U.S. Feds Track Suspects w/ Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn

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U.S. federal investigators are using social networking sites—Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and LinkedIn—to gain information on suspected criminals.

A 33-page document from the U.S. justice department showed that law enforcement agents are going undercover online by making false profiles to gather evidence on suspects and their friends who use these sites. Agents are able to browse private photos, videos and posts, and message suspects to pry for more information.

Images of perpetrators posing with guns or expensive cars can be incriminating and investigators can check time-stamped posts on a suspect’s whereabouts that might differ from their alibi.

Friending the FBI on Facebook

The 33-page document was obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation in a lawsuit against the Justice Department to disclose the U.S. government’s methods of investigation on social networking sites.

The EFF, a civil liberties group from San Francisco, found in the document that social networking sites are a valuable source for investigators, but it didn’t say what limits investigators have to abide by when retrieving info.

While the justice department seemingly is unrestricted, IRS employees are not allowed to create fake accounts on social networking sites to get information.

In the terms of service of Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, users are not to post false or untruthful information. One serious cyber-bullying case from Missouri is mentioned in the document.

Lori Drew MySpace Bullying Case

In 2008, Lori Drew was charged with four felonies for violating MySpace’s rules by creating a fake account and was later convicted of three misdemeanours. Drew posed as a teenage boy online and flirtatiously messaged a 13-year-old girl. When Drew turned on her and told her the world would be a better place without her, the girl hung herself.

Her conviction created a double-standard for the government’s investigative methods, and last year, a judge overturned the verdicts

Social Media Networking with Investigators

The document said Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are often cooperative with investigators, but have some guidelines for feds to follow.

Twitter requires a warrant or subpoena for information and MySpace requires a warrant for private messages sent in the last six months.

Facebook has provided a handbook to law enforcement agents to inform their investigative approach of suspects on the site.