Cops name and shame drunk drivers on Twitter

Staffordshire Police are being investigated for potentially violating data protection laws by tweeting the identities of suspects, as part of a public awareness campaign.

During the holidays, the force posted details about the accused - including names and ages - alongside the hashtag "DrinkDriversNamedOnTwitter.”

The hashtag suggested the suspects were guilty, despite only being charged, some citizens complained.

Ultimately, the names of more than 80 individuals who had been arrested popped up. “Significantly, none of the named individuals had been convicted or sentenced,” the Register reports.

It is believed regulators are looking closely at principle 1 of the Data Protection Act that requires information to be processed fairly and lawfully.

Responding to criticisms last year, Staffordshire Police officials said: "There have been concerns raised about naming those charged. However, it is force policy to name people who have been charged and when offenders attend court it becomes a matter of public record."

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