According to a report from the BBC this week, Facebook has written to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) demanding that it that stop spying on users with fake accounts.
The social media giant’s rules expressly forbid the creation of fake groups or accounts. Ultimately, Facebook says, it wants to “create a safe environment where people can trust and hold one another accountable.” However, that becomes impossible to achieve when users believe authorities are lurking in the shadows.
“Documents… indicate that LAPD policies simply allow officers to create fake accounts for ‘online investigative activity’,” Facebook vice president and deputy general counsel for civil rights Roy Austin wrote in a letter. “Officers must abide by Facebook’s policies when creating accounts on our services. The Police Department should cease all activities on Facebook that involve the use of fake accounts, impersonation of others, and collection of data for surveillance purposes.”
Facebook has taken several steps over the past month to regain user trust, including ending its controversial facial recognition program. This seems like the latest attempt by the company to prove that it has its users’ best interests at heart. But whether the authorities actually heed Facebook’s threat is another matter altogether.
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