For most of us, social media has become a significant part of your daily
lives. From photos of your adventures and check-ins where you eat to tweets
about your opinions and thoughts, we voluntarily provide platforms such
as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with a plethora of our own personal
information.
However, many people fail to realize the fact that law enforcement and
the prosecution may use this type of information to file criminal charges
against them. If you have been arrested for or accused of a crime, you
need to understand that what you post on social media may come back to
haunt you.
Police officers now use social media as an effective tool to investigate
a potential crime. Social media accounts contain various types of evidence
which may implicate you in a crime or associate you with suspected criminals.
The following are the most common types of posts which can lead to legal trouble:
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Posts – While you may communicate your innermost private thoughts on social
media, anything you post can and will be used against you in a court of
law. A simple status update can show your state of mind prior to the alleged
crime or imply premeditation to a crime.
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Photographs – Whether you share an incriminating picture on social media or
tagged in one by another user, it can be used as evidence against you.
For example, if you were arrested for a drug crime and police discover
photos of you in possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia or engaging
in drug use, the prosecution could use them to build their case.
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Check-ins – This feature allows you to check-in to a particular location, from
restaurants to sports stadiums. However, these posts indicate your physical
whereabouts at a certain time. So if you were accused to a crime at a
specific place and time and on your social media account shows you checked-in
to the same location at around the same time, this could be viewed as
a link between you and the alleged crime.
Even though many social media platforms are equipped with customizable
privacy settings users can access, the truth is that Facebook and Twitter
often cooperate with police to reveal private posts and other related
information. Additionally, law enforcement can browse through your contacts
to look for any information related to you and your whereabouts.
If you delete any incriminating posts from your accounts, especially if
you’ve already been charged, not only are they still accessible,
but this action could be viewed as destruction of evidence, resulting
into further legal trouble. Law enforcement has the power to gain access
to deled accounts and information.
At
Jerry Loftin & Associates, our
Fort Worth criminal defense attorneys recommend you avoid social media entirely until your pending criminal
case is resolved. Remember, anything you post or share can be used as
evidence against you. Resist the urge to discuss your case with anyone
else besides your lawyer.
If you have been arrested for a crime in Fort Worth, TX,
contact us and schedule a free consultation today.