Citizen App Falsely Accuses Man of Starting California Brush Fire

[Nevilledog]

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Molly Lambert 🦔
@mollylambert
"The incident shows how outsourcing public functions to private companies can lead to unexpected and potentially dangerous consequences."

Citizen App Falsely Accuses Man of Starting California Brush Fire
California’s wildfire season is already underway, and state investigators are looking into what ignited a 1,325-acre brush fire in Los Angeles County. The app Citizen set off a search by users,...
earther.gizmodo.com
12:42 PM · May 17, 2021

https://earther.gizmodo.com/citizen-app-set-off-hunt-for-person-falsely-accused-of-1846909301

California’s wildfire season is already underway (well, it may never have actually stopped), and state investigators are looking into what ignited a 1,325-acre brush fire that’s currently burning through Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades and Topanga Canyon neighborhoods.

They believe an arsonist may have started the blaze and currently have two suspects detained for questioning. But that’s not before users of the Citizen app led to someone being detained without sufficient evidence. Citizen is a phone app that sends users real-time, location-based safety alerts when crimes and other potentially dangerous events happen in their area. On Sunday, the app sent Los Angeles users a photograph of a man purportedly suspected of starting the fire, along with the promise of a cash reward for providing information.

“Citizen is offering a $30,000 reward to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest of the arson suspect,” the notification said. Cerise Castle, a journalist following along as broadcasters on the app talked about the fire, tweeted that they were “repeating unsubstantiated ‘tips’ as facts and asking people to ‘hunt this guy down’. One of the tips just played out in air as being a lie.”

Police found and detained the man pictured in the Citizen notification, Devin Hilton, late Sunday night, a Los Angeles County lieutenant told Spectrum news reporter Kate Cagle. After interviewing him, cops didn’t actually have enough evidence to charge him with a crime and let him go shortly afterward. The lieutenant told Cagle that the effects of Citizen issuing notifications like this could have potentially “disastrous” consequences for those wrongly named.

In a statement to NBC News, the company admitted it made a “mistake.”

*snip*

[PoliticAverse]

1. Yeah accusing, arresting and convicting innocent people needs to be left to governments. n/t

[Midnight Writer]

2. "Potentially 'disastrous' consequences" could stem from the media publicizing this guy's name.

If the fellow was not charged and there is no evidence against him, what is the news value of printing his identity? Doesn't that just propagate the damage?