NYPD forms social media task force to track criminal activity

A new social media task force has reportedly been formed by the New York police department.

Looks like a lot of people will be watching what they say and do on the internet.

The New York City Police Department announced it formed a new social media task force unit to track down crimes discussed on

• Facebook
• MySpace
• Twitter

The unit will “mine social media, looking for info about troublesome house parties, gang showdowns and other potential mayhem,” according to the New York Daily News.

Other law enforcement agencies have used social media platforms to crack down on crime.

The Boston Police Department has used Twitter to monitor chatter around the city since 2009, and the FBI employed Facebook, YouTube and Twitter outreach to apprehend longtime fugitive James “Whitey” Bulgur in June.

Kudos NYPD on the social media task force. If anyone wants to publicize a crime they committed, well hey, they asked for it.

Recently, I was browsing on Facebook and couldn’t help to see so many people rep their gangs so FREELY. Every law enforcement agency may not have a unit like the NYPD, but nonetheless what you say is being monitored! The NYPD just took it to a new level and every law enforcement needs to join them.