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Twitter Is Arizona's Latest Method To Shame Delinquent Dads

By R. Siva Kumar | Update Date: Jan 16, 2016 06:09 PM EST

Both deadbeat dads, as well as moms, are being shamed on Twitter in Arizona's ABC 15.

The latest one-two punch has the Department of Economic Security (DES) aiming to target parents who have not fulfilled their child support duties, which, according to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey totals $1.49 billion dollars.

In the State of the State address Monday, Ducey's DES  tweeted out the names, photos and amount that a number of parents owed.The only way you can avoid shame on Twitter is by paying up the child support that you owe, said Ducey. He was not referring to just one missed payment, but tens of thousands of dollars - or even more than $100K.

"I'm talking to deadbeat dads," said Ducey in Monday's address, according to the Huffington Post. "For too long, you've been able to remain anonymous - able to skirt your financial and legal responsibilities with no shame. Not anymore."

"Too many of our kids find themselves in difficult family situations because their dads aren't being dads," said Ducey. "So guys, I've got a message for all of you out there: Wherever the authorities know of a deadbeat dad in Arizona - find him and hold him to his responsibilities with the full force of law. If you are old enough to father a child in Arizona, you're old enough to assume financial responsibility for that child."

He called the fathers "losers".

"Once a government record is put into the public's hands, it's fully protected under the First Amendment," said ACLU attorney Lee Rowland. "We should be thoughtful about the records we make public because you can't ever rebottle that genie."

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