> Lying to a police officer could get you in trouble
That does not seem on point with the original question. You can lie to a [non-federal] police officer about almost anything with impunity, except your identity. That is specifically what CA 148.9 refers to.
> Better to just keep quiet
That is for sure the best answer. Any information, truthful or not, can and will be used against you by the police. The best option is to give them nothing at all.
But it is situational. Asserting your right to remain silent during a routine traffic stop where nothing indicates the cop is fishing for something unrelated is more likely to make things worse rather than better.
> Asserting your right to remain silent during a routine traffic stop where nothing indicates the cop is fishing for something unrelated is more likely to make things worse rather than better.
Even though you'll always get some absolutists arguing against it, this is the proper advice. Admitting to what I've done has gotten me out of multiple traffic tickets.
They would count HN if they wanted to get you for obstruction or lying to a police officer. I think that's the material point.
Just better to not say anything and let them discover that your social media is HN on their own. That's the only course of action guaranteed to generate no more trouble than you may already be in. Even keeping quiet may not help if the police want to use that against you. Or they could out and out lie. No guarantees really I guess. Just try to be in a place with officers possessing some degree of professionalism I suppose. Then keeping quiet helps.
