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U.S. police used Facebook, Twitter data to track protesters: ACLU
Source: Reuters
U.S. | Tue Oct 11, 2016 | 4:38pm EDT
U.S. police used Facebook, Twitter data to track protesters: ACLU
By Kristina Cooke | SAN FRANCISCO
U.S. police departments used location data and other user information from Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to track protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, according to a report from the American Civil Liberties Union on Tuesday.
Facebook, which also owns Instagram, and Twitter shut off the account of Geofeedia, the Chicago-based data vendor that provided data to police, in response to the ACLU findings.
The incident comes amid growing concerns among consumers and regulators about how online data is being used and how closely tech companies are cooperating with the government on surveillance.
The ACLU report found that as recently as July, Geofeedia touted its social media monitoring product as a tool to monitor protests. Geofeedia's product enables clients to monitor posts tied to a specific location. Geofeedia did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Geofeedia works with over 500 law enforcement agencies and public safety agencies across the country, according to an email the ACLU obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
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U.S. police used Facebook, Twitter data to track protesters: ACLU
By Kristina Cooke | SAN FRANCISCO
U.S. police departments used location data and other user information from Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to track protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, according to a report from the American Civil Liberties Union on Tuesday.
Facebook, which also owns Instagram, and Twitter shut off the account of Geofeedia, the Chicago-based data vendor that provided data to police, in response to the ACLU findings.
The incident comes amid growing concerns among consumers and regulators about how online data is being used and how closely tech companies are cooperating with the government on surveillance.
The ACLU report found that as recently as July, Geofeedia touted its social media monitoring product as a tool to monitor protests. Geofeedia's product enables clients to monitor posts tied to a specific location. Geofeedia did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Geofeedia works with over 500 law enforcement agencies and public safety agencies across the country, according to an email the ACLU obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-social-media-data-idUSKCN12B2L7
