The NYPD Wants Waze To Stop Blowing Its Cover

The New York Police Department wants Google to stop telling people where police have set up drunk-driving checkpoints. Waze, a navigation app owned by Google, lets users submit information about things like potholes, heavy traffic, speed traps or DWI checkpoints. The NYPD said letting the public know where checkpoints are is "irresponsible since it only serves to aid impaired and intoxicated drivers to evade checkpoints.” Google said "we believe that informing drivers about upcoming speed traps allows them to be more careful and make safer decisions when they're on the road."

Class discussion: Should Google stop drivers from telling each other about police drunk-driving checkpoints and speed traps? Why or why not? What about apps that allow diners and shoppers share information and ratings of restaurants and stores? Do those apps encourage better service? Do users sometimes unfairly criticize a business and cause it harm? Do you ever check users’ online ratings of movies, music or live performances? Do you usually agree with the reviews by the crowd? How can you evaluate the opinions of strangers?