From Slashdot: apparantly police saw a facebook message inviting 15 guests to an 'all night party', and in response preemptively shut it down as a potential 'illegal rave' using four police cars, a riot van and a police helicopter in the process. Reports on Slashdot and The Register.
Should the police be monitoring what people say on social networking sites? As I've noted before, there is a large measure of ambiguity over whether the exchanges that happen on such sites count as public or private. Should there be any restriction of this monitoring? Legally, should it be treated like an overheard conversation in the street, or like private correspondence by mail?
At the end of the day, most accept the legitimacy of police surveillance under some conditions at least, but when should they act on the basis of evidence gathered in this way? Should it only be used to prevent certain sorts of crimes? Or is anything illegal fair game?
Monday, July 20, 2009
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