Michael Smerconish: Snitchin'.com

INEED a Stop Snitchin' T-shirt.

No, I'm not talking about neighborhood druggies and degenerates. I'm thinking about friends and associates who share stories, images or other evidence to enrich themselves or embarrass someone else.

Snitchin' has reached epidemic proportions.

Take the mystery person who gave News of the World a photo of Olympic gold-medalist Michael Phelps hugging a bong. We've heard all about Phelps' bad judgment and its threat to his multimillion-dollar endorsements.

But despite the attention the pictures have attracted, we've yet to meet the photographer or the person who presumably sold them to the tabloid.

Phelps is a knucklehead who twice now has set a bad example for kids. But I'd argue that the person who took his picture is equally reprehensible.

Meanwhile, audio of Christian Bale's obscenity-laced tirade on the set of "Terminator Salvation" surfaced this week, just months after Bale's mother and sister accused him of assault in London. (Charges the police eventually decided to drop.)

TMZ.com first released and reported on the verbal lashing Bale gave the director of photography, but I'm wondering how the gossip site got that audio in the first place. Who gave it to them - and why? What happens on the set should stay on the set.

Somebody in Prince Harry's orbit is another great example. I refer to whoever made available to the media the homemade videos where "the Spare" (not "the Heir") made jokes about his military colleagues and mocked Grandmum the Queen in a pretend phone call.

L.A. Dodgers manager Joe Torre is a different case. He acted in his own interest (to sell books) by trashing third- baseman Alex Rodriguez, who he calls "A-Fraud" and writes that A-Rod "needs people to make a fuss over him." Torre then lamented that he "certainly didn't want this much attention" (despite appearances on "Larry King Live," among others).

I could go on and on. By now we've all become accustomed to the trigger-happy "gotcha" mind- set that the Internet has fostered.

WHAT AMAZES me is the ease with which some nameless, faceless, self-appointed vigilante can affect our global news cycle.

Anonymous sources have long been part of the journalistic equation. I get that. But this is different. The idea that someone you've never met can so significantly affect your life is something new to the last 10 years.

And we're not just talking about celebrity gossip.

Consider the phenomenon among teens known as "sexting." A recent survey has shown that one out of five teens has shared an intimate or suggestive photo of himself or herself with someone else.

Twice as many reported receiving a suggestive text or e-mail meant for someone else.

The reality? These are private matters, but inevitably those photos and communications are going to get passed on. It's whisper down the lane with a modem. And the next person in line can never resist hitting the send key.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not condoning irresponsible or malicious behavior just for the sake of privacy. But I wish the people willing to ignite controversy from their Barcalounger were more often asked to account for tossing the grenade.

Bottom line: If you witness a murder or see a drug deal go down, pick up the phone. But people behaving badly? It's none of our business.

Remember when the saying was, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"?

The modern equivalent?

Stay out of it. *

Listen to Michael Smerconish weekdays 5-9 a.m. on the Big Talker, 1210/AM. Read him Sundays in the Inquirer. Contact him via the Web at www.mastalk.com.