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Facebook Grants Law Enforcement Detailed Access To User Accounts

July 15, 2011 by  

Facebook Grants Law Enforcement Detailed Access To User Accounts

Facebook users beware: Law enforcement officials have been increasingly serving warrants to the social network giant, often gaining access to profiles without the users’ knowledge.

Reuters reported Tuesday that its review of the Westlaw legal database revealed “that since 2008, federal judges have authorized at least two dozen warrants to search individuals’ Facebook accounts. Many of the warrants requested a laundry list of personal data such as messages, status updates, links to videos and photographs, calendars of future and past events, ‘Wall postings’ and ‘rejected Friend requests.’”

The warrants reportedly often demanded a user’s “Neoprint” and “Photoprint.” This manual, which was allegedly created by Facebook to aid law enforcement, describes a Neoprint as “an expanded view of a given user profile,” and a Photoprint as “a compilation of all photos uploaded by the user that have not been deleted, along with all photos uploaded by any user which have the requested user tagged in them.”

“And because of Facebook’s inherent interconnectedness, it’s presumed that police got to see not only their targets’ information, but that of their friend groups, too,” read an article on Good.is, a progressive website. “How many times did Facebook users challenge these searches as illegal under the Fourth Amendment? Zero, but experts theorize that’s because Facebook hasn’t been letting users know when cops are tossing their online lives.”

“By law, neither Facebook nor the government is obliged to inform a user when an account is subject to a search by law enforcement, though prosecutors are required to disclose material evidence to a defendant,” Reuters noted. “Twitter and several other social-media sites have formally adopted a policy to notify users when law enforcement asks to search their profile.”

Filed Under: Conservative Politics, Government, Liberty News, Staff Reports
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  • http://Nil Andre Martinaglia

    Oh now I know why ”facebook” has blocked me from contacting friends I do not know! I am the bad guy(with over 1,000 friends how can they be wrong) Unfortunately these small minded people can’t see, that the normal user is being protected against unsavoury characters they let onto ”facebook” in the first place. A reason why the man and woman in the street has come to ”facebook”, where my page watches their backs, and where necessary sees that these people are eliminated, reporting their activities to ”facebook”, only to be treated later as agents of curruption ourselves. ”Facebook” won’t answer to this and proceeds to be the its own God in judgement. Well not for much longer – cheers ”facebook”.

  • NyNita

    First, I’d like to address Ramiz. If you use the cheat snag bars, Facebook and/or Zynga are authorized and will ban a person’s account when they find out you are using one of the cheat snag bars. Many Zynga players have been reporting any and all people they find out are using cheat snag bars (you know, the kind that you can go to sleep and they snag everything that gets posted to your wall from your game neighbors). I am not accusing; but, that sounds like why you’ve lost your account. If not, then I’d be filing a complaint with your state attorney general’s office.

    Now, as for the cops, FBI, or anyone else having access to our information on Facebook – what’s the problem if you’re not part of some radical group threatening to kill someone. I personally reported 2 of my ex-friends who had made comments that they personally were going to kill a particular political person. My report went to the FBI. And, if people are stupid enough to post real life pictures of themselves, then they have no reason to bitch about the facial recognition FB is using. I have never and will never post real life pictures of myself online. As for what my status updates are, I don’t give a rat’s behind who in this world, government or non-government, knows what I post. I have posted many anti-government, anti-NWO, etc. posts and I make sure I let them know I’m not afraid of them coming after me. Also, idiots who post every time they go to the bathroom, make love, go on vacation, go to the grocery store to get a quart of milk or a loaf of bread are doing so to make themselves look important – they look like dorks and are inviting all kinds of harassment by posting every little detail. I won’t give my address or phone number to any site online. It’s just a matter of being computer savvy to ensure the wrong information doesn’t get into the wrong hands.

  • Allen L. Lee

    I know there is a difference between surveillance and invasion of privacy. Law enforcement can do the former without a warrant. The latter is an order from the court and is not in the hands of private citizens or law enforcement to “grant permission.”

  • Allen L. Lee

    I’m left of center. Voted for Obama and plan to do so again. I have to agree with you right-wingers about this Facebook issue. Search warrants usually have just cause to suspend rights of privacy, but Facebook has to decide wheter it is a public or private social media link. They have an http and a https URL for a reason.

  • http://lives RAYMOND HARBIN

    I AM A PROFESSIONAL WRITER/AUTHOR WHO LOVES TO COMMENT ON EXCELLENT SYSTEMS LIKE THIS ONE–IT RELAXES ME AND KEEPS MY FINGERS LOOSE. MY WIFE, BETH AND OUR DAUGHTER, HOLLY ALSO WRITE AND SPEND SOME TIME ON FACEBOOK AS I DO. WE ALL HAVE BLOGSPOTS, BETH’S IS EXCEPTIONAL RECEIVING COMMENTS FROM MANY FOREIGN VISITORS.

