Why are they allowed to post people’s mugshots online? Anyone can be arrested for anything, and their mugshot will be taken and magically appear on the internet. A stupid person might say “Well, don’t commit a crime, and you won’t have your mugshot on the internet.” Helloooo Mcfly, these people have not been convicted of any crime. You are innocent until proven guilty. Cops often shake people down and arrest them if someone is just rude to them. Also, a jaded and manipulative ex-girlfriend can call the police and say you beat her up and have you arrested in two seconds and BAM! It’s mugshot city for you. Let’s say you are innocent and the charges are dropped. Six months later you apply for a job, and the recruiter Googles your name, the first thing that comes up is your mugshot for a domestic violence crime you didn’t commit or DUI you were never convicted of(hopefully you are not applying for an SEO position.) Do you think the recruiter is going to call you and give you the chance to explain that the charges were bogus? Doubtful. If you got the chance would they believe you or figure that you just got off on a technicality? And why should you even have to explain anything. The crime never happened, so there should be nothing to explain.

These online mugshots are creating some kind of dystopian public record of crimes one was merely accused of. In the world we live in, anyone can be accused of anything. Whether it is true or not, even an accusation is enough to ruin someone’s life in this day and age. Not just for media magnets like Woody Allen or Dov Charney, but for you and me as well. We are all public figures now embroiled in social media tabloid scandals. That is of course, unless you can avoid getting arrested for anything, anytime, EVER, or you are willing to pay the mugshot racket their bounty to take your photo down before it turns into an annoying millennial meme that goes viral.

Brandon Adamson is the author of “Beatnik Fascism“