4 ms·

I recall (likely pre-covid) seeing a story posted here of some unsuspecting schmuck who became a suspect in a crime because his smart watch showed him circling

I recall (likely pre-covid) seeing a story posted here of some unsuspecting schmuck who became a suspect in a crime because his smart watch showed him circling near the area on his usual bike route. Scary times.

Wistar 6y ago
Perhaps this story about a Florida man and his fitness app data that "placed him" at the scene of a burglary because he had the misfortune of having ridden by the crime site three times during his ride? https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/7/21169533/florida-google-runkeeper-geofence-police-privacy https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/7/21169533/florida-google-ru...
XorNot 6y ago
Being a suspect does not mean you are guilty. Being arrested and charged does not mean you are guilty. This whole line of "what could go wrong!?" starts from a much deeper sickness in the way Americans view the criminal justice system.
- djmips 6y ago
  It's almost become that arrested is conflated with guilty.
  - jki275 6y ago
    For a professional, being arrested for a major crime in America is a life ending event. Proving one's innocence once the powers that be have determined one to be guilty will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, will almost certainly mean loss of job, family and friends, etc. And you might still go to prison for the rest of your life anyway.
- shkkmo 6y ago
  > This whole line of "what could go wrong!?" starts from a much deeper sickness in the way Americans view the criminal justice system The sickness is in how the criminal justice system works. Jury trials are a rare edgecase, most detminations of guilt are made by DAs. For most people in this country, being arrested and charged means you will be pushed into a plea deal and those that fight for their innocence face retaliatory harsh charges and sentencing.
- smnrchrds 6y ago
  Being arrested, even if never convicted, even if never charged with a crime and released with a hug and an apology, will have long-lasting negative effects on your life. For example, a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program country cannot travel to the US visa-free for the rest of his or her life if they have ever been arrested. They have to apply for a visitor visa and convince an immigration officer that they deserve a visa. Just a simple mistaken identity arrest can make the rest of your life difficult and there is nothing you can do to fix it, you just have to endure it.

Wistar 6y ago

Perhaps this story about a Florida man and his fitness app data that "placed him" at the scene of a burglary because he had the misfortune of having ridden by the crime site three times during his ride? https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/7/21169533/florida-google-runkeeper-geofence-police-privacy https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/7/21169533/florida-google-ru...

XorNot 6y ago

Being a suspect does not mean you are guilty. Being arrested and charged does not mean you are guilty. This whole line of "what could go wrong!?" starts from a much deeper sickness in the way Americans view the criminal justice system.

djmips 6y ago
It's almost become that arrested is conflated with guilty.
- jki275 6y ago
  For a professional, being arrested for a major crime in America is a life ending event. Proving one's innocence once the powers that be have determined one to be guilty will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, will almost certainly mean loss of job, family and friends, etc. And you might still go to prison for the rest of your life anyway.
shkkmo 6y ago
> This whole line of "what could go wrong!?" starts from a much deeper sickness in the way Americans view the criminal justice system The sickness is in how the criminal justice system works. Jury trials are a rare edgecase, most detminations of guilt are made by DAs. For most people in this country, being arrested and charged means you will be pushed into a plea deal and those that fight for their innocence face retaliatory harsh charges and sentencing.
smnrchrds 6y ago
Being arrested, even if never convicted, even if never charged with a crime and released with a hug and an apology, will have long-lasting negative effects on your life. For example, a citizen of a Visa Waiver Program country cannot travel to the US visa-free for the rest of his or her life if they have ever been arrested. They have to apply for a visitor visa and convince an immigration officer that they deserve a visa. Just a simple mistaken identity arrest can make the rest of your life difficult and there is nothing you can do to fix it, you just have to endure it.