Social Media has saturated all of our lives, and it can rarely be avoided. Even if you don’t use it often, you’re bound find your own information online anyway. When it comes to private investigations, this works in your favor. Here are three benefits of using social media investigation.
Access
So much of the information available online now, would not have been available without physical tracking 20 years ago. Since people voluntarily use these platforms, the information is provided freely. A simple search on Facebook, for instance, can render a gold mine of information. From where people are located, to the groups people are associated with. Social Media investigation can reveal personal information that otherwise would not have been gathered.
More Information
Geo-tagging is something that has become available in recent years, and it serves a great purpose when investigating. You can pull a photograph of someone and know the exact time and place the picture was taken. This can act as an alibi or work to increment by contradicting a previous story. Photos can also be reverse image searched on Google to identify where a picture originated. This can be very helpful in cases of false online identities and "catfishing."
Anonymity
One of the best parts about social media investigations is not just the ease, but the ability to do so much more covertly. It requires no leg work, just mental skills. The physical dangers of investigation such being spotted, hostile witnesses, or police interaction, are no longer a risk. It is easy to gather information remotely online.
More and more court cases are reflecting the use of social media investigation. These investigations are used to establish character, refute alibis and verify locations. There’s no telling what social media platforms will be around in 20 years, but what we know for sure it isn’t going anywhere. So why not use social media to your advantage?
For more information on social media investigations, contact the team at Same Day Process Service today.