Social Media Mining

What is Social Media Mining? Simple answer, its the process of someone else looking at your face book, twitter or similar social site. Like mining for gold, an investigator can mine for information on your social media site and gain a "mother lode" of information that sometimes can be detrimental to you in several ways. As a private investigator at Davis & Associates Professional Background Services, it is often my job to be hired to seek information on subjects for many reasons and by clients from all walks of life. Weather it is an insurance company looking for a client possibly committing insurance fraud, a law firm seeking more information on a defendant or their own client prior to a court date, or even a job applicant that is curious to know what a potential employer may or may not find on their backgrounds, I am never surprised by how much information people put on social media sites that could harm their cases.

Davis & Associates Professional Background Services have three large law firms and several smaller firms in our Denver area that have a policy of advising their clients to not use their social media sites during their cases. Both personal injury and criminal lawyers come to our office asking for social media investigations and know the value of finding information that will not haunt them later in front of a jury. Imagine how a juror would react when opposing council presents photos of the plaintiff water skiing days after he/she claimed severe injuries from a car accident, or a client accused of sex assault posting inappropriate photos and comments that can later be used against them in civil court.

Even with the stern verbal warnings of top lawyers telling clients to stay off of the social network sites, most realize that the addiction is just too strong and as cases go on form months and even years, people just don't learn, and will more often than not, post information or get "tagged" by others showing inappropriate behavior.

Recently the National News Media did a news report on Social Media Mining at Davis & Associates Professional Background Services. When asked by the reporter the most important advice I would give to anyone as a private investigator, its always the same "If you don't want anyone to see it, don't post it!" The message could not be clearer.