Facebook Crimes Soar Over 100,000 In Five Years

Over the past five years, while Facebook has grown dramatically, it has been linked to an astonishing number of crimes, according to a report in y the Daily Mail.

Facebook was linked to over 100,000 crimes in the UK, according to high-ranking police officers in 16 forces, who responded to Freedom of Information Act requests from the Mail. Since January this year, 7,545 calls from the public expressed concerns with the social networking site. The figures mark a substantial increase from the 1,411 calls received in 2005 when Facebook’s popularity first began to grow.

According to the Mail’s write-up, callers have informed officers of various crimes, confirming the Mail’s fears about the site, and alleging wrongdoings ranging from acts of terrorism and sudden deaths to missing pets and malicious messages.

Hotbed of crime

Police stats also reveal that Facebook is used by criminals to make threats, intimidate, bully and harass. “These figures are an urgent reminder that we must increase our personal safety settings in cyberspace,” warned a spokesman for children’s charity Kidscape.

He also mentioned the fact that Facebook users can create false accounts and share a volume of personal information, which can lead to a wide range of cyber crime.

A spokesman for Facebook poured cold water on any scary interperation of the statistics: “While there is a correlation between Facebook’s growing size and the number of calls, there is no evidence to suggest that the use of Facebook was the cause of carrier of a criminal act in any of the phone calls referenced”.

The fact that the police were able to give full answers to the Mail’s requests also shows an increasing awareness of online social networking by law enforcement agencies, perhaps as a result of the police taking lessons in how to use Facebook.

Last Christmas excaped prisoner Craig Lynch taunted the police on Facebook before eventually being recaptured and returned to jail.

Earlier this year, Confused.com raised the prospect of a Facebook crimewave, suggesting that social network users might face higher insurance premiums, as they may accidentally reveal holiday plans and tip-off burglars that their house is empty.

Launched in February 2004, Facebook reached over 500 million active users in July this year.