NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC) — The Bahamas government says it is not engaged in monitoring the private positions of residents being posted on the various social website platforms

“It has been drawn to my attention that there is an anonymous and untrue posting being circulated on social media which purports to warn users of alarming alleged monitoring of social media”, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Carl W Bethel, said in a statement.

He said that the same document was circulated widely on social media just prior to the last general election and wanted the Bahamian population and users of social media in particular to know “that the Government of The Bahamas and its Law Enforcement Agencies are not engaged in the collection of any form of what is called “meta data” on the private social postings of residents of our Country.”

Bethel also noted that any interception of any form of private communications can only take place in respect of a specific allegation of the commission of a crime under Bahamian Law.

He emphasised that only in such circumstances as are permitted under the existing Laws of The Bahamas can interception take place.