Karen films OPP officer and accuses police of watching a public Facebook page
A visit from an OPP officer struck a chord with an Ontario woman who decided to film the awkward interaction.
The video starts with the woman, who appears to be at her home in Peterborough, asking the police officer her name. The officer gives the woman her card and says she is visiting to hand out information on peaceful protests.
The officer must have mentioned that the woman was identified through a comment on Facebook, although what that comment was is not known.
OPP Officer in Ontario pays visit to personal residence after noting she commented on anti mandate protest. Admits to monitoring online activity. pic.twitter.com/NG2SZwgGX9
— Unacceptable Rowan (@canmericanized) February 11, 2022
The police, at all levels, have long monitored social media for illegal activity and threats — this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.
But the woman launches into a series of questions that seem to be geared toward the police admitting they are "monitoring" social media activity.
"So you saw something on my Facebook?" she says.
"No, on the Facebook group," the officer replies.
"Are you guys now monitoring people's Facebook pages or Facebook groups to who comments as to what their status updates are or what they're doing or within the group?" she asks.
In the U.S., during Occupy Wall Street, the police and FBI would routinely visit people they'd identified on social media as likely protesters just to make sure they weren't going to start trouble. They've been monitoring social for a long time.
— StonkyVolatile (@StonkyVolatile) February 11, 2022
The officer says that because of the protests, they are monitoring groups province-wide. The officer makes a move to leave.
"I'm simply providing you with information about a peaceful protest and now I'm leaving," she says.
The woman wonders why the police are making house calls and "wasting tax dollars." The officer says it is a "proactive measure to make sure you understand your rights for peaceful protest."
Finally, the conversation ends with the woman making it known how she feels about the visit.
"But now it's nice to know that we're being watched," she says.
People respondig to the clip are pointing out that what you post to public social pages on Twitter or Facebook is just that — public.
Umm, sorry, are people only just now realizing that they monitor whats going on on social media? JFC 🤦♀️ Nothing on social media is private. Ever.
— Co-ho Crypto Manager (🌱, 💵) (@BadBassKitty) February 11, 2022
"She acted politely and provided information. What you say on Twitter and Facebook is public," one person wrote in response.
Others suggested the police shouldn't be visiting people's homes, and that this is evidence of overreach even though the interaction is friendly.
"That (the visit at home) seems intimidation by the government," one person wrote.
Whatever your opinion of police or governments, this exchange probably couldn't have happened anywhere else but Canada.
"The amount of times these two people said thank you during this interaction clearly indicates that this happened in Canada lolol," one person wrote.
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