Social Media Forensics < Granite Discovery

Computer and cellphones, especially smartphones, have changed the way people interact daily. The age of the internet has made it possible for someone to be anyone they want to be and capable of meeting people from all corners of the world. One of the fastest growing areas for people to interact with one another is in the use of “Social Networking” applications such as Facebook, Snapchat, Kik, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, Tumblr, Tinder, and MeetMe to name a few.

Social networking applications allow people the ability to chat and share their daily life and events with family, friends, and complete strangers. A person can share instantly what they are doing in that very moment as well as pictures, job status, post political views, and comments on other people’s activities.

Imagine this: Your child texts you from their smartphone that they are hanging out with friends at the local park one minute and the next you receive a call that your child has just been arrested for assault. How and what happened? Your child tells you and the attorney that they are innocent because they were at the local park, yet the police say they have solid evidence of their guilt–a video of the assault that was posted on social media.

The above example is just one example of how people have committed or been accused of crimes due to evidence found on social networking sites. How do Granite Discovery experts help clients when social media is involved? Granite Discovery experts are trained in computer science and thoroughly understand how social networking applications work and are designed.

WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA FORENSICS?

Social Media Forensics is the art of analyzing social networking applications and the data produced coupled with the knowledge and understanding on how the application functions. Granite Discovery experts are able to provide clients with answers to technical questions such as:

Can we determine if a person was talking with another person at a certain time and date?
Was someone in a certain location at a certain time?
Does a person’s social media timeline support their claims?
Where did a text message originated from?
Can we tell when a video posted was actually taken and where?
Who actually posted the picture or video?

Granite Discovery experts have the knowledge and skills to provide answers to these questions and more. Often a person’s social media account can be analyzed to determine if the activity posted was created by them or from a fictitious user. Granite Discovery leaves no stone unturned by leveraging various investigative methods in order to uncover the truth. Our experts understand the laws that govern data collection and preservation and adhere to the highest standards and work ethics.

Granite Discovery experts are:

Certified in the latest forensic tools that allow our experts the ability to analyze electronic devices for relevant social media content in order to answer our client’s questions.
Able to provide expert witness testimony when necessary.
Experienced and proven forensic examiners that have spent thousands of hours analyzing social networking data.