Spam, misinformation, racism and libel concerns among factors cited
Just before midafternoon on Friday, Aug. 2, the Sarasota Police Department posted on the X social media platform (formerly Twitter) that it was disabling comments on its social media accounts.
That action is in line with action that the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office implemented in early July.
The Police Department staff wrote that its policy shift would take effect immediately. “This decision comes after careful consideration and aims to address several concerns we have recently faced,” the Police Department noted on X.
Then, under the heading, “Why Are We Doing This?” the Police Department listed the following reasons:
- “Increase in Spam and Harmful Links — Our page has experienced a significant rise in spam and harmful links posted by bot accounts. These can mislead our community members and pose cybersecurity risks.”
In the aftermath of the agency’s having posted details about a July 1 shooting investigation on its Facebook page, The Sarasota News Leader read one comment that remarked on how many other comments “appear to have been deleted.” The Police Department response was “We do not delete comments. Several comments with spam links are hidden, but never deleted.”
- “Misinformation and Sensitive Information — There have been instances where misinformation about ongoing cases and sensitive victim information has been shared in the comments. This compromises the integrity of our investigations and can jeopardize the safety and privacy of those involved.
- “Prohibited Comments — We have encountered comments that contain obscenity, defamation, libel, threats, and remarks that disparage or discriminate against individuals based on their sex, race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability.
- “Resource Limitations — Monitoring and moderating the increasing volume of comments to ensure they are appropriate and do not contain harmful content requires more resources than we have available.”
Then the department wrote, “What Does This Mean?,” with the following notes:
- “Continued Transparency — “We remain committed to sharing up-to-date information about our activities, news, and important alerts. Our social media will continue to be a valuable resource for community information.
- “Alternative Communication Channels — We encourage you to reach out to us through other established channels. You can contact us directly via our website, email, or phone lines with any questions or concerns or to provide tips.”
The X post pointed out that the agency’s website is www.sarasotapd.org; its email address is SPDinfo@sarasotaFL.gov; and its phone line is 941-316-1199 for non-emergency communications. For emergencies, the agency reminded individuals to continue to call 911.
For anonymous tips, the Police Department advised the public to contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 941-366-8477 (366-TIPS) or by going online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com.
“We believe this change will help us maintain a safer and more reliable online environment for our entire community,” the X post added of the new policy. “Thank you for your understanding and continued support,” it concluded.
On July 3, the Sheriff’s Office posted the following statement on its Facebook page:
