Facebook’s search warrant fight goes to NY top court
New York’s highest court will review the Manhattan district attorney’s attempt to access nearly 400 Facebook accounts through search warrants, a case the tech company has lost at the lower legal levels.
The Court of Appeals said Wednesday that it will hear Facebook’s appeal. That will likely take place in late 2016, given the court’s typical schedule.
The matter pits the social networking giant against Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance over his demand for access to 381 Facebook accounts as part of his investigation into disability fraud among police officers, firefighters and other public employees. Vance has contended that some of those who had claimed disability benefits posted photos and videos on Facebook that would undermine their claims.
A Long Island attorney, charged as one of the fraud masterminds, pleaded guilty in March.
Facebook has argued that Vance’s warrants were overly broad and violated the federal Stored Communications Act.
A mid-level court ruled earlier this year that Facebook had no standing to challenge Vance’s search warrants.
Sarra Sounds Off, Season 3, Ep 4: Top football teams in action, fantasy update and plays of the week Gregg Sarra sounds off on the Nassau Conference II football matchup between Calhoun at Carey, plus the comeback story of New Hyde Park's Gabriel Peter, an update on the high school fantasy football standings and the plays of the week.
