Police turning more to social media in battle against drunk driving

ARLINGTON, Va. - It is the viral video that is shining a spotlight on drunk driving. A 23-year-old Florida woman is seen on Periscope video she took of herself driving home drunk.

"I am drunk beyond belief people," the woman in the video said. "I can't read your snaps. I can't read your Periscopes. I feel like I'm going to be drunk all the way home."

This went on for 25 minutes Saturday on roads near Tampa, Florida.

"I'm not even paying attention to the driving right now," she said in the video.

Luckily, someone saw Whitney Marie Beall's Periscope video and called 911.

"She's slurring her speech and she's going from one lane to another on the street," said the 911 caller.

Police caught up with her. After failing field sobriety tests, Beall was arrested for drunk driving.

Social media is a growing weapon for police in the battle against drunk driving. Just last month, Montgomery County police in Maryland used Snapchat data to determine two teenager killed in a North Potomac car crash last June had first gone to a party where there was underage drinking.

"We did get information to support or provide circumstantial evidence to help support the fact that there was a party and people attending," said Montgomery County Police Captain Tom Didone.

But privacy experts say most people have no idea how much they are really sharing on social networks.

"We're seeing the police get more and more involved in monitoring social networks," said Jay Stanley, senior policy analyst for the American Civil Liberties Union.

He said while this Florida live streaming incident is rare, it raises questions on how far police will go in the future.

"It was very good that the police got that woman off the roads, but we don't want the police watching all of our social media all the time," said Stanley.

As for Beale, she was booked and released on bond.

The Florida officer who made the arrest used their own personal Periscope app to watch the video and figure out where Beale's car was traveling.

If there is any positive in all of this, police were able to get her off the road before she hurt herself or injured someone else.