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Mug-Shot Industry Digs Up Your Past, Charges You To Bury It
An anonymous reader writes "Exploiting Florida's liberal public-records laws and Google's search algorithms, a handful of entrepreneurs are making real money by publicly shaming people who've run afoul of Florida law. Florida.arrests.org, the biggest player, now hosts more than 4 million mugs. On the other side of the equation are firms like RemoveSlander, RemoveArrest.com and others that sometimes charge hundreds of dollars to get a mugshot removed. On the surface, the mug-shot sites and the reputation firms are mortal enemies. But behind the scenes, they have a symbiotic relationship that wrings cash out of the people exposed."
Assuming that the mug-shot disappears from florida.arrests.org, does it disappear from the public records?
If not, what stops another site to do the same?
Questions raise, answers kill. Raise questions to stay alive.
Yet another side effect of the bad economy.
I'm surprised this isn't more common. Arrest records are public in many states, and it takes just one enterprising person to expose all that information for the masses, and/or charge to get your data out of the system. Florida must make it easier to get mugshots than other places, though - typically police here in California only release those when there's a public issue of some sort.
For those interested, all sorts of information is public like this, but not always easy to get a hold of, depending on where you live. Such data includes mortgage records, liens, voter registration data, Social Security death records, civil and criminal case filings (and most other court-related information), some utility records, professional licenses, and other tidbits. It's good to know what's out there and who can easily access it - better than hiding and pretending it's not there, at least.
This stinks. I can't wait until the market for boilerplate makes these business models obsolete...
For in politics, as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making proselytes by fire and sword. - Publius
They'll either get sued out of existence, someone will discover that what they're doing is illegal (or will be made illegal) and they'll be shut down, or someone will find them and beat the living shit out of them and/or burn them to the ground. One way or another, don't think they'll be around long.
Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
Desperate to get off the site, Cabibi quickly found an apparent ally: RemoveSlander.com. “You are not a criminal,” the website said reassuringly. “End this humiliating ordeal Bail out of Google. We can delete the mug-shot photo.”
Well, the best reaction would have been: contact the other mug-shots and start a " Block florida.arrests.org" campaign on Google. If there are enough of them, the florida.arrests.org will sunk into the oblivion.
Hey, should the /.-ers help? Like: log into your gmail account, do a search after "Florida mugshots" and use the "Block ... " feature?
Aww... c'mon guys, let's see how fast we can pull the carpet under the feet of the computer-savvy Florida ex-con named Rob Wiggen. I just did it, also blocking from my results the www.mugshots.com, mugshotsusa.com and a bunch of others (we should stop only when the real public records will get onto the first page).
Questions raise, answers kill. Raise questions to stay alive.
my favourite part is how they are intentionally trying to piss-off/harass criminals. sure not all of them will be for serious crimes and i assume just because you had a mug shot taken doesn't necessarily mean you were convicted... but still, there's gotta be some nut-jobs in that mix and i'm sure some of them know how to either:
1) hack stuff or
2) make bombs
wait is that a bomb joke? can i be arrested for saying that?
Earn extra money in your spare time
Blackmail your friends
and in this case, any one else you can.
da da da dum indeed.
Extortion as a business model. Go directly to jail do not pass go.
And yes boys and girls this is extortion and it is illegal.
Do you have a dark spot on your past
Leave it to my friend he'll fix it fast
Lefties got a scar from ear to ear
He will make your mugshots disappear
With thanks to Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (Steely Dan)
da da da dum indeed.
Downloaded extension, blocked.
Link to extension, for people like me who don't get out too much: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/nolijncfnkgaikbjbdaogikpmpbdcdef#
Did it myself.
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." ~Thomas Jefferson
These images may be a matter of public record, but isn't the tosser in breach of copyright by scraping them and putting them up on his website along with the other details? Is he just hotlinking? Who actually holds the copyright on those mugshots? Does he actually get them removed from the original Sheriff's website or does he just flag it in his database to not push it in google? So many questions not answered in the original article...
Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
Yet another side effect of the bad economy.
Seeing as how 20% of the labor force has been replaced by machines, what are these people supposed to do to support themselves? They can't all be criminals...
This story is about a type of make-work employment too, it's just not funded by the government. It's not so different than organized crime, in that no true value is created for the economy by the actions of the parties involved.
If the government made money (instead of the banks), they could spend it into circulation to employ people who do valuable things. Community cleanup, public works, etc.
Jobs projects are totally different than make-work jobs. A job project is paying someone to do something that ought to be done, but which isn't profitable for the market to do itself. Make-work jobs put people to work doing pointless or harmful things: 1/2 digging ditches, 1/2 filling them in.
