HARRISBURG (AP) – PA’s Supreme Court handed civil liberties advocates a victory, ruling that State Police can’t hide from the public its policy governing how it monitors social media. The win for the ACLU means State Police must hand over an unredacted copy of its policy on using software to watch online accounts. The order appears to end a six-year legal battle. The law enforcement agency sought to keep the document largely blacked out on public safety grounds. Redacted sections address what approvals are required for going undercover and using an online alias. Andrew Christy, a lawyer with the ACLU of PA, said the ruling “puts law enforcement on the same playing field as all government agencies. If they have a legal justification to keep something secret, then they have to put forth sufficient evidence to justify that.” A State Police spokesperson says it’s reviewing the court decision.
