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Your next friend request could be from the FBI
By Jim DalrympleMarch 16, 2010, 1:10 pm PT
If you’re one of the millions of people on a social networking Web site, you should be aware that the U.S. government may use the sites for undercover work. For most law abiding citizens, it won’t matter much, especially if you only add friends that you know.
The Obama administration has considered sending federal police undercover on social-networking sites, including Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.
A confidential U.S. Department of Justice presentation (PDF) on social-networking sites made public Tuesday said online undercover work can help agents “communicate with suspects,” “gain access to nonpublic info,” and “map social relationships.”
Feds consider going undercover on social networks [CNET]
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Your next friend request could be from the FBI
By Jim DalrympleMarch 16, 2010, 1:10 pm PT
If you’re one of the millions of people on a social networking Web site, you should be aware that the U.S. government may use the sites for undercover work. For most law abiding citizens, it won’t matter much, especially if you only add friends that you know.
The Obama administration has considered sending federal police undercover on social-networking sites, including Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.
A confidential U.S. Department of Justice presentation (PDF) on social-networking sites made public Tuesday said online undercover work can help agents “communicate with suspects,” “gain access to nonpublic info,” and “map social relationships.”
Feds consider going undercover on social networks [CNET]
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Discussion 4 comments so far
4 Responses to “Your next friend request could be from the FBI”
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Seems like a fair crime fighting tool, and since I have nothing to hide and only accept requests from people whom I know, I won't have a problem with it. I also know that everything that I would post on a social networking site is considered public and not private despite the privacy claims. If you're going to hang your laundry out on the internet, it had better be clean.
How's that going to work? I'm sure anyone up to no good on social media sites is only going to accept invitations from people they know. First rule of Fight Club, etc…
And are there really people up to no good who discuss their plans on social networking sites anyway? Surely they do it all by Hotmail and Pay-As-You-Go mobile phones (and we know the Feds are already listening to both of those).
Considering how stupid some people are using social networking sites, I think we'd be afraid of the things they could find.
Wake up people! Criminals come in all shapes forms and sizes. If you have a warrant from petty shit even if it's a long time ago they can find you through your ip