Police urge social media users not to name and shame people on Facebook
THINK that guy’s a creep? Don’t post his picture on Facebook or other social media. You’re running the risk of defamation, police warn.
In the wake of the Star Wars fan who took a simple selfie and was shamed by a mum who mistook him for taking photos of her children and a male train user having unsubstantiated allegations levelled at him, police have condemned a third case of trial by social media.
A woman posted photos of a man to a Facebook page set up by the Maroondah community, claiming he harassed her friend and stole her car.
The woman posted several CCTV images on Monday, May 18, of a man pictured at the front of a house.
The woman said she was trying to seek the identity of the man from the community after he had allegedly harassed her friend in the Croydon and Kilsyth area.
In a comment under the post, the woman said she had notified police and hoped “if we get any info the police will do something about it.”
But Croydon Sergeant Ben Rosevear condemned the post, and said distribution of such information should be left to Victoria Police and the media.
“Do not do it. Just because you can post something doesn’t mean you should,” Sgt Rosevear said.
“The process must be followed. You can’t just suspect a person on a whim, without there being ramifications if you are incorrect.
“She is running a risk of defamation; if it turns out it isn’t true then that person could seek restitution.”
Victoria Police manager of online communications Mark Bayly told Leader that people who post rumours about crimes need to think twice before they hit the send button.
“It’s almost like a digital vernacular now to report, retweet without even thinking about what you’re doing,” Mr Bayly said.
Other Facebook users warned the woman about the post, describing it as a “defamation minefield”.
“I hope you have your facts precisely right because you have just stepped into a legal defamation minefield,” one user wrote.
“I couldn’t advise you strongly enough, to at least reduce your exposure by deleting this post.
“Hopefully the group admins will advise members of how seriously wrong this type of identity post can go for the poster and the subject alike.”
In response to the criticism from other posters, the woman justified her post, saying it was for public awareness.
Media lawyer Justin Quill said people on Facebook or Twitter don’t appear to appreciate that they were publishers.
“They are the same as Peter Hitchener reading the news, they’re the same as the Herald Sun editor, they are publishing material,” Mr Quill said.
“People appreciate and understand that the Herald Sun (has) lawyers to look at that (material) who are trained in defamation and are experts in the area.”
But, he said, some people on social media “think they can just publish things to the world without having to worry about that”.
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