Transcript
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 1/78
Searching Social Media
Pennsylvania Bar Institute
April 2013
Jennifer Ellis
Lowenthal & Abrams, PC&
Jennifer Ellis, JDwww.jlellis.net
www.lowabram.com
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 2/78
Today’s Discussion
What is Social Media?
Unique considerations
Legal Privacy
Ethical
How to Perform Research of Social Media
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 3/78
1 billion
1 billion users per month
343 million
100 million4 billion photos
49 million
500 million
1 in 4
200 million
24 million1 million
businesses
Social Media = 2 Way Communication
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 4/78
Unique Considerations
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 5/78
Legal Issues – Improper Access
Felony and/or Misdemeanor Charges
Charges for Improper access to
E-Mail Social Media
All Accounts
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 6/78
Federal
Electronic Communications Privacy Act18 USC § 2510-2522
Includes computer based communications Includes stored communications
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 7/78
Federal
18 USC § 2511
Interception and disclosure of wire, oral,
or electronic communications prohibited
intentionally discloses, or endeavors to
disclose, to any other person thecontents of any…communication…
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 8/78
Pennsylvania
18 § 7611. Unlawful use of computer andother computer crimes. (3rd Degree
Felony) Accesses or exceeds authorization to
access
Provides password or other informationallowing access to a third party
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 9/78
Applies to:
Everyone
Spouses
Children Paralegals
Private Investigators
Attorneys
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 10/78
Subpoenas for Data?
Most sites state they will not respond toa civil subpoena
Claim violates Stored CommunicationsAct
Some sites will surprise you so ask
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 11/78
Subpoenas for Ownership
Some sites will cooperate
Provide email address
Provide username or ID number
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 12/78
Privacy Issues –
Access Blocked
Unlike traditional research
Privacy settings can block access to
undesired viewers
Privacy settings often complex and confusing
Famous last words “I didn’t think anyone
could see it.”
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 13/78
Privacy Issues
Four types of settings
Open (anyone can see)
Light (friends of friends) High (Friends only)
Highest (no one but the owner)
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 14/78
Ethical Issues
Can’t do it off line, can’t do it online
No contacting/communicating with
represented party Includes certain employees if company
is opposing party
No communicating with jurors
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 15/78
Friending is Communicating
Do not friend opposing party
Ok to friend witnesses
Must reveal who you are Do not ask a third party to friend those you
cannot friend
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 16/78
Ethical Issues
Fine to review
What is publically available
What already connected people can see Watch for other issues, example
forcing employees to show employer
opposing party’s account Make sure employees and independent
contractors understand rules
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 17/78
Note about Spoliation
Do not delete contact relevant to the case
Instruct clients not to delete contact
Recommend a signed letter to CYA
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 18/78
Process and Examples
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 19/78
Three or Four Pronged Approach
1. Gather Data about Person
2. Find Account(s)
3. Review Accounts 4. Verify Information
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 20/78
1. Gather Data
Name(s)
Email Address(es)
Site(s) using Links to accounts
Is your client connected to the person?
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 21/78
2. Find the Account
Use search techniques to find the account
Might require offline techniques
Cooperation of account owner Discovery
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 22/78
3. Review the Account
Access what you can
Privacy settings will be an issue in some
cases Might require offline assistance
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 23/78
4. Verify
Does the account belong to the person you areseeking?
Compare with what you know about the person
Pictures
Email address(es)
Other details
Use other accounts or online presence to verify Was the account created by a third party to hurt the
person?
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 24/78
Facebook and Curtis D. Ellis
Curtis is suing Rami and Angelou for harm hesuffered:
Rami tried to touch Curtis’ Rawhide
Angelou lay on Curtis’ back
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 25/78
The Claims
Cannot do his job, i.e. Guarding house andperson of his owner
Feels jumpy and distracted
Unable to focus as necessary
Having issues barking
Substantial loss of life enjoyment
Unable to
Eat his favorite food
Visit his friends
Engage in physical activity
Th Pl i tiff
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 26/78
The Plaintiff
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 27/78
The Defendants
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 28/78
Pause to Review Facebook and
Privacy Settings
Privacy settings have a huge impact on
what you can see Friends can see a lot
Public can only see what owner of
account allows
Wh t th P bli C S
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 29/78
What the Public Can See
No Information
Publicly SharedPhotos
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 30/78
What the Public Can See
Looks Like Curtis
Doesn’t Post Much
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 31/78
What Friends Can See
Details Curtishas shared Posts by
Others onCurtis’ Wall
Friends
Wh t F i d C S
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 32/78
What Friends Can See
Check Ins tolocations
InterestsPosts andAnswers
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 33/78
Individual Posts and Pictures
Choose Who Sees What
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 34/78
Finding Someone
No Connection?
