Austrian police get Facebook fake IDs.

Austrian police have been given the go-ahead by the justice Ministry to create fake Facebook accounts to help them with criminal investigations.

It means that undercover police detectives will not just be able to operate in plain clothes in the real world – but also in the virtual world by creating fake Facebook accounts.

Interior Ministry legal adviser Manfred Burgstaller confirmed that undercover Facebook investigations had been given the go-ahead.

The move is part of a general clampdown on social networking being used increasingly by criminals. Austria is also now decided to give the go-ahead to police who want to seize data from Facebook accounts.

Officials gave the example of using Facebook to plan a crime, where the accounts of those involved could be seized and studied.