Laws criminalizing plants (Marijuana, coca leaf, etc) create make-work jobs in the prison industry, for example. Some of the other ones that come to mind are political sacred cows, so I won't mention them here.
The blog post I'm (slowly) working on links to some of John Harvey's blog posts. I found them last month, starting with Why You Should Learn to Love the Deficit: Federal Budget Fallacies:
Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
www.teslabox.com
Anything goes for profit.
Read radical news here
Is it just me or does that sound like classic blackmail? How can stuff like this be legal?
Me, I have a felony conviction and I don't care who knows about it.
In that case why are you posting A/C ?
Hilarious. That site is dedicated solely to removing your mugshot from florida.arrest.org and the google search index, and all RemoveSlander does is pay the site $28 to remove both through an automated link. So the slander site brings in like $678 just to click a button. That's pretty good.
Is there also a similar extension for firefox?
I'm not going to rely on these sites for a background check. If someone's not on there it doesn't mean they didn't do anything. It just means they paid to have them removed.
So why pay to remove myself?
Clicking on the photos will also show what they were charged with. Click on the tagged section, choose hotties, and start looking at what some of the hotties got arrested for, it's mind boggling.
I have to admire the girls who have the audacity to smile for the mug shot like they're taking a class photo.
Have the owners of these websites realised that people with mugshot are generally not people you are wanting to screw over?
I am of the understanding that arrest record information within a state, is only to be made available to those within the state. Currently I'm in an entirely different country and I can view arrest information for individuals in the Florida area...isn't this illegal?
Uhhh..where the hell is the block button of which you speak? Because I tried in both Dragon and FF 5 and in both cases all I get is a choice of the link or the Google cache.
As for TFA, how is this not blackmail? It seems like a textbook definition to me. I just don't see how they aren't adding their own mugshot to the list with a stunt THIS brazen. After all this isn't like some neighborhood watch website where they are informing people there may be someone dangerous in their midst, no these guys set this thing up to get paid to make it go away. But then again I thought Yelp should have been busted for their "make bad reviews go bye bye, just shell out $$$" stunt.
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
Now all they need is a TV show called 'Blackmail' and it will be complete.... I wonder if it will be on HBO or perhaps maybe it's own channel after they get a politician or two?
Hey, should the /.-ers help? Like: log into your gmail account, do a search after "Florida mugshots" and use the "Block ... " feature?
I don't have a block feature any more, where did it go? I found it exciting until it vanished. ARGH, and fucking google turned safesearch on AGAIN. When I click on "manage blocked sites" in preferences I simply return to search/search results. Okay, shift-reloading the preferences page made that link work. But the block feature is still gone. Has this happened to anyone else? It also says I only blocked one domain but back when I had the links to block domains I blocked a dozen or so.
I'm pretty sure the block feature is a big fucking joke and using it will accomplish nothing.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
You have to visit the site at least once, by clicking on the search result. Then Google is satisfied you're blocking the page because you went to it and didn't like what you saw.
You've probably been able to block bad sites before (like expertsexchange.com) because Google knows you've clicked on their results before.
Does my bum look big in this?
Since the US has the highest incarceration rate in the entire world, naturally the vast majority of prisoners are non-violent and have committed no crime against any actual person, but merely a crime against the state (drugs and prostitution being the obvious examples). It is most certainly questionable whether these are actual "crimes" worthy of being locked in a cage, and whether these "crimes" deserve the same routine as crimes against actual human beings (theft, fraud, physical force).
And if by some miracle drug prohibition is abolished in the future, how will these victims be compensated? Their reputation is already tarnished for life, thanks to government. Even if they were awarded restitution (fat chance), the public records will remain public until the end of time.
It's really a primitive desire, to tar and feather those who dare to disobey the arbitrary and unjust laws of the state. It's nothing but a glorified witch hunt, where the "criminal" (the witch) is actually the victim, and the "savior" (government) is actually the criminal.
Well, I'm visiting sites and the block option still isn't showing up for them. Maybe I need to reload google a few more times or something. I can tell from the preview if I want to block many sites, just like I can tell from the subject that many emails are spam. If they're going to let me mark email as spam without reading it I should be able to mark a domain as spam without visiting it.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Essentially, yes. I meant only by my original post that at least one party in this make-work relationship has an obviously useful skill set that isn't employed for the most obvious reason. I was also trying to imply that this makes irrelevant any social issues involved because the issues would not present themselves in a stronger economy. In no way, though, was I implying that my understanding of macroeconomics is as flawed as that of those like the idiot who happens to represent my district in Congress, (sigh).
