Facebook Chat Monitoring: Stopping Predators or Privacy Invasion?

Facebook's chat scanning technology reared its rarely seen head this week, after preventing a Florida man from abducting a 13-year-old girl. The two had a sexual conversation on Facebook, and arranged to meet the following day when the girl left school. Facebook employees were alerted by the technology, and called the police with transcripts from the private chat. The man was subsequently arrested and now faces criminal charges.

Facebook discloses very little about its monitoring software, but it's known the software works by first filtering conversations for those that contain triggers, such as sexual language or an exchange of contact information between minors and adults. When a conversation trips the system, Facebook employees are notified, and contact police if necessary.

Other sites with a large user base of minors have even more powerful filters, which not only detect inappropriate language, but block it. Some software can silence users from using chat features or ban them from the site, without any involvement of a human employee. Disney websites are often credited with being at the forefront of monitoring technology, as most users on their sites are under the age of 12.

While most agree the software spared this teenager from serious trauma, some are worried about the privacy concerns raised by software like this. A conversation meant to occur between two people now includes Facebook's security staff and potentially the police. The software allegedly targets sexual predators and pedophiles, but some argue the software could monitor other illicit activity such as recreational drug use, underage drinking, bullying and threats of violence.

The effectiveness of the software is questionable. After the appearance of shows like To Catch a Predator, pedophiles are well aware of the technology and sting operations used to monitor their online activity. This causes predators to be very subtle and intentionally use language that will not be seen as suspicious. Because only a small number of predators are caught with Facebook's software every year, privacy advocates argue that the software is not effective enough to warrant abusing the privacy of every member on Facebook.

Privacy advocates argue that other software, such as the programs provided by Aristotle, Inc., an age verification company, could protect children more effectively. While Facebook restricts the interactions minors have on Facebook, lying about a birthday is an easy way to bypass the security measures. Software and companies exist that verify the information and parental consent of minors, yet Facebook utilizes no such software. Rather than wait for a predator to attack, Aristotle argues, websites like Facebook should actively prevent the abuse from ever occurring.

Facebook is not alone in its use of chat monitoring software. All Disney affiliated websites, some online dating sites, many role-playing sites such as Second Life and Habbo Hotel, and online gaming platforms such as World of War Craft and Call of Duty utilize some form of chat monitoring. The fact of the matter is, for better or for worse, what you say on the internet is hardly private.

More Information

• Reuter's Article on Facebook's Chat Monitoring Software
• Facebook Terms of Service
• Mibba's Privacy Discussion Thread, where you can share your opinions on privacy with other users.