Guest post by Ken Myers

7 Ways Social Media is Used by Forensic Investigation

As the saying goes, "What is posted on the Internet, stays on the Internet". Investigations are including
social media sites during forensic investigations to strengthen or confirm information gathered about any
given case. Sometimes, the criminal themselves will post incriminating information without thinking
about how it could affect them. How is this information gathered?

1. Profile Activity - Many people like to update his or her Facebook or other community site's profile.
However, posting pictures and commenting on robbing a gas station probably isn't the best method of
gaining fame.

2. Video Can Hurt - Sites such as YouTube and Flikr are entertaining sites created by those who use
them. Recording your criminal behavior and then posting it for everyone to see will secure your room at
the Jail House Hotel.

3. Chirping Your Crime - Tweeting about how you got away with an illegal activity isn't proving to
anyone how smart you are. On the contrary, posting the information is essentially telling everyone who
did what and how to find you.

4. No Comment - Posting on forums about your activity could give you a sense of status. Posting on
forums could solidify a case against you in a court of law.

5. Website Content - Even if you think your website is small and unnoticed, it can be traced back to you.
Detailing your deeds on a website could easily gather the attention of law enforcement.

6. Digital Information - During an Investigation, your computer could become evidence and all accounts
could be analyzed. The sites you once thought of as hang-outs, could be used against you to make legal
hang-ups.

7. Reputation - If you think something may be too incriminating to post on the Internet, don't post it. Not
everyone needs to know every secret, and information has a way of telling more than you want it to.

If you don't want someone to know something about yourself, don't post it on the Internet. Even
photographs have a way of staying in the system long after you deleted them from your account. Data is
collected on a regular basis and could come back to haunt you if you're not careful.

Ken Myers is the founder for http://www.longhornleads.com/. He frequently researches and
writes about a variety of topics like education, Technology, Health and many more. He welcomes your
comments.