The Challenges of Catching Criminals on Social Media
May 29, 2016
Most people use social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter to stay connected with friends, family and business associates. However, law enforcement around the country often use social media as a crime-fighting tool. Social media makes it much easier for criminals to be caught in the act when they make the mistake of posting their illicit activities online.
Most local police departments lack a specific social media department, but many police officers regularly leverage the power of social media to catch criminals.
According to a 2013 survey from the International Association of Chiefs of Police, 96% of police departments use social media to fight crime. More than 80% reported that they had solved crimes with social media.
One clever way some police departments leverage social media is to create fake online identities and befriends criminal suspects. More than a few criminals have been caught in this way, as police are able to view the crook’s Facebook profile and posts.
Posting Crimes on YouTube – Police Say ‘Thank You Very Much’
Police take advantage of YouTube.com, which is very popular with criminals who post assaults, fights, vandalism, etc. This illicit use of YouTube has exploded in recent years given the ubiquity of high-quality video cameras on most cell phones. So, some local law enforcement agencies keep an eye on YouTube for the foolish criminals who posts their illegal activities online.
One Nebraska bank robber named Hannah Sabata posted a video on YouTube called “Chick Bank Robber” in 2012. In the video, Sabata showed off the gun, pillow case, note and cash from a recent bank robbery. Local police were tipped off on social media a few hours after the video hit the Internet, and the woman was arrested and eventually sentenced to 10-20 years in prison.
Other criminals that have posted Youtube videos of their crimes include a young man named Joel Hradecky who posted a video of him and his friends trespassing and smoking marijuana in Washington. Hradecky and the others were quickly arrested.
Facebook Confession Goes Awry
In 2011, a nineteen-year-old named Rodney Knight broke into the home of a Washington Post Journalist and stole his coat, cash, and laptop. Knight then logged into the Facebook account of the reporter’s son and posted a photo of himself with the cash and stolen coat. That picture was immediately seen by all of the victims’ 400 Facebook friends.
It took police a few hours to track down Knight and charge him with breaking and entering.
Laws and Regulations Muddled
Although social media can be a powerful law enforcement tool, some law enforcement experts report that the state and local laws about crimes committed or shared on social media can be highly complex. Police say that is difficult for local departments to determine who should investigate what, and which laws apply to which posting.
Also, relying on proof of crimes on social media can be frustrating, as videos and social media accounts can be deleted or altered, making the case a frustrating one for police and prosecutors when access is not feasible. The vast majority of social media platforms do offer their users the ability to moderate their settings which also mediates who can see what and when. It is a common notion that for criminals it’s just as easy setting your privacy settings so that other can’t see incriminating evidence however, criminal defense lawyer Elliot Kanter, says “think again. There are ways that insurance company attorneys can gain access to people on your “friends list” to look at your content.” The frequency at which case are decided by proof that is uncovered on private social media account is quite staggering and privacy laws are being challenged on a daily basis and fuels an even larger debate similar to privacy of the cell phone used by one of the shooters in San Bernardino, California. When does privacy technically start or end?
Crooks Leverage Social Media, As Well
Some criminals also leverage the power of social media themselves to commit crimes. For example, a study in Great Britain found that 78% of burglars use social media websites to break into homes. These criminals sometimes use Twitter, where anyone may follow your tweets without your approval.
If you tweet about going on a two-week vacation to Hawaii, you may have just sent out an invitation for the bad guys to rob you blind.
As the Internet passes the 30-year mark, there is no question that both law enforcement and criminals will continue to use social media for their own ends. Law enforcement experts caution citizens to be wary of how much information they post about their personal lives and comings and goings on the Internet.
But those same officials often hope that criminals will continue to post about their illegal activities, as this often makes crime fighting easier.
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