CBI recommends virtual world detective techniques

NEW DELHI: Investigating agencies should exploit social networking sites for their "overt, discreet and covert" probe by digging out profile photos, status messages and following the users, CBI has recommended.

While the government wants to "check" mischievous use of social networking sites, CBI wants to harness potential of the virtual world for "collection of information and intelligence from public".

In its presentation during the DGP and IGPs conference in November last year, CBI gave a framework and guidelines for use of social media for government organisations and recommended a three-pronged approach in the virtual world-- apparent or overt, discrete and covert.

The agency said apparent or overt is like uniformed patrol on the street in which "googling" and searches of Facebook and YouTube can be done by the probe agencies.

Under discrete which is like detectives or plain clothed officers, "searching and retaining" of public access photographs and profile status can be done and in covert which is like undercover probe, "friending", "following", "lawful intercepts" can be undertaken, it said.

The agency which faces an uphill task while seeking information from Internet giants like Yahoo, Google and Facebook recommended developing working relationship with social media providers.

CBI recommended round-the-clock monitoring mechanisms at the federal and state level, bringing out a policy for using social media for outreach, developing protocols for use of social networks for collection of information and intelligence from public and building capacities to "patrol and monitor" social media.