Should police be allowed to use social media to search for criminal activity?

spectratg

spectratg

Senior Member
Location
Adamstown, MD
And I mean in general when there is no specific reason to suspect any criminal activity is being committed.

The libertarian in me says this is just further down that slippery slope where Big Brother is watching you. The pragmatist in me, given the never-ending increase in most types of crime, says the end justifies the means.
 

Warrigal said:
This is the chief method used to detect people who go overseas for underage sex and engage in paedophile activity at home. It is very time consuming. I really doubt that the police have the time to listen in on social media unless there is reasonable cause to suspect criminality.
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well maybe they need to enlist a little outside help with that. but i agree unless there's some reason to look at someone then why bother?
 
I think it depends.
Social media isn't private or for criminals only. Social media is available to anyone and everyone.
However, most social sites have privacy safeguards for private messaging and maybe other features intended for private use.
I don't think law enforcement should be able to monitor social media private features without a warrant. That is like a consentless search.
Or like phone taps without warrants.
 
Naturally said:
I think it depends.
Social media isn't private or for criminals only. Social media is available to anyone and everyone.
However, most social sites have privacy safeguards for private messaging and maybe other features intended for private use.
I don't think law enforcement should be able to monitor social media private features without a warrant. That is like a consentless search.
Or like phone taps without warrants.
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You make a good point, @Naturally — the difference between what's publicly available on social media sites and what's private. In that case, I would look to the site's Terms of Service; this may be covered in them.
 
Don't know about in the US but in the UK it's a major tool for the police. Not only did they post identical pictures of murders and rapists but when some idiot post a video of himself doing 100 miles an hour past the local school the police will trace him and prosecute. lke the cell phone and dashcam t is a major help and investigations
 
I saw this question on 'Smerconish.' It was the poll question. "Should cops be allowed.....etc." The people, over 30,000, voted YES 95% to 5% against.

I am in agreement. Social Media is an Open Platform. No one should not think their words are OPEN to EVERYONE, 'cause they are. I'm against the ACLU on this. I usually support them, I think, but this time NO.

Police, etc. shouldn't need a warrant for Social Media.
 
The Toronto Police Service has 17 divisions in the city. Each of those 17 divisions has a 6 person technical investigation unit that concentrates on assignments forwarded to them from the other investigative units, like the robbery, fugitive, sex crimes, auto theft, and gangs unit.

The tech units use a wide array of resources, including the CCTV cameras of the Toronto Transit Corporation, street cameras operated by TPS, public TV cameras at place like City Hall square, and the highway cameras of the Toronto Transportation system. IN addition they scan the facebook groups of known criminals and gangs.

(Yes the idiots have their own bragging facebook pages where they show off their latest gun or bundles of money, for their friend's camera ). Street racers also are monitored on their facebook pages, so the Police know ahead of time, about planned car meet ups where stunt driving/ street racing will take place.

The Toronto Homicide unit has it's own in house tech unit, that focuses on finding information about the victims, and running down the potential suspects. The Cold Case unit also has a tech unit that works cases ( usually homicides ) from the past. They have been solving cases now that are up to 40 years old, through DNA testing of old evidence materials. If properly stored at the time of the crime, those materials can now be tested to find latent DNA traces.

In a recent Toronto homicide trial of a 35 year old case, the DNA expert stated that the accused was the one whose DNA was found on the clothing from the victim , to a certainty of one out of 21 TRILLION other people. Convicted.

One of their biggest assets now is the fact that so many people have sent their DNA in to be tested by private labs , in an attempt to trace their ancestors. Those private DNA data banks hold information that can be used to find blood relations, who might be the wanted criminal. A recent Toronto old case was solved in just that way. Unfortunately in that case, the killer had died a few years before the evidence was established. But at least the victim's family was finally able to know who did it back then.

Technical policing is the new tool for cops who obviously need to be specially trained to use the technology properly. Some smaller Canadian Police services are hiring civilian experts in high tech fields so they have the skills required, without that person going through the Police College, first

JimB.
 
