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FACEBOOK Monitors Chats For Suspicious Activity, Reports Users To Police
Facebook and other social platforms are watching users’ chats for criminal activity and notifying police if any suspicious behavior is detected, according to a report.
The screening process begins with scanning software that monitors chats for words or phrases that signal something might be amiss, such as an exchange of personal information or vulgar language.
The software pays more attention to chats between users who don’t already have a well-established connection on the site and whose profile data indicate something may be wrong, such as a wide age gap. The scanning program is also “smart” — it’s taught to keep an eye out for certain phrases found in the previously obtained chat records from criminals including sexual predators.
If the scanning software flags a suspicious chat exchange, it notifies Facebook security employees, who can then determine if police should be notified.
Keeping most of the scanned chats out of the eyes of Facebook employees may help Facebook deflect criticism from privacy advocates, but whether the scanned chats are deleted or stored permanently is yet unknown.
The new details about Facebook’s monitoring system came from an interview which the company’s Chief Security Officer Joe Sullivan gave to Reuters. At least one alleged child predator has been brought to trial directly as a result of Facebook’s chat scanning, according to Reuters’ report.
When asked for a comment, Facebook only repeated the remarks given by Sullivan to Reuters: “We’ve never wanted to set up an environment where we have employees looking at private communications, so it’s really important that we use technology that has a very low false-positive rate.”
Facebook works with law enforcement “where appropriate and to the extent required by law to ensure the safety of the people who use Facebook,” according to a page on its site.
“We may disclose information pursuant to subpoenas, court orders, or other requests (including criminal and civil matters) if we have a good faith belief that the response is required by law. This may include respecting requests from jurisdictions outside of the United States where we have a good faith belief that the response is required by law under the local laws in that jurisdiction, apply to users from that jurisdiction, and are consistent with generally accepted international standards.
“We may also share information when we have a good faith belief it is necessary to prevent fraud or other illegal activity, to prevent imminent bodily harm, or to protect ourselves and you from people violating our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. This may include sharing information with other companies, lawyers, courts or other government entities.”
Indeed, Facebook has cooperated with police investigations in the past. In April, it complied with a police subpoena from the Boston Police Department by sending printouts of wall posts, photos and login/IP data of a murder suspect.
Is Facebook doing a public service by monitoring chats for criminal behavior? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Posted by Editor
on July 16, 2012. Filed under INTERNATIONAL NEWS.
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Norbit
July 16, 2012 at 1:18 pm
Why Iam I 1st to comment!
Losha iwe!
July 16, 2012 at 1:24 pm
& me second? why?
gibz
July 16, 2012 at 1:34 pm
and me thrd.
Patkao
July 16, 2012 at 1:46 pm
then me fourth. Please guys do not use bad language. Just discussions and contributions.
shax
July 16, 2012 at 2:25 pm
but some of u pipo r fulish zoona eeeh.first to coment,2nd,3rd,4th,u are all dull.what if u r da fest to coment.mek postv contribution or go tek a pee.alah!
sata
July 16, 2012 at 2:51 pm
u are all not mature,they are coming for u?
Brian
July 16, 2012 at 3:04 pm
Lol…
upset
July 16, 2012 at 3:50 pm
So what if facebook is montoring the nonsense people say.Coz alot talk in jokes and use words like ‘chikala’ etc.Facebook is just spoiling pipo,with alot of useless staff,its why our kids are failing at school and havin useless chats with useless boyfrends.
Observant#10
July 16, 2012 at 4:03 pm
zambians! so mulefwaya twambe ukulaka apapene!
melody ndeifulila
July 16, 2012 at 4:59 pm
Iam sure nikumwabo ukokwine notchi kuno. here a police will even be happy to read dirty messages while wanking
likaki nyau nyau
July 16, 2012 at 6:49 pm
But I thot you all knew that facebook. twitter. yahoo.hotmail etc are not private! All you write feeling safe with your password is a fallacy. ISP staff at MTN, Airtel,zamtel, Yahoo. gmail etc always read this and delve deep into your emotional expressions. They even go so far as secretely provide voice and lable data (text) to clients privately at a fee. This is why some people have traced private conversations between their spouses and their partners….havent you ever wondered why it is so cheap to use yhe internet which actually originated from the US army? It is for them to know who is saying what to whom all over the world…..now they even tag your pictures to your profiles the moment you buy and log into your new phone or laptop (the webcam takes a picture of you quietely)…Pheeee! Am tired of explaining I hope you have understood
freshbook
July 16, 2012 at 7:17 pm
ok, i gat it
Bric Brac
July 17, 2012 at 2:46 am
@ likaki nyau nyau, they won’t understand, unless it was vulgar language, it would sink deeply in their thick skulls! Lol!
Chama Febie
July 17, 2012 at 9:50 am
WHO CARES
Malcolm Zilekeni Balley On F.B
July 17, 2012 at 9:58 am
Thats The CIA Behind the Motive Central Intelligence Agency..its Hiqh Time We Switched to Chinese Products…Before u find DEC Knocking Pa Mwinshi luchelo chelo.
Candela
July 17, 2012 at 10:31 am
Likaki walinua mwaiche. thanx for data.
VM Mwaliteta
July 17, 2012 at 11:09 am
Thats why the wiki-leaks website uses encryption technology.
If you dump stuff onto wiki leaks, not even the cleverest minds from STANFORD or MIT can identify you.
Word of caution: you can only expose yourself at own risk even through this website..
One Zambia One Nation
July 17, 2012 at 12:39 pm
It doesn’t matter. I can only imagine the amount of stress they suffer, sitting and listening to what doesn’t concern them!lol. Better let all people communicate in their own mother languages, it will cause them to immediately stop the eavesdropping activities.
jj
July 17, 2012 at 6:30 pm
@y likaki nyau nyau very good boi. Pls rite a book on this conspiracy. Thanx )
Mafumu a zakudya...
July 17, 2012 at 10:23 pm
Eeeh, sindinkaziwa kuti munthu ukakhuta kwambili umavutika kugona, basi kusadaka sindizipitaso…
i hope thy wnt undrstnd tht!
Wanu Ngwee
July 17, 2012 at 10:27 pm
WHAT A JOB… ANYWAY EMPLOYMENT FIGURES HAVE GONE DOWN IN THE US AND PEOPLE CAN DO ANYTHING FOR A LIVING!