Social Media Use in Criminal Investigations

Our world is getting smaller thanks to Smartphones and Social Media platforms. Smartphones are powerful little computers that allow us to carry many useful tools in our pocket, of those tools none are more important than the Internet. The Internet allows us to get information and maintain constant contact to our friends and family, all contained in little devices in our pockets.

And with the help of Social Media, we have had the benefit of updating our friends and family, posting pictures of our food, and travel destinations, and allowing us to directly communicate to others on the other side of the world.

As we use Social Media to keep in contact with our friends, family and business associates, criminals also use the same features that drew the rest of us in. Through social media, they're able to coordinate meetings to complete their nefarious tasks They can send pictures of contraband as easy as we send pictures of puppies to each other.

As criminals use social media platforms to conduct their business, our local and federal government is keeping a watchful eye. Utilizing various tactics such 'friending' and subpoena power, law enforcement is doing their best to watch social media to prevent crime.

My research paper will explore the different ways that law enforcement agencies have used Social Media to conduct their investigations through, contact and intelligence gathering. I will also explore the ethics of their investigation methods.