Social Media Research

Social Media Research

How to effectively and safely use social media platforms for verification and research.

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Social Media for Rapid Response

Social media can help:

• Verify incidents - Corroborate sightings with posts
• Track patterns - Monitor location-tagged posts
• Find witnesses - Identify others who observed events
• Gather evidence - Document activities

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Platform-Specific Techniques

Facebook

Search capabilities:

• Search bar supports keyword, person, and location searches
• Filter by date, location, post type
• Public groups can be searched without membership

Useful searches:

• Posts mentioning specific locations
• Public groups focused on local areas
• Check-ins at relevant locations
• Live videos in areas of interest

Tips:

• Use location filters
• Check public groups for community discussions
• Look for shared posts about incidents
• Review comments on public posts

Twitter/X

Advanced search operators:

from:username       - Posts from specific user
to:username         - Replies to user
near:"City"         - Posts near location (limited)
geocode:lat,long,radius - Specific geographic area
since:YYYY-MM-DD    - Posts after date
until:YYYY-MM-DD    - Posts before date
filter:images       - Only posts with images
filter:videos       - Only posts with videos

Example searches:

"ICE" near:"Chicago" since:2025-01-01
immigration enforcement filter:images

Tools:

• TweetDeck - Monitor multiple searches
• Advanced search: twitter.com/search-advanced

Instagram

Research methods:

• Search by location tags
• Search by hashtags
• Check tagged photos at locations
• Review story highlights

Limitations:

• Must be logged in for most searches
• No advanced search operators
• Stories disappear after 24 hours

Tips:

• Use location pages (tap location in post)
• Follow relevant hashtags
• Screenshot stories immediately

TikTok

Search methods:

• Keyword search
• Hashtag search
• Sound search (find videos using same audio)
• Location tags (where available)

Tips:

• Videos can go viral quickly
• Comments often provide additional context
• Duets and stitches may add information
• Screenshot before content is removed

Nextdoor

Usefulness:

• Hyper-local community posts
• Neighbors reporting suspicious activity
• Real-time local updates

Limitations:

• Must verify address to join
• Limited to your neighborhood
• Can’t search other neighborhoods

Reddit

Search operators:

site:reddit.com keyword
subreddit:cityname keyword
author:username

Useful subreddits:

• City/neighborhood subreddits
• r/immigration (general discussion)
• Local community subreddits

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Search Strategies

Keyword Combinations

For immigration enforcement:

ICE + [location]
immigration raid + [city]
deportation + [neighborhood]
federal agents + [location]
border patrol + [city] (interior checkpoints)

For vehicle sightings:

unmarked cars + [location]
suspicious vehicles + [neighborhood]
federal vehicles + [city]

Time-Based Searching

When an incident is reported:

1. Search for posts from that time window
2. Check for live videos or streams
3. Look for photos with timestamps
4. Review check-ins at the location

Location-Based Searching

1. Identify the location precisely
2. Search for that location tag on platforms
3. Search nearby locations (adjacent streets, landmarks)
4. Check business pages in the area

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Verification Through Social Media

Cross-Referencing Posts

When you find a relevant post:

1. Who posted it? Check their profile
2. When was it posted? Compare to claimed timeline
3. Where are they? Does location make sense?
4. Are there other posts? Search for corroboration

Assessing Source Credibility

Higher credibility indicators:

• Established account with history
• Posts consistent with claimed location
• Details match known facts
• Other credible accounts corroborate

Lower credibility indicators:

• New or anonymous account
• Sensational language
• No specific details
• Can’t be corroborated

Finding Original Sources

Social media posts often get reshared. Find the original:

1. Note the earliest timestamp you find
2. Reverse image search any images
3. Search for exact text of the post
4. Follow the sharing chain back

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Documentation Best Practices

Screenshot Protocol

Always capture:

• Full post with timestamp visible
• Username/account name
• Any images or videos
• Comments (may contain additional info)
• URL of the post

Screenshot tips:

• Use full-page screenshot tools
• Include browser URL bar when possible
• Note the date/time you captured it
• Save original format if downloading

Archiving Posts

Posts can be deleted. Archive immediately:

Tool	Use
Archive.today	Snapshot any webpage
Wayback Machine	Submit URL for archiving
Screen recording	For videos/stories
Download tools	Platform-specific

Organizing Findings

Create a consistent system:

/Research
  /[Date]_[Incident]
    /Screenshots
    /Videos
    /Notes
    evidence_log.md

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Privacy Considerations

Protecting Community Members

Do:

• ✅ Blur faces of community members
• ✅ Redact identifying information
• ✅ Ask permission before sharing
• ✅ Consider safety implications

Don’t:

• ❌ Share images that identify vulnerable people
• ❌ Expose locations of safe spaces
• ❌ Post personal information publicly
• ❌ Tag people without permission

Protecting Yourself

• Use research accounts, not personal
• Don’t interact (like, comment, follow) with targets
• Be aware of who can see your activity
• Consider using VPN

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Monitoring and Alerts

Setting Up Monitoring

Google Alerts:

1. Go to google.com/alerts
2. Enter search terms
3. Set delivery frequency
4. Monitor your email for results

TweetDeck columns:

1. Create columns for keyword searches
2. Set up location-based searches
3. Monitor in real-time

RSS feeds:

• Many platforms have RSS options
• Use feed reader to aggregate

What to Monitor

• Keywords related to enforcement activity
• Specific locations of concern
• Local news sources
• Community group discussions

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Ethical Guidelines

Research Ethics

1. Don’t harass or contact people you’re researching
2. Don’t create fake accounts to infiltrate private groups
3. Don’t spread unverified information
4. Protect sources and community members
5. Use information responsibly

Legal Considerations

• Only access public information
• Don’t violate terms of service in ways that could harm you
• Don’t impersonate law enforcement
• Document for legitimate purposes

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Quick Reference

For incident verification:

1. Search location on multiple platforms
2. Look for posts within time window
3. Cross-reference multiple sources
4. Archive everything immediately

For pattern research:

1. Set up keyword monitoring
2. Track location-tagged posts
3. Note recurring accounts/users
4. Build timeline of activity

For documentation:

1. Screenshot everything
2. Include timestamps and URLs
3. Archive before it’s deleted
4. Organize systematically

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Tools Summary

Purpose	Tool
Twitter monitoring	TweetDeck
Web archiving	Archive.today, Wayback Machine
Alerts	Google Alerts
Cross-platform search	Social Searcher
Screenshot	Full Page Screen Capture (extension)
Video download	youtube-dl, 4K Video Downloader