Apple and Google's decision to lock out governments and law enforcement from accessing personal information of users has spawned a battle between tech industry and law makers. The latest to join the fray is social media giant Facebook.

1. Facebook Might Lose Battle to Guard
Users' Privacy

2. • However, Facebook has been trying to
squash the search warrants that were
issued against its users who were
alleged of fraudulently obtaining
disability privileges.
• On July 2013, the company said the
warrants covered a cross-section of
America. The age ranged spanned
between high school goers and senior
citizens. Occupations included were
school teachers, military personnel,
and electricians to name a few.
• Despite Facebook's tough arguments,
the court objected that law
enforcement has the authority to
search and seize huge amounts of
material to hunt evidence. This
prompted the firm to hand over the
demanded information in November
2013.
• Out of the 400 user accounts seized,
only 62 arrests were made. More
charges are likely to come, given the
fact that around 1000 people may have
been involved in the fraud.

3. • According to Facebook, the
warrants failed to include data
restrictions to limit the amount of
data sought. Also, it neither
provided procedures to minimize
data collection nor retain
information unrelated to the
investigation.
• These search warrants were
considered a massive over breadth
and constitutionally defective
under both state and federal law
according to Facebook. The
company wanted the warrants to
be squashed.
• The court's decision is considered
equivalent to raiding one's home.
In this case, it is like raiding an
entire neighborhood and not a
single home.
• The prosecutors argued that the
defendants in the case repeatedly
lied about their physical,
psychological, and social
capabilities. However, their
Facebook accounts and posting
told an entirely different story.

4. • Since Facebook allowed its users to
control their own privacy settings,
it was up to the defendants to
argue about their case and not the
company's, said the court.
• Further to guard the secrecy of the
investigation, the court barred
Facebook from letting its targeted
users know that law enforcement
was draining its servers.
• If Facebook or any other service
provider doesn't have legal
standing to challenge such
warrants , and if users are
oblivious to this, the chance to
object privacy invasion is lost.
• Facebook is not ready to let the
issue rest for now. It has gone in
for another appeal.
• This case is quite similar to the
'tracking mobile phone' case faced
by Apple and Google last month.
However, the Internet giants have
successfully kept out law
enforcement from accessing the
personal information of their users
unlike Facebook.

5. Related Article
https://blog.whichssl.com/2014/02/privacy-and-how-it-helps-you-secure-yourself/

6. Related Article
https://blog.whichssl.com/2014/02/privacy-and-how-it-helps-you-secure-yourself/