By Phil Riske, managing editor
In the past week alone, postings on social media have ruined the career of a veteran Arizona state official, falsely attacked an office holder in Pinal County, and maligned this editor.
When will these knuckleheads realize the First Amendment does not mean you can stick someone in the gut with razor-sharp words? You can’t turn Facebook into Falsebook. You can’t turn Twitter into Bitter.
Poison posts made by people hiding behind fictitious names or titles are especially problematic because they provide cover for cowards, who would not tell you face-to-face what they’re thinking.
With every technical advancement comes responsibility, comes ethics.
And come laws.
The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday ruled cops do not have a right to invade your cellphone information without a warrant. And cyberlaws have punished the morons who choose to shoot their venom with 145 characters.
Further dangers lie ahead in politics because some elections might come down to what social media information is true or false.
