The Case of the Astronaut Harassed Via Twitter

A recent story on Motherboard discloses an incident where a NASA astronaut was harassed via twitter by a woman in the United Kingdom.  The woman seemed upset that the astronaut was dating a younger woman and went on to make comments that lead to an investigation by NASA's Office of Inspector General.  The article notes:

The case is particularly notable for its thoroughness: The woman was visited at her home by British law enforcement at the behest of NASA, photos of her and her mental health and police records were shared between law enforcement agencies, and she was put on a Customs and Border Patrol watch list that would have immediately alerted authorities if she tried to enter the United States. To be clear, these are highly unusual steps for law enforcement to take in a harassment case.

I suppose there is nothing too unusual here since many celebrities are harassed in many ways.  Of course, once it involves sensitive government employees it may obtain more interest. 

NASA has been a big user of Twitter, and sites this this one happen to be a great way to share information with the public.  I hope a few bad apples do not get in the way of continued communication from the program and its astronauts.