My brother-in-law is a Lawyer.

Before hiring an individual to the Firm, they check their social media activity to make sure they aren't dealing with a Jeckyll/ Hyde situation. So be careful what you post on social media...it could affect your livelihood down the road.
 
We didn't invent social media. It's a public venue open to anyone who wants to read it, including the police or Department of Justice. I don't consider the right to plan a crime on the internet or the telephone a Libertarian goal.
 
And when those dangerous criminals are finally caught (at least in UK) after a short time te Parole Board will let them out again 🤬
 
This sounds like one of things a person can get suckered into approving of... right up until its abuse results in persecution of that same individual.

Dirty cops, organized crime, despotic political regimes. Nah, those have never been a problem in history.

I guess it sounds pretty weird in an age where people fear the idea of their name and address being listed in telephone books.

I not sure people have rational positions on these things. Instead they parrot things back that they don't even realize they have been programmed to think are their own well reasoned opinions.
 
Beezer said:
My brother-in-law is a Lawyer.

Before hiring an individual to the Firm, they check their social media activity to make sure they aren't dealing with a Jeckyll/ Hyde situation. So be careful what you post on social media...it could affect your livelihood down the road.
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I had that happen once.
A person didn't like one of my posts on LinkedIn and ranted on and on about how I was wrong, etc.
4-5 months later, he applied at my company.
Needless to say, he never got a first interview.
 
Devi said:
You make a good point, @Naturally — the difference between what's publicly available on social media sites and what's private. In that case, I would look to the site's Terms of Service; this may be covered in them.
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So, here's a snippet from Facebook's (remember, they're now called "Meta") Privacy Policy.
Meta Privacy Policy - How Meta collects and uses user data

=====

How do we respond to legal requests, comply with applicable law and prevent harm?​
​
We access, preserve, use and share your information:​
  • In response to legal requests, like search warrants, court orders, production orders or subpoenas. These requests come from third parties such as civil litigants, law enforcement and other government authorities. Learn more about about when we respond to legal requests.
  • In accordance with applicable law
  • To promote the safety, security and integrity of, users, employees, property and the public.
We may access or preserve your information for an extended amount of time.​

=====

Note the "civil litigants" above ... I believe that means someone who's suing someone. So, not just the police or government.

The Facebook page (which I linked to above) has much more information, if you're interested.
 
It sounds more like patrolling the internet and not so much gathering evidence for a crime. Problem this already done to a certain extent and will get worse with tech advancements/AI. If a person is eventually arrested a lawyer might argue why was a paticular website or person picked out.

If police get wind of a flash mob robbery on the internet I don't see issues sending officers to that location. They still would need evidence to convict the individuals involved.

It's a tact not without peril.
 
I think of things like the old cop shows where it seemed like every big crook had an inside man they could call who would run license plates for them or worse.
 
That is a very interesting and complex question. There are many factors to consider when evaluating the pros and cons of police using social media to search for criminal activity. Here are some of the main points:

On the pro side, social media can be used as a tool for gathering intelligence and investigating crimes. It can also be used to build relationships with the community and increase transparency. For example, some police departments use social media to inform the public about current events, emergencies, and crime prevention tips. Some also use social media to solicit tips and leads from the public, or to identify and track suspects. Social media can also help police officers to communicate with each other and share best practices.

On the con side, social media can be a distraction for officers and lead to the spread of false information. It can also pose ethical and legal challenges, such as privacy, consent, and due process. For example, some police officers may misuse social media to harass or intimidate people, or to leak confidential information. Some may also violate the rights of suspects or victims by accessing or disclosing their personal information without proper authorization or warrant. Social media can also create public relations problems for police departments if they post inappropriate or inaccurate content.

Therefore, the answer to whether police should be allowed to use social media to search for criminal activity depends on how they use it and what safeguards they have in place. Police officers should follow clear and consistent policies and guidelines that respect the law and the rights of all parties involved. They should also be trained and supervised on how to use social media effectively and responsibly. They should also be transparent and accountable for their actions and decisions on social media.
 
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