The problem seems to be that the police think it's OK to keep and publish your photo, and associate it with a particular crime, even when you are innocent. I don't see why it would be a good thing to put this kind of data in the public record.
Korma: Good
You can add it manually: http://www.google.com/reviews/t.
They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
There are lots of types of records which *should* be public. But, I think most folks agree that not *everything* should be public. Health records shouldn't be public (or, in the case of government health insurance programs, like Medicare/Medicaid, records of doctors bills with detailed information about what types of tests, medicines, and procedures the doctor billed for, which would allow someone to more or less reconstruct a patient's health history), tax records (at least while the individual is still alive, since those records will usually have enough personal information to be used by would-be identity thieves), etc.
The citizenry must do business with the government, but they should be able to expect a certain level of privacy.
When it comes to something like arrest records, the problem becomes that the police can arrest someone on pretty much any grounds. That doesn't mean the person will be convicted, or has committed any actual crime.
The problem with making arrest records for those who have NOT been convicted, at least, a 'public record', is that it allows the police to punish people without a proper trial.
For anyone who was either convicted or plead guilty, then yes, I think those records should be public, because in that case it's documenting an actual conviction for a crime, but anyone who is not convicted should not have those records made public.
If I use an extension, I can get the appropriate behavior. I was using the extension, but I stopped because google added in the functionality. Looks like it's time to go back to it because google crippled their version of it.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
As for TFA, how is this not blackmail? It seems like a textbook definition to me. I just don't see how they aren't adding their own mugshot to the list with a stunt THIS brazen. After all this isn't like some neighborhood watch website where they are informing people there may be someone dangerous in their midst, no these guys set this thing up to get paid to make it go away. But then again I thought Yelp should have been busted for their "make bad reviews go bye bye, just shell out $$$" stunt.
The information is all ready public it can not be blackmail all this guy did was make it easier to find. Only people who were charged and not convicted could make any reasonable claim that this is blackmail.
Knowledge = Power
P= W/t
t=Money
Money = Work/Knowledge so the less you know the more you make
I have to type here to avoid filtration
No, you have to type there to add something meaningful to the discussion. Apparently you missed that bit in the instructions.
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
Health records are not public.
Arrest records are public to, among other things, prevent secret arrests and detentions.
It is not the government's fault that people assume "arrest == guilty". That is the fault of the entertainment industry and education system.
There is no "-1 offended" or "-1 you don't agree with me" mod options for a reason.
Particularly since it is such an old idea.
Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
Go to any country where arrests are not necessarily public record and ask someone who has had a friend or loved one secretly arrested and detained. And, because arrests are public record, an outside party can look at the records and see that the [insert minority here] population, which is 10% of the whole population makes up 90% of the arrests. What does that sound like to you?
There is no "-1 offended" or "-1 you don't agree with me" mod options for a reason.
If we care enough about this, we should all follow the example of the Freedom March... everyone should join, and supply "I am Sparticus" mugshots. Providing false data creates inflation in the data security industry. You can do more damage to an economy with counterfeiting than you can by burning currency. My problem is, why do I care? If I accept that the people getting mugshots are drunk drivers etc., I am not motivated to "march" for them.
Gently reply
Pissing off a bunch of criminals probably isn't a good idea in the long run.
I don't have a problem with anonymised arrest stats being part of the public record, I agree that this is necessary. Where I have a problem is publishing the name-photo-crime link. I believe in openness of pubic data where it relates to public money, public resources, and people who are public figures, and I also believe in data protection for the identities and what I consider the private data of 'private' individuals. I think that just because the state collects data, it does not necessarily own it. I think that private individuals own their own data. Normally, a photographer owns the copyright on the images they make, but if I choose to photograph the pages of a book, the data in the book do not belong to me and so I am not free to publish my photos. Similarly, where I go, what I do, whom I associate with, etc, are owned by me (as the author). Just because the state or a private organisation chooses to track, photograph, or otherwise record these things does not grant them ownership over these data, and unless I have committed a crime or otherwise surrendered my rights to my property (the data about me), then they have no business publishing it.
Korma: Good
We have this in certain parts of Cali as well. I can't remember the site name, but I remember bumping into it one day.
Did my part and blocked those 3 sites using my Google account!
Using a tool of evil for good! This must be what it would feel like to be a fantasy anime hero!
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
Check this out:
His year-old business has earned him enemies. Wiggen said he receives about 100 angry e-mails, and a few snail-mail letters, every day from people whose booking photos are displayed on his site. “Obviously, they’re really nasty,” he said of the messages. “I never thought I’d get this backlash from individuals. I just never imagined it.”