    I AM A SEMI-RETIRED, BROAD BASED CONSULTANT, WRITING VERY TECHNICAL ARTICLES, FLYERS AND DETAILED CONSULTING INFORMATION. I’M BECOMING INCREASINGLY BORED WITH FACEBOOK–AT TIMES IT’S AN EXTRAORDINARY MEANS OF (ACCIDENTALLY) CONTACTING FRIENDS OF YEARS GONE BY, BUT MY
    INCREASINGLY BORED STATE ON FACEBOOK RESULTS FROM A HIGHER AND HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF DOMINATION BY PURE GOSSIP.

    THE DEMAND FOR INDUSTRIAL CONSULTING TODAY IS THE LOWEST I HAVE EVER SEEN, AND I’VE BEEN AT IT FOR 41 YEARS. I DO NOT EXPECT ANY IMPROVEMENT UNTIL OBAMA’S REMOVAL. HOW COULD ANY INTELLIGENT INDUSTRIAL BUSINESSMAN HAVE EVEN A PARTICLE OF CONFIDENCE IN GOING OUT ON AN ECONOMIC LIMB WITH THAT GUY IN THE WHITE HOUSE?

    A DOUBLE DIP RECESSION? ABSOLUTE NOT!! WE HAVE NOT SURFACED FROM THE FIRST ONE. THERE TWO REASONS WE ARE DEPRESSIONARY: THE HOUSING CATASTROPHE AND THE OBAMA CATASTROPHE–AND THE FORMER WILL PUT THE LATTER OUT OF A JOB.

  • Carol J

    I saw Facebook for what it was right away. I refused to compromise my security and my computer. When I get emails from Facebook I report them as a phishing scam, and then go to my cookies and remove any that come from Facebook. I have also unsubscribed from any site that insists I use their Facebook page. It sure takes a lot less time to go through my emails now.

  • Nathan

    I think it is kind of funny I mean come on the story says a 2 dozen people have had their accounts looked at by law enforcement. I am sure unless you are a “terrorist” or part of Anonymous or Lulzsec law enforcement couldn’t care less what your Zodiac is or Which Harry Potter Character you most resemble. Yes, I agree it sucks but so does being on camera every time you walk out the door or pull up to a red light. Take your pot pictures to Twitter you’ll be notified then.

    • http://contributor.yahoo.com/user/165033/larrwayne_po.html LarrWayne

      So if everyone that is not in love with B.0., is a terrorist, who sucks then?

  • Raggs

    I seen this coming and that is why I do not use ANY social network!

    But this is just the begining… But at least our 2nd is somewhat intact and I will use it if needed!

  • jopa

    It’s not just Facebook you have to watch out for.There is also News Corp (Fox) hacking into computers and telephones.The other night I thought Fox was hacking my phone when I could hear heavy breathing on the other end and they wouldn’t say a word.Immediately I had a vision of when Bill O Reilly was harassing Greta Van and others at Fox.I kept saying “Bill Bill is that you”.After about the third call I realized it was my neighbor with asthma looking for his Proventil inhaler.

    • Raggs

      Sounds like it was oblama panting over you.

    • C130 Gunship

      jopa…..It was probably Barney Frank and Lindsey Graham, they most likely got the picture of you in your undies with an erect mushroom tipped love dart and called to ‘order out.’

      Please explain to all of us exactly why you got a Face Book account?

  • Bob Marshall

    I only use facebook to log on to a few sites. The founders and CEOs’of facebook, google and amazon are Bilderberg members.They attended the last meeting in Switzerland. That should tell everyone something.want to find out about loss of freedom on the internet? I had been researching everything i could find about the CIA starting with 1947-. My computor files have been erased twice in the past two months.Many of the videos that used to be on goggle and youtube have either been erased or are now blocked. http://www.truthistreason.net

  • ONTIME

    More tools for the despots to use aganst freedom of speech….and no help from your tax paid representative government.

  • jonathan w

    I just posted this To FACEBOOK, and I hope it goes VIRAL!! Face(recognition)book!

    • Les

      It won’t, not in the terms that it should. Lemmings all run together over the cliff. All the Patriots out there will simply say they have nothing to hide.

      • TML

        That’s true… especially considering the breeds of people on Facebook that post what they are doing every second of the day, online. Having nothing to hide is an understatment for those people. This is kind of easy… in the sense that, you just shouldn’t post anything online that you don’t want the world to know. Stick with that and you’ll be ok.

  • Les

    I stopped using Facebook the moment I found what an absolute sleazeball Zuckerberg is. He created Facebook the good old fashioned way by ripping someone else off. I do not support criminal conduct and there for no longer participate in making Zuckerberg rich via my online activities. I leave my Facebook ID open to eat up his resources.

    • Dan az

      Sounds like a plan! :)

    • Isaac Davis

      The implications of posting anything online haven’t been a secret to any of us, but the outright love-affair that these chip-heads have with the worst of marxists is bile producing. I have a tiny little profile, and I guarantee that I’ll wipe that real soon. I am amazed how many blindly and blatantly just post their entire lives out there on the web. It never goes away, it lives on a server somewhere or a tape backup for eternity or until the EMP arrives.

