Social media used to catch Arsonist

The last few weeks have seen a strong movement rise in the United States.  People are taking to the street and fighting for what they believe in. The ability to use social media has shined a light on some things that us as a society weren’t ready to see.  Social media has been prevalent during these times of protest and of course these times of rioting. Citizens are capturing these moments and posting them as a way to show that they have had enough. Social media as we know however can be used just as easily against you as it can for you.

Justice?

FBI has used these same social channels to bring an arsonist to justice according to an article from The Verge. A 33 year old woman has been charged and could face seven years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines for torching 2 police cars. The woman originally appeared in a mask during the incident but that didn’t stop the FBI.  

“Social media has fuelled much of the protests, and has also become a fertile ground for government surveillance,” Paul Hetznecker, a criminal defense attorney representing Blumenthal, told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I think people have lost awareness of that.”

The Tech

Using a few pieces of readily available technology, a Google search followed by some social media scans is all it takes to narrow down the window. Instagram as well as Vimeo were scraped to find additional footage originally only seen through helicopter. The t-shirt worn by the accused was only available on an Etsy store where she had left a 5 star review of the product. The review led the FBI to LinkedIn where the two pieces were put together.

My Thoughts

The United States in in turmoil and I am not here to make any sort of political statement. The instruments of what what we can show the world isn’t always beneficial depending on our agenda.  Capturing and sharing this footage will create tremendous change in our society, however it’s important understand that this footage can also have consequences.

Source: The Verge