole world? Thats smart police work.

Universities and Employers have been doing this too.

 

[Trajan12]

This is like the dumbasses that videotape assaults and post them on Youtube.

When the next generation comes up, detective will be the easiest job of them all.

 

[Mirc]

By just looking at a picture alone is it possible to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the kid is drunk, and that is alcohol in the bottle? The kid could be just acting goofy for fun, or for some reason decided to fill a beer bottle with apple juice. After saying that the prosecution could do nothing to prove the child wrong, barring that they didn't say anything stupid, or accidentally admit to drinking said alcoholic beverage.

I wholeheartedly agree.

It's beyond reasonable doubt, not beyond a shadow of a doubt. I agree, that there can be some ambiguity sometimes. But it is possible for a reasonable person to conclude from a picture that a person has been drinking. That's all that's needed for a conviction.

Unless there is a sequence of pictures, let's say a picture in which he orders a beer, a picture in which he drinks it and a picture in which he's throwing up, I doubt you could say beyond reasonable doubt from a picture that a person was drunk.

 

[Masquerouge]

This is like the dumbasses that videotape assaults and post them on Youtube.

When the next generation comes up, detective will be the easiest job of them all.

Agreed. How stupid can you be to post a picture of you breaking the law on a site visible by all?

 

[warpus]

How do they know you're not drinking it at home, under the supervision of your parents? (that's legal, right?)

 

[Masquerouge]

How do they know you're not drinking it at home, under the supervision of your parents? (that's legal, right?)

I think it depends on which state you live in.

 

[Patroklos]

Also, your facebook profiles are private. So to for to police to get your pictures you have to allow them to by friending someone you don't know or making your profile public.

 

[Mise]

Also, your facebook profiles are private. So to for to police to get your pictures you have to allow them to by friending someone you don't know or making your profile public.

They're not private, anyone on your network can see you. You can have a network for you school/uni and one regional one. Most people belong to a regional one, now that it's open to everyone and not just university students.

 

[Babbler]

It was going to happen eventually. Finding drunken photos on Facebook is like shooting fish in barrel.