Facebook was founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, who was a Harvard student at the time. The idea started from student profile pages that were handed out, evolved into the idea of giving people the option to network with people in their classes, then to school wide, onto Ivy League schools, and then opening to all college students by 2005. In 2006, Facebook opened to anyone with a registered email address (Phillips, 2007). Facebook has revolutionized the way we interact with others, how we share experiences, and what we deem is worthy of a “like”. Social media has changed society. Facebook has become a search engine, scrapbook, matchmaker, recipe box, and private investigation resource. Just as Facebook changed our personal lives, it also impacted the world of criminal justice. Social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, has revolutionized the criminal investigation process, how we respond to situations, even as they are unfolding, as well as how community involvement …show more content…
Associations can be found by seeing who is “friends” and who “follows” whom on social media. Social media can also be a hindrance as well since people are able to portray whatever story they see fit. However, the scrutiny of police officers can be controlled in time with standard issue body worn cameras since there will be indisputable proof of a law enforcement officer’s actions and demeanor, whether it be positive or negative. Overall, social media is here to stay. By adapting, and accepting the changes, law enforcement can use social media to their advantage to grow public trust as well as to inform all citizens of situations. And to think, all of this was the simple brainstorm of a Harvard student who wanted to know who was in his class, and if they were