Facebook To DEA: Stop Using Phony Profiles To Nab Criminals

HughPickens.com writes: CNNMoney reports that Facebook has sent a letter to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration demanding that agents stop impersonating users on the social network. "The DEA's deceptive actions... threaten the integrity of our community," Facebook chief security officer Joe Sullivan wrote to DEA head Michele Leonhart. "Using Facebook to impersonate others abuses that trust and makes people feel less safe and secure when using our service." Facebook's letter comes on the heels of reports that the DEA impersonated a young woman on Facebook to communicate with suspected criminals, and the Department of Justice argued that they had the right to do so. Facebook contends that their terms and Community Standards — which the DEA agent had to acknowledge and agree to when registering for a Facebook account — expressly prohibit the creation and use of fake accounts. "Isn't this the definition of identity theft?" says privacy researcher Runa Sandvik. The DEA has declined to comment and referred all questions to the Justice Department, which has not returned CNNMoney's calls.

Comments

Government Dictionary

[SJHillman]

""Isn't this the definition of identity theft?""

Nope. It's identity eminent domain.

Re:Government Dictionary

[Anonymous Coward]

So you think that the majority of people who misapply the word "entrapment" were caught in the act of felonies, and are trying to get off? I didn't think Slashdot was such a rough neighborhood.

Ermagherd!

[Ol Olsoc]

Next thing you know, all of those hot 13 year old girls looking for a nice older guy in chat rooms will turn out to be the police