Very Difficult
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 35/78
Get ID Link if You Can
• Individual settings matter here
too• The more private the settings
the harder to find• People can choose to be
searchable in Google, most
don’t
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 36/78
Back to Curtis D. Ellis v.
Rami & Angelou
Curtis is friends on Facebook with Rami &
Angelou(Cats)
Cats can access his account
What has Curtis provided to counter the
claims?
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 37/78
Post: Concerned about Cats
Curtis explains hisconcerns
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 38/78
Picture: Angelou on Back
Angelou didin fact lay onCurtis’ back
H !
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 39/78
However!
Curtis isClearlyGuarding
A d B ki
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 40/78
And Barking
d i
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 41/78
And Eating Burgers
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 42/78
Curtis Might Have a ProblemWith his Case
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 43/78
The Problem of Popular Names -
Verification
Question
Does Jennifer Ellis have a MySpace
Account? What do we know about Jennifer Ellis?
Lives in Pennsylvania
34 to 45 years old Attorney
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 44/78
Look on Google?
3.2 Million Results
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 45/78
Look on MySpace? 500 Results
L th T l f E h Sit
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 46/78
Learn the Tools of Each Site
MySpace Advanced Search
2 R lt N Pi t
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 47/78
2 Results – No Picture
E i A t
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 48/78
Examine Account
i
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 49/78
Follow Data Where it Leads
Examine Site for Clues
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 50/78
Examine Site for Clues
Researching a Person Who Contacted
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 51/78
Researching a Person Who Contacted
Your Client on Facebook
Someone posted something rude on aFacebook Page
Wanted to know who he was and why sooffended
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 52/78
Finding the Person
Easy to find, because had posted on thePage
This gives link to account
Able to access his account and determine:
A Public Defender
In Maryland
Connected to Page through anotherattorney who had “Liked” the page.
Can send message to this person
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 53/78
A Note about Facebook
Graph Search
New, more useful search
Looks for
People
Places
Things
Does not search posts
Does not override privacy settings
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 54/78
Facebook Graph Search
Makes it easier to find
People
Business pages
Fan pages
Must sign up to access until given to
everyone https://www.facebook.com/about/graphsearch
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 55/78
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 56/78
Do You Have Graph Search?
Yes
No
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 57/78
Search Facebook Statuses
Status must be public
Are people talking about divorce on
Facebook? http://openstatussearch.com/
Does not catch everything
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 58/78
Twitter Search
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 59/78
Twitter Search
Twitter Requires Operators
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 60/78
Twitter Requires Operators
More Twitter Operators
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 61/78
More Twitter Operators
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 62/78
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 63/78
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 64/78
Set Automatic Searches:
Twitter: monitter.com Set any number of searches
Shows in columns
Automatically updates
Uses same commands as regular Twittersearches
Includes location option
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 65/78
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 66/78
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 67/78
YouTube
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 68/78
YouTube: Filter
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 69/78
YouTube: Filter
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 70/78
Google+
Must be in your circles or
Publicly shared
Works like regular Google search Google+ results integrated into regular
Google results
Bookmark search for repetition
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 71/78
Google+ : Filter
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 72/78
g
LinkedIn Search
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 73/78
LinkedIn Search
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 74/78
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 75/78
Preserve the Data
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 76/78
Preservation
Have a third party do the evidence
preservation
Don’t be a witness in your own case Use video and images to show
preservation
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 77/78
How I Preserve & Authenticate
Video and audio recording of my actions onthe computer
Screen captures with Snag-It
Additional captures with Adobe Acrobat
All while explaining what I am doing
Mention account identifying information(email, ID number/name)
Date and time
Name of person doing the preservation
Thank You
8/23/2019 Social Media Research for Law Firms
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/social-media-research-for-law-firms 78/78
Thank You
Jennifer Ellis
Lowenthal & Abrams, PC
&
Jennifer Ellis, JD
jennifer@jlellis.net
www.jlellis.net
top related