Thursday, May 4, 2017

How social media can distort things

There was a story going around social media that as long as you take a selfie, you can break into a car to save a dog or baby in it. This is incorrect legal advice-you might morally be justified to break into car to save a baby or dog, but there are generally ramifications for intentionally damaging another persons property, regardless of your intentions. I think the end justifies the means in most circumstances like this and I'll probably pay the fine in order to save a dog and certainly pay the fine in order to save a baby. However, you can't go around playing vigilante and playing hero without consequences.

So I posted a link to the Snopes article debunking the story on Facebook and people missed the point. I should have been expecting it, but most friends on my list are fairly intelligent and capable of reading and understanding.  People were asking me "So you wouldn't break a window to save a dog/baby!?" or "Well I'd go to jail than." Several more comments were like that. I tried to explain, but it was hopeless.

No, I am not in favor of babies and dogs being in hot cars. No, I was not saying that you shouldn't be allowed to break into a car to save a baby. What I was saying and what I stand by is that you can't play vigilante without consequences, and people need to be very careful about what they post on Facebook.

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