Expert Investigative social media training, digital character analysis, threat assessment, and much more...

In today's world of fast evolving social media platforms and rapidly advancing technology the need to better understand and utilize these tools is growing faster and faster.

Businesses, large and small, have started to rely more on social media to truly find the right candidates for their teams and also to better reach their customers.

Law enforcement authorities are faced with more and more cases where their best witnesses or clues are only known as usernames on platforms such as Instagram.

Children as young as three, are navigating the latest iPhones and tablets independently to watch their favorite shows on YouTube.

With just a few clicks we are able to have perfect video-chats using platforms such as Facebook and Telegram to connect with loved ones across the country.

Personal identification information of many have been stolen and sold far too frequently on the Internet by utilizing fictitious emails and other Internet scams.

Human trafficking has changed from the suspicious minivans near parks or schools, to online chatrooms, dating apps, and even online gaming platforms where children have become extremely vulnerable targets.

As the pro's and con's of these advancements continue to increase, the need to make social media monitoring a must has also increased. Information gathering using open source and social media monitoring as part of our everyday will assist in preventing tragedies such as school shootings, and active shooter incidents at various locations, just to name a few examples.

In 2019, Law Enforcement authorities, in Florida arrested a man who posted on Facebook "3 more days of probation left then I get my AR-15 back. Don't go to Walmart next week." This was posted the day after a gunman in El Paso, Texas, killed 22 people and injured two dozen at a Walmart.

In February 2021, authorities in San Jose, California, received information that an individual was live streaming on Snapchat stating he was going to "shoot up the mall". With the rapid response of the local law enforcement and their use of social media monitoring, the individual was spotted and arrested at the mall without any incident. He was armed with an AR and ammunition at the time of the arrest.

According to a report by Education Week, there were 34 school shootings in 2021, including a shooting on Nov. 30, 2021 in which a student killed four people and injured seven at an Oxford, Michigan high school. This was named the deadliest school shooting since May of 2018. Although, it is unclear if the shooter had actually posted his intentions on social media prior to the incident, other students, and victims hiding in classrooms did use their cellphones and social media profiles to alert loved ones in real time.

References:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/08/10/richard-clayton-florida-charged-after-alleged-walmart-ar-15-threat/1977797001/

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/school-shootings-this-year-how-many-and-where/2021/03