Social Media Crimes

Social media has made its way into being a popular tool for both criminals and law enforcement. Different opinions about how social media is beneficial to crime and solving crimes have been established over the course of the topic’s growth. Law enforcement can use social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter to gather evidence necessary in order to solve a crime. This is because online criminals exploit the newfound platform of media. These exploits could include acts of illegal downloading all the way to acts of distributing and acquiring drugs illegally.

Through the frequent use of social media everywhere, a new type of crime has been the cause of trouble. As the social media demographic expands, so does the issue of money scams in

The use of this tool utilizes the speed of social media to benefit the progress made in investigations and let the public become an instrumental resource of sorts. With the aid of the police, these “vigilantes” are a beneficial tool, as they not only widen the knowledge of social media to police, but make people feel like they are given justice within their community. A vigilante by definition is described as “one of an organized group of citizens who take upon themselves the protection of their district, properties, etc” (Collins English Dictionary). On websites like Facebook, this could mean as little as sharing a picture of a wanted ad amongst your friends. Another example of the term is the use of Amber Alerts. Amber Alerts warn the public of ongoing child abductions in the area. In United States. These type of alerts are used through Facebook, Twitter, and through mobile. “The participation of the public is essential to the success of AMBER Alert. The information you provide to police may help an abducted child before it is too late” (Ontario Provincial Police). This example of vigilantes at work on the internet is able to be put in a very positive light, in contrast to the negative notions the thought of the word “vigilante”

A website called Connected to the Case was created just for this reason. Users can submit data from the personal social media sites. “It then uses that data to tailor notifications of unsolved crimes based on -- for example -- proximity to your school, or where you used to work” (Rigg, 2012). When law enforcement and social media work together, it showcases a bond which has not been seen for many years.With social media users feeling as if they can contribute to the wellbeing of society, and law enforcers being given a larger pool to act on their agenda, it makes an equilibrium between the