How to Avoid Crime Implication on Social Media
Social media is now essential for modern life, allowing people to communicate, share ideas, and connect globally. However, using social media also presents potential risks, including the possibility of wrongfully implicating oneself in criminal activities. Law enforcement today employs social media to aid them in criminal investigations. To protect oneself from such risks, individuals must adopt responsible and cautious social media etiquette.
Incriminating evidence can come from the type of content you post or the comments/discussions you engage in. Knowing this, we at Texas Criminal Defense Group can help you make your online experience safer and more peaceful.
Can Social Media Evidence be Used in Texas Criminal Cases?
Yes, social media evidence can be used in Texas criminal cases. In fact, social media evidence is governed under the same standards as other forms of evidence in Texas criminal cases. The evidence must be relevant to the case, authenticated, and can’t be hearsay.
Furthermore, investigators can request access to certain restricted social media data using a judge-approved search warrant, subpoena, or other court order.
To avoid crime implications, you should be doing these five things on social networking sites:
1. Be mindful of what you share:
Avoid sharing sensitive personal information, such as your home address, phone number, financial details, or travel plans. Limit the amount of personal information you disclose online.
Criminals may use the personal information you share online to frame or implicate you in illegal activities. For example, publicly disclosing your location near a crime scene could get you wrongly suspected of involvement. Even if you are innocent, this could raise suspicions and make you a person of interest during an investigation.
Moreover, posting pictures or writing posts/comments that link you to people with criminal backgrounds could raise suspicions about your activities.
2. Adjust privacy settings:
Social media platforms actively market their commitment to the safety and wellbeing of their users. Thus, most of them have complex privacy measures. Learn how to use privacy settings on social media to choose who can see your posts and personal information. Keep in mind that even with privacy settings, nothing is entirely private, so be cautious about what you post.
If your profile is public, law enforcement can use your posts as evidence in investigating crimes. Your social media posts can be misunderstood or taken out of context, causing criminal implication, even if you’re not doing anything wrong.
3. Be selective with friend/follower requests:
Nowadays, popular social media platforms have the feature of suggesting new accounts to interact with. However, it is in your best interests to only accept friend or follower requests from people you know and trust. Be cautious of adding suspicious social media accounts with limited information.
Again, it is important that you only associate yourself with individuals who do not perform criminal activities. Doing so would clear you of suspicions from authorities during an investigation. Also, criminals might gain access to your personal information found in your account. This could potentially lead to cases of identity theft and phishing which could put you in a legal jeopardy.
4. Avoid involvement in questionable activities:
Refrain from discussing, promoting, or engaging in illegal or unethical activities on the internet. Associating with such content on social media apps can raise suspicion during an investigation.
Engaging in or promoting illegal activities on social media can get you into trouble. This creates a digital trail of evidence that law enforcement may use to implicate you during criminal investigations. Even if you don’t mean any harm, people can misunderstand these media contents and use it against you.
Participating in discussions or promoting illegal activities can lead to criminal charges, especially if your actions violate local or international laws. This includes sharing potentially harmful videos from video sharing platforms. In some jurisdictions, sharing illegal content on social media can be punishable by law.
5. Be cautious with geotagging:
Geotagging is a feature on social media and mobile devices. It allows users to add location data to their posts, photos, or videos. This location data includes GPS coordinates. Geotagging can make sharing better and give context to your content, but it can also be risky when revealing your location.
Posting geotagged posts such as live streams or even short video contents on your social media account showing your location can lead you to possible legal trouble. You could become a potential suspect or person of interest if a crime takes place in your vicinity. Authorities will have a reason to bring you in for questioning if you are present in an area near a crime.
Arrested? Don’t Plea, Call Me!
If your social media behavior leads to your crime implication, you will need the assistance of an experienced criminal defense lawyer. They can give you important advice, guide you through the legal stuff, and represent you in court.
As an experienced criminal defense lawyer, I can look at all the facts of your case and investigate your charges. Then, I’ll strategize a strong defense plan specifically for your case. I can talk to the other side for you and stand up for your rights in court.
I will clarify the consequences of your conviction if you face charges. These consequences may include imprisonment, monetary penalties, or other forms of punishment. I’ll try to make sure the charges do not make a lasting impact on your life and future.
The whole criminal justice system can be really complex and scary. But having an experienced criminal defense lawyer on your side can make a big difference. They can explain things to you, help you understand your options, and support you all throughout the legal process. They will review evidence, gather witness statements, and search for anything that could improve your situation.