Connect with us

Technology

Urgent Facebook warning after undercover cops are caught using fake accounts to spy on citizens

FACEBOOK has demanded that police in LA stop using “dummy” accounts for surveillance of citizens.

Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, addressed the issue in an open letter to the LAPD chief, Michel Moore.

AlamyCreating fake accounts is against the rules on Facebook[/caption]

The letter starts: “According to the Brennan Center for Justice and media reports the Los Angeles Police Department (“LAPD”) has been instructing its officers to create fake (or “dummy”) Facebook accounts and impersonate legitimate users.

“Not only do LAPD instructional documents use Facebook as an explicit example in advising officers to set up fake social media accounts, but documents also indicate that LAPD policies simply allow officers to create fake accounts for “online investigative activity.”

This behaviour violates Facebook’s terms of service.

Meta’s demands come after an investigation by The Guardian revealed that the US police department had been working with a tech firm to analyse social media data to help solve crimes.

The police department was said to partner with Voyager Labs in 2019 to watch out for “emerging threats”.


This may have involved looking at Facebook user profiles, their friends, posts and usernames.

Meta’s letter continues: “We believe strongly in the principle of free expression and strive to create an environment where people can act on their freedoms.

“People on our platforms speak their minds, connect with others to promote common causes, share their personal experiences, and organize First Amendment protected activities.

“It is our intention that they do so in a space that is free from unlawful surveillance by the government or agents acting in inauthentic ways.”

It lists the kind of behaviour that breaks the Facebook rules such as creating a fake account under a fake name and using images with the intent of deceiving people.

The letter also states that using third parties to gather data from Facebook for surveillance is not allowed.

Read all the latest Phones & Gadgets newsKeep up-to-date on Apple storiesGet the latest on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram

Best Phone and Gadget tips and hacks

Looking for tips and hacks for your phone? Want to find those secret features within social media apps? We have you covered…

How to get your deleted Instagram photos back
How to track someone on Google Maps
How can I increase my Snapchat score?
How can I change my Facebook password?
How can I do a duet on TikTok?
Here’s how to see if your Gmail has been hacked
How can I change my Amazon Alexa voice in seconds?
What is dating app Bumble?
How can I test my broadband internet speed?
Here’s how to find your Sky TV remote in SECONDS

In other news, check out our iPhone 13 review and iPhone 13 Pro review.

Take a look at the new Lamborghini Huracan Evo that can clean your house and cook you dinner.

Find out about the wildly impressive Panasonic 65HZ1000 TV, which makes most tellies look rubbish.

Read our complete guide to Call of Duty Vanguard.

And Dell’s Alienware R10 Ryzen Edition is a gaming PC powerhouse that crushes both the new consoles.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk

Exit mobile version