Your social media profiles are not just a way to connect with your old friends and create relationships that can lead to new friendships. Your social media profiles can now be used as evidence if you ever find yourself in court. We want you to protect yourself with some very important tips and advice.
When we talk about social media, do we ever think about what that really means? Some people forget about how public and social their social media accounts actually are. If you already have a criminal history, you are aware of how permanent this record is.
YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY
Whatever you post or share on a social media platform is fair game to the rest of the internet users. You can always delete what you post or share, but this does not mean that it is deleted from the internet world. The things you post on the internet will always be there, and sometimes this is not a good thing. Law enforcement agencies can have complete access to all of your social media accounts, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.
DO NOT INCRIMINATE YOURSELF
This is why it is so important for everyone to know about the proper safety measures and precautions that should be taken when social media is being used. Many people have incriminated themselves because of their social media usage. It does not matter if you are being accused of a Minnesota theft crime, a drug crime, or if you are facing a minor penalty, a court can bring up your social media account activity during court.
HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOURSELF?
Whatever you post or someone else posts on your page will always be permanent. You may have adjusted your profile privacy settings, but law enforcement agencies and government agencies can still have access to your social media accounts. With all the advancements in technology, there are various ways for these law enforcement agencies to identify things you may think were hidden, including your location, the date you were there, the time you were there, etc. When law enforcement agencies have access to this information, it makes it that much easier to make their case in a court of law. The internet is not private to law enforcement and the government, and it is essential that you always remember that.
BUILDING A CASE AGAINST YOU
It is very important that you remember that the court of law can use all the data from your social media accounts as part of the evidence they are building against you. If you have been accused of a theft, and you make a statement to the police stating that you were at a friend’s house, the police can find a post that you made on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc. and track the coordinates and time of the post. If the police discover that you uploaded a photo, video, etc. while you were at or near the location of the crime, you have created evidence that can be used against you.
If you are facing a charge of a theft, and you truly believe that your social media account can create some trouble for you, you should make this known to your Minnesota theft defense lawyer at the consultation. Your Minnesota theft defense lawyer will need every piece of information that you have available.
You may think that no one outside of your social media friends will see what you post on the internet, but it is important that you have an understanding of the internet and social media. If you have questions or concerns about your theft defense charge, do not hesitate to contact us today for a consultation.