Fail: NYPD Photo Contest on Twitter Triggers Huge Backlash

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fail-nypd-photo-contest-twitter-triggers-huge-backlash-n87256

A seemingly innocuous call to action by the New York City Police Department backfired in extraordinary fashion Tuesday.

In a tweet, the NYPD asked Twitter users to share pictures of them posing with a police officer with the hashtag "myNYPD." The original tweet may give a sense of what the NYPD wanted:

The responses came fast and furious — but they were likely not what the police department had in mind.

In a flurry of digital defiance, scores of users uploaded images appearing to show potential police brutality and other unflattering behavior.

A few respondents uploaded friendly photographs. But many of the photo submissions were decidedly antagonistic.

In a statement, the NYPD said it is "creating new ways to communicate effectively with the community."

"Twitter provides an open forum for an uncensored exchange and this is an open dialogue good for our city," the NYPD said.

— Daniel Arkin

First published April 22nd 2014, 9:04 pm

Be careful what you wish for...

[decocker 7,198]

so awesome.

[jfgk1987 303]

Someone in my office showed me that tweet and all I could say was "inb4policebrutality". I SO CALLED IT.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Someone in my office showed me that tweet and all I could say was "inb4policebrutality". I SO CALLED IT.

You're fast, from what I read it went sour after the first picture.

[jfgk1987 303]

You're fast, from what I read it went sour after the first picture.

For whatever reason my friend follows their twitter, this was at like 2:30 yesterday over lunch. The pic she showed me didn't seem so bad but I just knew it wouldn't end well.

[luckytxn 2,264]

I read this yesterday and laughed. Great images shown.