Law Technology Today From the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center
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Litigators and litigation support have been using information posted on Facebook to support their cases for some time. If you’re looking for a few quick tips to find relevant information that goes deeper than just viewing the Timeline, read on for some quick tips.
1. Review a User’s Profile Information for Discoverable Social Media Data
Moving beyond the Facebook user’s Timeline can offer insights into their residence, employment information, and possibly, video or audio files of the user. You’ve probably seen it, but to find this data, look for the tabs (“About,” ”Friends,” “Photos,” “More”) at the top of the profile for more information.
2. Conduct a Social Media Investigation of a User’s Image Content
When Facebook Location Services is enabled, images that are posted will include metadata tags (EXIF data) that include GPS coordinates. This appears within the content itself (i.e. John Smith at The Art Institute, July 15, 2016, Chicago, IL), and can help litigators construct case timelines or support or disprove alibis.
3. Conduct an In-Depth Social Media Investigation Using Advanced Search
The search function at the top of the main Facebook page offers more advanced search options than you may realize. Try conducting searches of phone numbers, email addresses, page/group likes, or other contact information to see if you can find any other related profiles or content that might contain more pertinent information.
4. Research User Data on Event and Group Memberships
Collecting social media data on a user’s event and group memberships can be useful for locating or finding leads for witnesses and interested parties for cases tied to particular events or local groups. Facebook also leaves public lists published for closed groups and past events, as well as active groups and upcoming events.
Page Vault On Demand is an easy way for legal professionals to submit a request for discoverable data to be captured during Facebook social media investigations. To learn more in-depth tips for your Facebook investigation, read the full post.
