STOP SOCIAL MEDIA SPYING IN NC

North Carolina Department of Justice

Founded in 2011, tech start up Geofeedia helped law enforcement agencies spy on the social media feeds of political activists. Free Movement helped break the story* that Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram had data deals with Geofeedia – this disclosure led the companies to revoke Geofeedia’s access to backend user data. But that hasn’t halted the practice of social media spying, on the whole, since there are other social media sites to exploit, and other companies striking similar deals. The conversation and organizing that takes place online takes place in the context of enshrined constitutional rights. Help protect them.

* Dozens of police-spying tools remain after Facebook, Twitter crack down on Geofeedia |

Twitter cuts ties with second firm police use to spy on social media

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To: North Carolina Department of Justice
From: [Your Name]

Recently, it was revealed that activists protesting police violence in North Carolina were surveilled through their social media accounts. As part of their business models, “social media intelligence” companies like Geofeedia and Snaptrends sell government authorities user social media data, allowing analysts to invisibly and indiscriminately track and profile citizens.

It’s time to ask the North Carolina Department of Justice to investigate these intrusions as potential violations of North Carolina's Electronic Surveillance Act, which prohibits accessing people’s online communications without their authorization. Some social media posts are meant to be public, but---by accessing a site’s API or by networking so called “undercover accounts”--- social media surveillance companies can eavesdrop on social media activities and conversations they aren't supposed to be privy to. This could elevate a data mining operation to a breach of privacy.