FBI Goes Undercover on Facebook and Other Social Networking Sites

If you aren’t sure of your latest friend request on Facebook (News - Alert), your new potential “friend” could in fact be an undercover agent from one of several federal agencies.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and other federal agencies are going undercover on Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace (News - Alert) and other social networks with phony profiles to gather information and communicate with suspects, according to an internal Justice Department document, USA Today reported Tuesday.

As an example, FBI agents have used Facebook to determine the whereabouts of a fugitive. Other investigators can check alibis by comparing stories a suspect tells police with their tweets sent at the same time, according to the Associated Press (News - Alert).

A civil liberties group, The Electronic Frontier Foundation, obtained the 33-page document after suing the Justice Department. The San Francisco-based group said it would publish the document on its Web site on Tuesday. The document underscores the importance of social networking sites to U.S. authorities, the AP said.