The New Reality Show of the Summer

In the case of Melli and Liel Yahalomi, found in Buenos Aires after going missing, Shai Friedman criticizes the police for publishing footage of the moment they were located and additional details, infringing on privacy, even after it was clarified there is no criminal suspicion. He compares it to the case of Yuval Kogan and to released hostages, arguing that public voyeurism blurs boundaries.

In the case of Melli and Liel Yahalomi, found in Buenos Aires after going missing, Shai Friedman criticizes the police's conduct. He notes that less than twenty minutes passed between the police's announcement of their location and the announcement of their release, and while a police representative was still questioning them, the police spokesperson distributed footage of the moment they were found on the bus. Friedman asks what the purpose of releasing the video was, since the police themselves determined there was no criminal suspicion and that the concern for their lives had been removed. He claims the move seemed like an instinct without thought, and notes that the police continued to distribute correspondence and a transcript of a call even after it was clarified there was no criminal incident. He compares this to the case of 4-year-old Yuval Kogan, who disappeared at Nitzanim Beach, where photos from the field were published, and to released hostages whose documentation was published. Friedman argues that public voyeurism blurs the boundary of privacy, and asks what the next step will be, perhaps a live broadcast from police body cameras.