She expected privacy on Facebook.
Via FOX9
Screencaps and public records sent to Fox 9 by local data researcher Tony Webster indicate that a Mall of America security guard created a fake Facebook page to spy on Black Lives Matter activists.
The information indicates an MOA “Intelligence Analyst” named Sam Root lifted photos from one of his Facebook friends — we’ll call her Jenna — and used them to create another profile under the name “Nikki Larson.”[…]
Some of the information gathered by Larson’s account from “friends only” Facebook posts published by activists was subsequently turned over to Bloomington city prosecutors, who ended up charging 11 activists with misdemeanors.
Reached for comment today, Jenna tells Fox 9 that she never gave Root consent to lift her photos and use them in the way he apparently did.
“No I did not give consent for my photos to be used,” Jenna writes. “I was alerted to this by another journalist, so I made a complaint to Facebook… I do not know Sam Root.” (Read more about Root in this Sun Current story.)
In an in-depth report about the so-called “catfishing” incident, The Intercept reports that as of late January, Root no longer works for the MOA. It’s unclear whether the end of his employment at the mall is related to the Larson account, which was deleted just days ago, shortly after The Intercept contacted the MOA seeking comment on the catfishing incident.[…]
In a statement, Mall of America officials say that while they don’t follow specific social media accounts because of a user’s political views, they do “track conversations that may pose a security concern.”
The safety and security of our guests is the number one priority at Mall of America. To ensure that safety, our security teams use a careful combination of physical means, some of which our guests can see and many of which they cannot see, as well as digital means such as social media. We do not follow individuals or groups based on political viewpoints however we do track conversations that may pose a security concern. These conversations may include unauthorized illegal protests, potential criminal activity or harmful acts on Mall of America property. For obvious reasons, we don’t go into detail about all of those security measures. The goal is, and always will be, to protect Mall guests and create a safe and enjoyable environment for the whole family.