  • Rick Rosado

    I will be deleting my page right NOW !

  • ramiz

    hi all’

    my name is ramiz ,
    this is the receipt for my payment in zynga facebook poker.

    facebook
    Hi Ramiz,
    This is a receipt for your payment of $125.00 USD to Facebook for 216000000 Chips.
    Payment Details
    Purchase: 216000000 Chips
    Date: Sunday, July 10, 2011 at 4:15pm
    Application: Texas HoldEm Poker
    Transaction ID: 9005133554994
    Purchased With: Visa ***-3873
    Total Charged: $125.00 USD

    and this is the message i got from facebook
    YOUR ACCOUNT HAS BEEN BANNED

    i sent the facebook an email to know why they ban my account.
    and this is the answer :

    Hello ramiz,

    Thanks for contacting the Zynga Terms of Service Team.

    This is Daniel and I’m here to help you today,

    Your account has been permanently suspended by Zynga for violating the Terms of Service.

    The following are the Terms of Service violations on the account:

    CHEATING AND HACKING – You agree that you will not, under any circumstances:

    d. Use cheats, exploits, automation software, bots, hacks, mods or any unauthorized third-party software designed to modify or interfere with the Service, any Zynga Game or any Zynga game experience;
    e. Use the Service in order to design or assist in the design of cheats, automation software, bots, hacks, mods or any other unauthorized third-party software designed to modify or interfere with the Service, any Zynga game or any Zynga game experience;
    f. Without Zynga’s express written consent, modify or cause to be modified any files that are a part of the Service or any Zynga game;
    g. Disrupt, overburden, or aid or assist in the disruption or overburdening of (1) any computer or server used to offer or support the Service or any Zynga game environment (each a “Server”); or (2) the enjoyment of the Service or any Zynga game by any other person;
    h. Institute, assist, or become involved in any type of attack, including without limitation distribution of a virus, denial of service attacks upon the Service, or other attempts to disrupt the Service or any other person’s use or enjoyment of the Service; or
    i. Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service, Accounts registered to others or to the computers, Servers, or networks connected to the Service by any means other than the user interface provided by Zynga, including but not limited to, by circumventing or modifying, attempting to circumvent or modify, or encouraging or assisting any other person to circumvent or modify, any security, technology, device, or software that is part of the Service;

    THEY TOOK MY MONEY AND MY ACCOUNT!!!!

    • Dan az

      ramiz
      It sounds like you just got hacked!I would be writing the AG and demanding them to do something about it.

    • C130 Gunship

      ramiz, you’ve been hacked! Expect to see pictures of you in your underwear with an erect mushroom tipped love dart sent to whores, girls and boys under the age of 16, your grandmother, parents, FBI, Anthony Wiener, DHS, Border Patrol, DEA, National Enquirer, Barney Frank, Lindsey Graham, Boy George, DOJ, National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, The National Transgender Organization, Man/Boy Love Association, and the Fraternal Order of Police.

      Now tell me, why did you get Face Book Account?????

      • Dan az

        C130 :)

  • s c

    I see. Electronic ‘profiling’ is OK, but any other form of ‘profiling’ is bad. Hmmmm.
    Let’s say it and mean it, folks. Facebook sucks and will bend over when it’s convenient. So did Zuckerberg sell his arse and his soul to Uncle Worthless?
    I wonder how much he got. Will Mr. Z be running for office shortly? Google has already bent over to ‘please.’ Is it contagious? I have some suggestions for a cure, and I’m betting that Mr. Z and his fellow prosties won’t like it.

  • Dan az

    I would like to see them look at my face book which I don’t use the only thing there is pictures of obumer that looks allot like his personality.Or the big picture of him tearing up the constitution in front of all the other presidents with a guy sitting on a bench with his head in his hands.Gee I hope they don’t call me a terrorist and come to arrest me.Oh wait Homeland Janet already did.The patriot act is there foot in the door and we need to stop this nazi action from going on any further.I don’t see the connection of everyday citizens that would use there facebook to try an over throw the gubmnt or even use it to start some jehad thing but hey what ever turns them on its only the 1st amendment which dosen’t seem to mean anything anyways.

    • Al Sieber

      Dan, it’s close to frigging “1984″, War is Peace! Ignorance is Strength!, Freedom is Slavery!, and next comes the Thought Police. yes, I use Facebook to post all kinds of so called of anti- govt. information, and I know I’m on their list for handing out all sorts of DVD’s they don’t approve of, and speaking out against them on the radio,I’ve been doing that for 11 years. we have a chicken$hit sheriff’s dept. over here anyways.

      • Dan az

        Hey Al
        know kidding and I bet I listen to you a few times to! I was always driving when listening to the radio and would love to talk but instead I just answer to my self instead.I don’t like face book someone got me on it and I think it was my sister because they just wanted to see if I was still kicking.I think they regretted it though because she is a liberal and what I would do is challenge her liberal touchy feely friends to explain their logic to me.That didn’t go over so well. :) But it was fun while it lasted.Now she leaves me alone!

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