Watchful Eyes: how social media and the law go hand and hand

© Flickr.com/Master OSM 2011/сс-by-nc-sa 3.0

Social media is expanding its peak in popularity and usage. Facebook has an estimated 1.2 million users according to the information provided on Statistic Brain, a site that provides various statistics, and with Russia being one of the most engaged countries in the social circle, there’s no denying that this trend is here to stay.

As recreational as it may seem, regulars on networks like Facebook and Twitter may be surprised to know that their hang out is also a crime solving machine, used to keep tabs on those who have sought out life on a tightrope, taking the risk of exploiting their victims on the internet’s most active playgrounds.

Let’s face the facts. Our society is clinging to the web, from work to woes nothing is left out of the loop. Technologically speaking, the act of cracking cases via the web is giving police a one up on perpetrators as social media analytics (SMA), a systematic approach used in collecting data from a variety of social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, MySpace, and various blogs, is generating more leads and clues. By looking at past posts by potential suspects, what they write and how often they do so, may give prosecutors leeway into their behavior as well as future intentions.

“Investigators create fake profiles to monitor gang activity and conduct surveillance on other potential crimes and criminal activity,” said Tim Senft to the Voice of Russia, founder of Facecrooks.com, a blog that reports on social media privacy, safety and scams. Senft goes on to say that they have had several readers report cybercrime instances to them, and always encourage them to contact their local law enforcement agencies.

Despite the fact that socially engaged sites have given police on the street and off, the chance to engage in the online realm of crimes, it also lends a hand to criminals looking to benefit by giving them the same amount of leverage. “In the right hands, technology can be an invaluable crime-fighting resource. Computers, the Internet, GPS and high tech surveillance gadgets all are essential components for law enforcement agencies,” Senft explained, “ On the flip side, criminals often have access to the same or similar tools or to technology aimed at concealing their criminal activity.”

Another flaw in virtual reality is the freedom it gives to that distinct crowd wanting to play pretend. Criminals can easily set up a fake account and discretely hover over their soon to be victims. A different ploy can be retaliation against a co-worker or distant family member, where the person makes a fictitious account about someone they know, in order to place blame on them, or ruin their outstanding reputation.

In a matter of minutes, a report can be sent to Facebook via their help center - but seconds is all it takes for the irreversible damages to spread across the site. On this tech blog, a commenter, Ankit, explains that their mother’s Facebook imposter is defaming her and desperately wants something done about the entire ordeal.

Optimism can still be seen through the murkiness of fakes and hackers. Project Missing Sweet Angel’s video, which alerts viewers of those who have gone missing, can be seen on YouTube. A 2-year-old little girl by the name of Ayla Reynolds has been missing since 2011 however many suggest she will not be found alive.

The United States Department of Justice states that a little over 2 thousand children go missing every 24 hours. Daunting numbers like these can be discouraging but each day that passes is another opportunity for someone to see that cry for help, that unsuspecting clue, and perhaps the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle.

The tech of today, though fast and effective has a long way to go. Social networks shed light on a users’ past, which is an essential tool for law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for when dealing with alleged offenders. Crooks of cyber land are uniting by utilizing these analytics as well, to cultivate their trade and feed their urge one click at a time. The race is on to make sure the good guys get the equipment they need and the thieves have no access to such inventive devices. That race though may just be an ongoing marathon which keeps both sides on their tiptoes, for every tweet, like, and repost they send, receive and forward on the net.                http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_09_12/Watchful-Eyes-how-social-media-and-the-law-go-hand-and-hand/

Sarah Neary