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With friends like these ...

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE . . .

Regarding the online follow-up to your "Hunting the Craigslist Killer" story ("When the cops subpoena your Facebook information, here's what Facebook sends the cops," April 6), it's almost laughable that people get so upset about electronic privacy when the government can search your car, containers, and property outside your home without a search warrant. With a warrant, they can search your home. They can seize your computers and everything else you own. The government can even physically invade your body and force you to give a blood sample against your will. But you all throw a fit when they can uncover whose Facebook wall you posted on and what sort of naughty things you might be saying in a chat room. That is plainly absurd.

Now consider this: if you are accused of a very serious crime by someone who openly tells others on Facebook that you are actually innocent and admits to fabricating the offense, your defense lawyer is not able to breach Facebook's privacy policy. Facebook will not honor a subpoena from a defense lawyer, even if the materials will prove your innocence beyond a shadow of doubt. Facebook will only honor a subpoena from the government. And if your defense lawyer or a private investigator sends a "friend request" to the liar to see the wall posts that the liar is posting on the Facebook wall, your defense lawyer will get in trouble, according to at least some courts.

William Maze
Livonia, MI