A story about sting operations using Facebook caught my eye in the La Crosse Tribune.

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse student Adam Bauer has nearly 400 friends on Facebook. He got an offer for a new one about a month ago. “She was a good-looking girl. I usually don’t accept friends I don’t know, but I randomly accepted this one for some reason,” the 19-year-old said.

He thinks that led to his invitation to come down to the La Crosse police station, where an officer laid out photos from Facebook of Bauer holding a beer — and then ticketed him for underage drinking.

For some reason? I bet the police know the reason. Great example of how the police make use of social engineering methods.

The article does not explain whether the police acted on suspicion or if they had any particular reason to launch a probe into Facebook accounts of minors. Perhaps some would argue that establishing a “friendship” is all that is needed to authorize a search for incriminating evidence, like inviting a plain-clothes officer into your home.