This is an interesting approach to law enforcement. I find I have mixed emotions falling on both sides of the fence. I imagine others will also view this with mixed emotions.
The internet has produced an entirely new dimension to our daily lives - both good and bad and in an accelerated fashion like never before.
Why would law enforcement not be looking at intelligence gathering too? I understand the privacy issue and take a deep breath! On the other side, based on the info in the article there definitely is a major positive on the enforcement side too.
I would hope that everybody is aware of the fact that putting ANY information on the web opens you and your thoughts to public viewing. That is a risk you take in offering information to the web/world. Why shouldn't this also work for intelligence gathering by 'Big Brother'? The benefits are huge based on the arrests mentioned in the article. Why wouldn't I approve of their information gathering – in the end it makes me safer! Right?
On the other side of the fence I can only think that the butt heads that placed this information on the internet did so knowing full well that it wasn't safe doing so – or, at least, should have been aware (smart enough) to NOT do it.
After all, alls fair in love and war.