There have been multiple stories over the recent years about law enforcement solving crimes with social media. While there are various outlets, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter seem to be the most common.
A bragging confession usually turns out to be one of the most incriminating pieces of evidence. While YouTube is the most obvious, catching the criminal in the act, Facebook also proves their setting with the GPS location and check-ins. Social media and technology has evolved so quickly that a common response is to film, post or share these moments before calling for help. Although the Solving Crime with Social Media Infographic reveals that 80 percent of law enforcement officers use social media to conduct investigations, not all officers have the time or resources to access these posts.
Criminal Investigation Stats
Increasing Amounts of Officers are Solving Crimes with Social Media
Trend Themes
1. Increased Social Media Use by Law Enforcement - The trend of law enforcement using social media to solve crimes continues to rise, presenting opportunities for tools and platforms that can streamline the process.
2. GPS Location and Check-ins as Investigative Tools - As social media platforms provide more location data and check-in features, there is an opportunity for software and technology to leverage this information for criminal investigations.
3. Immediate Social Media Sharing of Criminal Activity - As people increasingly share criminal activity on social media before calling for help, there is an opportunity for technology that can quickly identify and report these incidents to authorities.
Industry Implications
1. Law Enforcement Technology - There is a significant opportunity for software and platforms that streamline the process of using social media for criminal investigations.
2. Location-based Technology - As location data becomes more important in solving crimes, there is an opportunity for companies that specialize in location data analysis and visualization.
3. Social Media Monitoring Tools - Tools that specifically monitor social media for criminal activity and automatically report it to authorities can provide a much-needed solution for law enforcement agencies.