"Inmates typically access Facebook two ways: either they have someone on the outside manage their profiles for them or the inmates access Facebook directly through a contraband cell phone. EFF began engaging Facebook on the issue of inmate accounts in summer 2014, after an inmate in New Mexico was sentenced to 90 days in solitary confinement because his family posted updates and photos to his Facebook account on his behalf.
Facebook representatives repeatedly told EFF that they only removed inmate profiles when they believed that inmates have violated the social network’s community standards, which are part of its Terms of Service (ToS). Specifically, Facebook pointed out that users are not allowed to have third parties access their accounts; so Facebook would suspend an inmate’s account if staff determined that a profile had been accessed by someone other than the inmate. Facebook said these measures protected the security of the user’s account. Facebook also said it treated inmate profiles involved in criminal activity or harassment in the same way it handles accounts belonging to users in the free world.
One other thing Facebook emphasized is that the company was not in the business of enforcing prison regulations that ban inmates from having social media profiles or accessing the Internet. Facebook went on record saying that it did not consider inmates who directly access the site to be in violation of its ToS.
Facebook’s claims are contradicted by the public records obtained through freedom of information laws, including emails between Facebook and prisons. These documents revealed that Facebook routinely, and explicitly, took down profiles because inmates broke prison regulations. What’s worse: these new documents obtained by EFF show Facebook may have taken down profiles when there were no allegations at all that inmates had violated prison policies or the site's terms of service. The prisons simply asked to have the profiles taken down because they belonged to incarcerated people."
Facebook representatives repeatedly told EFF that they only removed inmate profiles when they believed that inmates have violated the social network’s community standards, which are part of its Terms of Service (ToS). Specifically, Facebook pointed out that users are not allowed to have third parties access their accounts; so Facebook would suspend an inmate’s account if staff determined that a profile had been accessed by someone other than the inmate. Facebook said these measures protected the security of the user’s account. Facebook also said it treated inmate profiles involved in criminal activity or harassment in the same way it handles accounts belonging to users in the free world.
One other thing Facebook emphasized is that the company was not in the business of enforcing prison regulations that ban inmates from having social media profiles or accessing the Internet. Facebook went on record saying that it did not consider inmates who directly access the site to be in violation of its ToS.
Facebook’s claims are contradicted by the public records obtained through freedom of information laws, including emails between Facebook and prisons. These documents revealed that Facebook routinely, and explicitly, took down profiles because inmates broke prison regulations. What’s worse: these new documents obtained by EFF show Facebook may have taken down profiles when there were no allegations at all that inmates had violated prison policies or the site's terms of service. The prisons simply asked to have the profiles taken down because they belonged to incarcerated people."