EFF sues CIA, DOJ, others over Facebook surveillance
Summary
The Electronic Frontier Foundation sued government agencies for allegedly refusing to release information about how they are using social networks in surveillance and investigations.
Topics
The Electronic Frontier Foundation sued the CIA, the US Department of Defense, Department of Justice and three other government agencies on Tuesday for allegedly refusing to release information about how they are using social networks in surveillance and investigations.
The not-for-profit internet rights watchdog group formally asked more than a dozen agencies or departments in early October to provide records about federal guidelines on the use of sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Flickr for investigative or data-gathering purposes, according to the lawsuit.
The requests were prompted by published news reports about how authorities are using social networks to monitor citizen activities and aid in investigations. For example, according to the lawsuit, government officials have: used Facebook to hunt for fugitives and search for evidence of underage drinking; researched the activities of an activist on Facebook and LinkedIn; watched YouTube to identify riot suspects; searched the home of a social worker because of Twitter messages regarding police actions he sent during the G-20 summit; and used fake identities to trick Facebook users into accepting friend requests.
For more, read "EFF sues feds for info on social-network surveillance" on CNET News.
Talkback Most Recent of 20 Talkback(s)
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Dealing2nd Dec 2009 -
I would think not
I don't think so because the government is not typically in the business of
buying evidence. There are legal issues with that.
Typically the government asks for it and
the other party gives it over.
People need to understand that facebook isn't just about you and your friends,
it is about the entire Internet and whatever goes on there stays forever. Just
because you put something there doesn't mean you can take it away!
Once you GIVE to facebook an image or your text, you cannot take it back.
lelandhendrix@...3rd Dec 2009 -
Shouting on a street corner
People need to get over the illusion of privacy and anonymity on the internet. Its always been an illusion. Posing your personal information on Facebook or other social networking sites is the digital equivalent of standing on a street corner and shouting it out to whomever is walking past.
cornpie2nd Dec 2009 -
But knowlege is power
and also only half the battle!
gnesterenko2nd Dec 2009 -
It isn't an illusion
Unless someone is actively tracing everything that
you do on the internet.
As to posting your personal information on
Facebook? Yeah, stupid unless you ABSOLUTELY HAVE
TO.
Lerianis102nd Dec 2009 -
Is the EFF that stupid?
"Oh No! they're reading my facebook page where I bragged that I lit my neighbors house on fire!
They can't arrest me on that, can they?"
How is that any different then walking down the street telling everyone you meet the same thing, and then having them go to the police?
They're just cutting out the middle man, thats all.
John Zern2nd Dec 2009 -
EFF is just being proactive
One of the EFF's goals is to raise awareness on privacy and consumer issues. Most people do not think critically, the EFF does a lot more good than harm, even if some of their actions initially make people wonder what's going on.
DonRupertBitByte2nd Dec 2009 -
..and wasting gov money and time?!
The gov should spend money on other things, not defending a pointless lawsuit over something the public would appear to support.
jonesyx22nd Dec 2009 -
The public does NOT support this stuff
Contrary to popular belief when it is put in
terms that they can UNDERSTAND by the EFF and
others.
It's time to realize that the federal
government, even under Obama, is stretching
things way too far and using "TERRORISTS!" to
justify illegal and immoral stuff way too much.
We simply do not need to give up our rights to
privacy in order to fight the terrorists.Lerianis102nd Dec 2009 -
Wake Up People
I hate to be the one to rain on your parade, but you do not have RIGHTS TO PRIVACY when you log onto a PUBLIC DOMAIN.
5LitreCat2nd Dec 2009 -
Learn some Law
Electronic Communications Privacy Act, people prefer their privacy and will defend it. For a recent example of the ECPA in action, look at the class action lawsuit against Facebook's Beacon program.
This is exactly in the same vein.
computerjerms8th Dec 2009 -
wake up indeed
What part of "public" forum do people not understand? If you put something up there anybody can look at it - you've given them permission! No right to complain if you don't like the results.
ca1ic0cat2nd Dec 2009 -
To: wake up indeed
Contrary to perception, "Facebook" is not a public forum. You, the user, choose who can view your information. If there are those unscrupulous enough to use fake names and accounts to worm their way into your world... a partial shame on you for believing in total honesty and shame on them for using deception to get inside.
kfortner512nd Dec 2009 -
That is not the problem
You are correct in that there is no privacy in the internet. The problem is what the government is doing with the information. EFF is trying to get the goverment to state a policy that they use when looking at people's information. They want to find the point when the government stops being beneficial and becomes malignant. It is beneficial if the information is used to prevent or prosecute a crime but it is malignant if the information is used to persecute and harass people for doing things that are legal but the government doesn't like.
It is one of the rights for the people to assemble peacefully. Social sites may be a new form of assembly.
sboverie@...2nd Dec 2009 -
And that's the whole point
Which most everybody else in this thread has failed to grasp.
Wintel BSOD2nd Dec 2009
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