Facebook Reverses Policies On Releasing Information To Law Enforcement

Facebook quietly released changes to its guidelines on handling information requests from law enforcement the day before Thanksgiving.

As late as 2010 Facebook's Help Page center guidelines stated that information on accounts would only be released to law enforcement agencies requesting said information with a valid subpoena or equivalent legal document issued through your local court system.  That policy has been changed.

New guidelines were released Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving.

The new guidelines provide a form agencies can use to request information and they no longer legal documents to get information.  All law enforcement needs is a "good faith belief" on the part of Facebook that the request is part of a legitimate investigation.

In civil matters the policy remains unchanged and subpoenas will still be required to get information in disputes.

For more information see this source article.