He's not an evil bastard, he has a mental disorder. Every time this guy's brain boots up, it throws "module empathy not found."
When a mentally ill person stabs a traffic cop because they thought he was the devil we put them in an institution, but when they think people have no feelings and use them as cattle or disposable cogs we can't give them our money fast enough.
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
The police sites that these mugshots come from should require a CAPTCHA when browsing begins and before accessing any individual record. Ideally, names on the list should be translated to images, not CAPTCHA-style, but the cost of OCR'ing the page will be high. Allow a search so that people can still find records easily - but require a CAPTCHA for that as well. Unless the CAPTCHA it's cracked, it will shut down these mugshot sites overnight. They could try implementing this interface only when a crawler is detected so that legitimate users won't be inconvenienced, but I suspect that would be easy to work around.
Do something now Florida cops!
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
All you have to know is God's just.
Everybody dies. Many suffer long painful stays in hospitals. Christ did not die the worst death -- that's not why He's famous.
I am intrigued by your ideas and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
Okay, I get extortion angle. I get the freedom-of-information angle. I even get the protect-the-community angle. But why does the website have tags? Who really needs to sort the suspects by hotness? http://florida.arrests.org/tagged.php?flag=Hottie
is that Rob Wiggen continue this service for a very short while.
once you've destroyed someones relationship, their job, and their social life
by flagrantly parading their past transgressions, some very painful,
You have created someone who is determined with nothing more to lose.
you;ve also created someone who values your fingers toes and teeth far less than you.
Good people go to bed earlier.
Block florida.arrests.org" campaign on Google. If there are enough of them, the florida.arrests.org will sunk into the oblivion.
Just because you can't see it doesn't mean everyone else won't.
Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
Blocking results in Google search is built into the search...the Chrome extension is just a better UI.
For known domains, Google has a page that lets you quickly add sites to block. Note that you must be logged in to your Google account for this to work.
For arbitrary domains, do a search, click on the link in the Google results, then click the "back" in your browser. The Google result will now have a "block" option.
..., because arrests are public record, an outside party can look at the records and see that the [insert minority here] population, which is 10% of the whole population makes up 90% of the arrests. What does that sound like to you?
It sounds like America...
Some privacy policy Slashdot.
Found her. I'm in love Sarah H
Well the Florida police have certainly made it easy enough to fucking find her.
To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
You voters ask for FOIA laws. This is what you get.
A government that works under secrecy is usually for the best of the people.
An utopia is necessarily totalitarian.
America becomes a land of taking advantage of the poor and unlucky.
Twitter: @dainsanefh
More to the point, you have to be logged into google so that they can track what you don't like, along with better tracking everything else..
But... the future refused to change.
I don't see it either. Blocked them manually.
There is a war going on for your mind.
It might not be Blackmail, but it sounds an awful lot like Extortion.
This space for rent. All reasonable inquiries will be entertained at proprietors discretion.
Brilliant. Thanks for the suggesion -- done and done. (OH LOOK now I can do it for Experts Exchange, too. I think I am even more grateful.)
The idea is, if enough people block the websites in question with "blackmail site" as the reason, Google will delist them from their search results.
There is a war going on for your mind.
Does that actually happen? I'd wager that the top blocked domains include expertsexchange.com and ehow.com. They still show up in Google's results though.
Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
Maybe. Personally, I haven't either of those domains since Google added Domain Blocker.
There is a war going on for your mind.
Naturally I was logged in to Google. I also use G+ and gmail. I simply don't share things I don't want google to know...
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
I only said so because the most common reason for not seen the buttons is being logged out, which is the normal behaviour of anyone sharing their computer with the family.
BTW, do you have a way to share things you don't want Google to know? Or you just meant that you don't share ANYWHERE stuff you don't want Google to know? On that subject do you have a way to search stuff you don't want Google to know?
But... the future refused to change.
Which is exactly why I despise both parties. They both want to take away your rights, just in different ways.
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." ~Thomas Jefferson
That's why when I didn't vote for Obama, a coworker said "But we need change!" and I said "Yes, we do - just not the kind of change he's selling".
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." ~Thomas Jefferson
Most people who weren't adolatrous Barry-fanboys already knew. He's a Chicago thug; what did you EXPECT!?!? He got his political start in terrorist-bomber Bill Ayers' living room.
So is he a Chicago thug or a far-leftist rebel? These seem to be conflicting roles.
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
BTW, do you have a way to share things you don't want Google to know?
Yeah, I tell people in person. You wouldn't believe the visual resolution and the audio quality.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Oh, so you meant that you just don't share any stuff you don't want Google to know.
But... the future refused to change.