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DEA Stole Woman’s Identity

OVERREACH

Justice Department thinks it’s legal.

cheats/2014/10/07/feds-co-opt-young-woman-s-identity/141007-dea-facebook-cheat_hstjnm
Dado Ruvic/Reuters

An agent in the Drug Enforcement Agency seized a young woman’s cellphone and impersonated her online, BuzzFeed reports, and the Justice Department thinks that’s OK. In a court filing, the DOJ defended Timothy Sinnigen, who created a fake Facebook profile in the name of Sondra Arquiett. He also posted racy photos from her seized cellphone to use the profile to communicate with suspected criminals. Arquiett discovered the phony profile in her name in 2010 and sued Sinnigen for violating her privacy and placing her in danger. According to Facebook’s own policy: “Claiming to be another person, creating a false presence for an organization, or creating multiple accounts undermines community and violates Facebook’s terms.” The page remains active.

Read it at BuzzFeed