Nearly every person has some type of social media account. Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites made it much easier to communicate with one another. Photos get posted online, and status updates let everyone we know what we are doing at any given time.
However, what happens when this information falls into the wrong hands? A status update discussing a night on the town could be used as evidence in a drunk driving case. A photo that shows someone in the presence of drugs might show that someone was driving under the influence of drugs.
One may wonder how police would be able to obtain this information. Most people would not be accepting friend requests from those that they do not know, but, it happens. Occasionally, police may create fake profiles in an effort to get suspects to accept these friend requests. But, even if this is not accepted, there still may be options available.
Law enforcement may see who a person has allowed access to his or her profile. Officers may then ask this person to access the account and discover if any incriminating information has been posted. This could be a popular tactic if the friend is facing potential charges as well.
Anything that you post anything could be eventually used against you. If facing criminal charges, do not talk about the matter online. It may even be a good idea to close all of your social media accounts while the charges are pending.
Source: CNN International “Police embrace social media as crime-fighting tool” Heather Kelly, August 30, 2012.