Social media can seem like an appealing outlet for stress or even a relaxing reprieve when the rest of your life is hinging on a criminal defense case. When law enforcement and prosecution officials are eager to use any evidence they can against you, though, it is important to be aware that even your online activities will be under scrutiny.
By understanding the potential pitfalls of using social media while facing criminal charges, you can make decisions that ensure a solid defense.
Anything you post can be evidence
Even the most seemingly harmless upload to your social media account can contain a shred of evidence that will come up against you in court. The prosecution might scan your photos for hints of drug possession or other actions related to the charges against you. They may even try to twist the wording of your posts as an inadvertent confession or a contradiction of your previous statements.
Your mutuals might implicate you
Anything your friends or mutual acquaintances post on social media also has the potential to serve as evidence against you in a criminal trial. An online conversation might reveal your location on the night of a crime or implicate you as a drug trafficker, for example. You cannot control what others say or do on the internet, so it is best to stay off social networks so as to avoid inviting interactions that might harm your case.
The American Sociological Association explains that police and prosecutors are integrating social media strategies into their investigative tactics more and more in recent years. If you are under suspicion of criminal activity, it is never a good idea to assume that your social media accounts will go unnoticed by law enforcement.