A social media investigation looks at the status updates, posts, photos, videos and messages of an individual on social media platforms. A social media investigation can include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, What’s App, Messenger and other social media platforms. Evidence from social media investigations can be used as part of background checks, custody cases, divorce cases, to support alibis, to assess risk or to provide supplemental evidence in any type of court case.
What Happens in a Social Media Investigation?
In a social media investigation, a private investigator searches for specific terms, posts, photos and other evidence posted on social media platforms that will be relevant in the pending case or investigation. They also have software that can search, monitor activity and alert them to new posts or even the creation of new accounts for a particular person. The evidence of a social media investigation is gathered according to federal and state laws so that it is admissible in court should the investigation involve a court case. For example, it could be used in determining a parent’s fitness for custody or visitation with a minor child. It could also be used by a potential employer to make hiring decisions about a particular candidate (where such consideration is allowed by state law).
Why Hire a PI for a Social Media Investigation?
There are three main reasons why it makes good sense to hire a PI to conduct a social media investigation for you.
1. PIs understand the ethics and requirements needed to make social media evidence admissible in court. If evidence isn’t collected according to the law, it will be thrown out in court. PIs are experts in collecting evidence of all kinds so that it does not get thrown out of court.
2. PIs are well versed in metadata, MD5 hash value and what is required as proof. They know how to look at the data behind the scenes to collect necessary information and do so according to the law.
3. PIs understand the rules in terms of what is allowed in a social media investigation when it comes to friending, monitoring, sending and following. The level of interaction with a subject of a social media investigation varies by state and must be followed to prevent evidence from being thrown out in court.
If you need a social media investigation for a background check, civil case, divorce case, custody case or other type of case or investigation, Bulldog PI is here for you. We help you get the truth you need to know. For more information about social media investigations, give us a call!
