In today’s world, social media plays a very crucial role. Apps like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Whatsapp are used to stay aware of the latest news. If you are dealing with criminal charges, social media can play a significant role in gathering evidence.
A criminal lawyer in Rochester can help you understand the process of obtaining information against the opposite party that can be used in a court of law. However, your social media can also gather the information that will possibly get you in trouble.
Following are ways by which social media can affect your case:
- Tracking down your location – Social media platforms have a feature where you can share your location in your posts. This can be used to take down information about you. However, even if you do not add your location and just post pictures, authorities can find out where you were and start to gather evidence that can be used against you.
- Posts that are triggering – It is best if you avoid posting on social media if you are involved in a criminal case. It is very natural for you to feel emotionally stressed when you are facing any charges. However, if you post things and share your feelings out of guilt and anger, your prosecutor can use it against you at the court.
- Confidential talks – Even if you delete chats from your phone, they can still be recovered by the authorities. For example, if you are in conversation with your spouse and in the heat of the moment, you threaten them in any manner. This can be used against you if your partner prints screenshots of the conversation and presents them at the court. This might prove that you are hot-headed and are capable of committing the crime.
- Permanency of your posts – If you think the officials cannot discover your posts once you delete them, you are wrong. Once you post something on any social media platform, and even if you delete it after a minute, it can still be regained by the cyber security experts.
- Evidence by your friends online – There are times when you forget that you shared information with your friends about the case. It is also possible that you might have shared some information online after you were drunk. If the police talk with them and show them the conversations with them, you can get in trouble.
Social media is a sword that can be used both for you and against you. Therefore you must be extremely careful about your social media posts and exchange messages, keeping in mind that it can be used against you during your legal case.
