Facebook

[KaiGywer]

Hey. Just wondering who all is on Facebook here. If you are, search for Kai E at MNSU and add me as a friend. Send me a PM here with your name, or your username as a PM on Facebook so I can connect the dots

Those of you outside the US, don't worry

Those of you with no clue what I'm talking about,

https://www.facebook.com

[Tennsix]

I am on facebook but I use it as a investigative resource. I do not socialize on there.

[davis002]

I am on facebook but I use it as a investigative resource. I do not socialize on there.

How do you use it as an investigative resource? I can see someone using it to stalk that cute bartender that goes to the local college, but any real investigative purpose???, I don't see it. I'm a licensed private investigator, so feel free to cue me in on the secret

[Tennsix]

I am a police officer at a major state university. Facebook is teaming with information-almost all of college students, faculty, staff. Photos, Phone numbers, Addresses, Friends, Hobbys, Intrests, etc. I have found it to be very useful in criminal investigations.

[davis002]

I am a police officer at a major state university. Facebook is teaming with information-almost all of college students, faculty, staff. Photos, Phone numbers, Addresses, Friends, Hobbys, Intrests, etc. I have found it to be very useful in criminal investigations.

I was aware you were a LEO, but I was not aware it was at a University. In which case I can agree with you that facebook can be a useful tool in your investigations. Innovative thinking, I extend my compliments.

[Tennsix]

I am finding that it is very useful when working with people 16-25 yrs old. In a college town, a lot of non-college people find their way on there too. I also enjoy the Facebook forums about the police-very entertaining

[Taser]

I can't tell you how many times I have used it while working security for a private university. Very useful indeed.

[mjw064]

Facebook is 1,000,000,000 times more informative than myspace.
And yes, I am on Facebook. It is a great social networking tool.

[CorpSec]

The problem that I run into most often is that the majority of people are now keeping their Facebooks private and will not add someone who is not a friend. The renders it basically useless.

I know that I will check for Facebook pages of potential hires. I believe that a lot of human resources departments do the same thing. Pictures of you passed out with your buddies stacking beer cups on you might be amusing to your friends, but it doesn't say much to a potential employer.

I have heard of other investigators using the social networking sites as an investigative tool.

[mjw064]

The problem that I run into most often is that the majority of people are now keeping their Facebooks private and will not add someone who is not a friend. The renders it basically useless.

I know that I will check for Facebook pages of potential hires. I believe that a lot of human resources departments do the same thing. Pictures of you passed out with your buddies stacking beer cups on you might be amusing to your friends, but it doesn't say much to a potential employer.

I have heard of other investigators using the social networking sites as an investigative tool.

It depends on your network too. For instance I am a Grad Student at GW, thus I can see the profile of basically anyone else on the GW network.

The "New Facebook" allows users to determine what individual other users can and cannot see though. It's because of people like CorpSec who use the photo's against us. And yeah, I might have some experience being on the wrong end of an investigation regarding photos which appeared on facebook ... imagine that.

[gixxer32404]

Facebook is 1,000,000,000 times more informative than myspace.
And yes, I am on Facebook. It is a great social networking tool.

I see very little info on facebook.On myspace I see their friends, status, age,location,and sometimes phone numbers. I see millions of pictures.

[SecTrainer]

Any social site where people choose to publish information about themselves is not only a perfectly legitimate source of information about them, but also many times about their employers and other organizations that they belong to and talk about. Ditto, blogs. A significant percentage of employers now use various Web search protocols to check on applicants, to monitor their corporate reputation, etc. Prosecutors use Web searches especially in the sentencing phase of trials, sometimes finding things that have caused the defendant to be treated much more harshly (yes, people bragging about their crime or showing photos/videos of themselves drunk at a party while awaiting sentencing on a DUI/vehicular homicide charge).

Of course, anything found by such methods must be independently verified because people also exaggerate, lie, distort, etc.

Moral: It's not terribly smart to post anything about yourself, your lifestyle or your work that you wouldn't want ANYONE from your mother to your boss to the police to a corporate spy to see.

Oh, and if you steal stuff don't fence it on Ebay or Craig's List.

[gixxer32404]

see my new thread about craigslist

[mjw064]

I see very little info on facebook.On myspace I see their friends, status, age,location,and sometimes phone numbers. I see millions of pictures.

Ok, all that and much more is on facebook. You must not be looking at the info page ... just the wall.

[dla4079]

Facebook and MySpace are ok, but too many wierdos on there...lol. There are only two "social networks" I am a part of:

PoliceLink

-and-

The Correctional Officer Network