Facebook: New York Prosecutors Got Data on 381 Users

Newsmax reports:

Prosecutors building a sweeping disabilities-benefit fraud case got a trove of data from the Facebook accounts of more than 380 people, the social media giant said this week as it disclosed a nearly yearlong legal fight over the largest set of search warrants it has ever received.

Facebook ultimately turned over the information but is appealing the court order that required it to do so, saying prosecutors intruded on users' privacy. The Manhattan district attorney's office and a judge have said the search warrants were justified.

The dispute adds to a roster of clashes between authorities and Internet companies over law enforcement efforts to scrutinize people's online lives for potential evidence.

"It's part of a trend toward more aggressive challenges by Internet providers on behalf of their customers," said Orin Kerr, a George Washington University law professor who specializes in issues surrounding computers and crime.

Just a reminder.