Advertisement

Updated August 3rd, 2021 at 15:04 IST

FBI used photos of women staffers in sex trafficking investigations without authority: DOJ

An internal US DOJ review found that the FBI agents used provocative photos of female coworkers online without formal authorisation as part of sting operations

Reported by: Bhavya Sukheja
FBI
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
Advertisement

An internal US Justice Department review found that the FBI agents used provocative photos of female coworkers online without formal authorisation as part of sting operations against sex trafficking. According to the report, Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz said that some FBI agents sometimes used photographs of young female support staff employees to pose as minor children or sex workers to entice sexual predators on various social media websites. Although the staffers were clothed and their faces were blurred in the images, Horowitz found that the practice was largely unsupervised, "potentially placing (staffers) in danger of becoming victims”. 

The report said that the FBI agents who posted the photos also didn't get written permission or notify their supervisors. There was also no indication that the women didn’t know that their photos would be posted online. However, the report added that the photos could still be circulating and the women are now at risk of becoming victims of crimes. 

The investigators said that they uncovered the practice while looking into an FBI agent who allegedly had an "inappropriate relationship" with a female coworker. He asked her to send "provocative pictures" to use in the online sex trafficking sting, even though she was an office staffer. The inspector general found that the female employee was not certified for undercover work and that the agent had not secured written consent from the staffer whose photographs were used. 

"Additionally, the FBI had no documentation or information regarding whether the photographs still appear on the websites or how long the photographs appeared on the websites, during which time the photographs could have been – and potentially could still be – downloaded, copied or further disseminated," the report found.

DOJ recommends FBI establish a new policy 

It is worth noting that the FBI doesn't have a policy about using photos of non-undercover employees in situations like these. There's no requirement on the books that employees in this situation need to be notified if their photos were used, which websites they were posted on, and for how long. Therefore, following the report, the watchdog recommended the FBI establish a policy to get consent and notify managers in cases like these.

In response to the report, FBI executive assistant director Brian Turner said the bureau "fully accepts" the recommendation and will teach the new rules to staffers involved in undercover operations. The agent's conduct is being reviewed by the FBI's Office of Professional Responsibility, Turner added. As per CNN, Turner went on to say that existing policies also are being evaluated to determine which "require" adjustment or "new language to establish the needed guidelines.”

(Image: AP)

Advertisement

Published August 3rd, 2021 at 15:04 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo