The decision to use social media in manhunts follows the
completion of a pilot scheme in the northern city of Hanover last year which
drew sharp criticism from data protection groups.
The scheme helped police clear up six criminal
investigations and two missing persons cases after identikits of suspects and
stills from Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage were circulated on the
social networking site Facebook.
Two cases were resolved just hours after the information was
uploaded to the site.
“Our successes so far clearly show that the police must not
shut themselves off from this medium,” state interior minister of Lower-Saxony,
Uwe Schuenemann, said in a statement.
“The police department in Lower-Saxony can adapt to new
trends,” he said. “With a fan page the police is showing itself to be modern
and approachable.”
Data protection groups heavily criticized the publication of
suspects’ pictures on Facebook during the pilot last year, arguing that
personal data directed through Facebook could end up on an American internet
server, outside the influence of EU data protection laws.
The new system, which will be introduced in the near future,
will direct Facebook users to a police server via an Internet link, said
Schuenemann.
But the state commissioner for data protection, Joachim
Wahlbrink, said this was not enough and the decision would lead to the
circulation of the personal information on the Internet which can never be
completely deleted.
“Once this data has been saved, those involved will always
be pilloried,” his spokesman, Michael Knaps, said.
