Posted on 10/21/2013 12:46:41 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
It's no secret cops use social media to monitor the public, but it might surprise you that they create fake Facebook profiles to nab criminals — in direct violation of the website's terms of service.
The Justice Department published a social media guide for law enforcement officials this year that explicitly says officers create fake profiles even though Facebook officially bans the practice.
“I was looking for a suspect related to drug charges for over a month. When I looked him up on Facebook and requested him as a friend from a fictitious profile, he accepted," one officer responded in an open-ended survey question in the DOJ's guide. "He kept ‘checking in’ everywhere he went, so I was able to track him down very easily."
This officer isn't alone. More than 80% of the responding officials said social media was a valuable tool for crime-fighting and that "creating personas or profiles on social media outlets for use in law enforcement activities is ethical."
The NYPD has a specific policy addressing the creation of online aliases. Created in 2012, the memo from commissioner Raymond Kelly stated police must register intended aliases with the department and use a department-issued laptop, the New York Daily News reported.
For example, the NYPD has even used photos of young women on Facebook to spy on suspected gang members, the New York Times reported. By spying on suspects in this way on Facebook, cops can get clues about the whereabouts of potential criminals.
Of 1,221 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that use social media in some way, four out of five agencies said they use social media for investigations, according to a July 2012 survey by LexisNexis Risk Solutions cited in the guide.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
The only remedy for FB is civil suit. They’re not a government, thank G-d.
This does bring up interesting and unprecedented 4th Amendment issues. Screams for new theories of law.
Doesn’t bother me. These are rules of a private business, not a law. Violate them and the company is within its rights to kick you out.
Sounds like they go after fools who post at facebook that they commit crimes, and who share that with those they dont even know.
I was driving through a bad section of town. Beside the road was one of those portable flashing light signs. I slewed the car around and drove back and parked to read it again. Loosely it read: “If you have an outstanding warrant you can turn your self in for free for the next three days only. At (Address.)” So, I asked a cop at the gym. He could barely stop from laughing. I don’t remember the exact number of people who turned themselves in, but it high; around 30. So, people are f*cking stupid.
Is anyone really surprised that the police state would do something like this? Cops crossed this line a long time. Cops are not your friend.
I have Facebook, and it only sees use as a glorified email service with me.
When I signed up seven years ago I quickly learned that social media sites attract fools, drama queens and attention whores like moths to a flame.
Neither is social media and anyone who thinks so is dim.
This sounds great.
Stupid criminals.
The Internet, where the men are men, the women are men and the little girls are FBI agents.
Everybody loves “free” stuff. lol
Anybody who has experienced a police investigation knows they have no compunction about lying through their teeth to catch and help prosecute suspects. The only thing surprising to me is that some people are naive enough to believe that behavior stops when they get on the witness stand.
RE :”When I signed up seven years ago I quickly learned that social media sites attract fools, drama queens and attention whores like moths to a flame.”
No way to keep it private like yahoo groups?
Half the people on facebutt violate the terms of service, big deal.
Correct answer.
Whatta laff.
The cop is exploiting criminal cluelessness.
Oh well. You’re busted!
Yes, you can do quite a bit with FB privacy settings, but I also know that at some point my security clearance will have to be redone so I’ve long since trimmed the digital fat and cut a lot of the crap.
lol
>>Stupid criminals.<<
I have had more than one cop tell me the reason people turn to crime is because they are freaking idiots.
The TV “craftier than the Devil” criminal just doesn’t exist.
Most criminals are just plain dumb.
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