Think twice before posting crime scene photos on social media- warn police
“Furthermore, an individual may be equally liable for another user’s post or picture, where there have been tagged. If an individual knows that they have been tagged, allows their name to be used and fails to take steps to disassociate themselves from the post, they can be held liable,” Warrant Officer Radhika Marimuthu warned.
There is a heightened awareness on the posting of accident scenes, victims and related crime scenes on social media and with this in mind, the public are cautioned against publishing or sharing such images online as these can hamper and interfere with the execution of police duty, Rising Sun Chatsworth reports.
Corporate communications officer of Malvern SAPS, Warrant Officer Radhika Marimuthu, said, “Posting of such images are in bad taste and traumatic to the families of the victims, who view the posts on social media. The more holistic picture to be considered is that the parameters of the investigation are being hampered with by these postings and the sanctity and peace of mind of the respective family are being violated.”
According to Warrant Officer Marimuthu, precedents in South African law have indicated that it does not require a person to be the originator of the content to be held liable and that merely repeating or ‘sharing’ a post is sufficient.
“Furthermore, an individual may be equally liable for another user’s post or picture, where there have been tagged. If an individual knows that they have been tagged, allows their name to be used and fails to take steps to disassociate themselves from the post, they can be held liable,” she warned.
In this sense, it is very important to note that the potential for legal liability doesn’t only apply to the person, who initially made the statement or post, but also to the person who shares or forwards it.
“South African law also states that every person, who forms part of the chain of publication of a statement, can be sued or held responsible for the content in the statement. It is, therefore, possible to hold a person responsible for re-publishing, sharing or re-tweeting any statement, which they know or may reasonably know, is not supposed to be posted on social media,” added Warrant Officer Marimuthu.
Station commander of Malvern SAPS, Lt Col Valarine Reddy, cautioned the public against such postings as sanctions are in place.
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