Robert McMillan reports:
If you get busted for drunk driving in Montgomery County, Texas, this holiday season, your neighbors may hear about it on Twitter.
That’s because the local district attorney’s office has decided to publish the names of those charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
[…]
“We’re not putting information in the public that’s unavailable,” he said. “In our area, we’ve got a population of around 6 million people and I sincerely doubt that the fact that I’ve put someone’s name on a Twitter page is going to affect their right to a fair trial.”
Read more on Computerworld.
It might not affect their right to a fair trial, but you may have ruined the reputation of someone who is later found not guilty of the charges. This is one of those “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” situations.