Can private investigators look at Facebook messages?

Can private investigators look at Facebook messages?

Can private investigators look at Facebook messages? Facebook is one of the world’s most popular social media platforms with an estimated 2.8 Billion monthly active users. It’s a social media platform that allows users to communicate with each other and share life events and funny stories and memes. It’s the communication that’s of most interest to private investigators. So you might find yourself asking the question, can private investigators look at Facebook messages? 

Private Investigators and Facebook Messages

Can private investigators look
at Facebook messages?

Before you ask this question, you should be clear on what exactly you mean by “messages”. On Facebook there are two ways people communicate: 

  • Facebook Comments
  • Facebook Instant Messenger

Private investigators look at Facebook messages that are comments in two ways: 

  1. Looking at timelines  – in just the same way YOU can read down through someone’s timeline, a private investigator can read down through it and study the conversations. Private investigators often take screenshots of these comments and compile them into reports as evidence. People often forget what they post online and they can become very embarrassed when a private investigator presents these at a later date. 
  2. Using software – there are companies out there who have created software to download every Facebook profile along with every timeline, every image/picture, every emoji, and every comment. This of course is a humungous task and these companies then sell this information to private investigators. So, can private investigators look at Facebook messages that are comments? Absolutely. 

Why would private investigators
look at Facebook messages?

Private investigators are usually obsessed with the gathering of evidence. This evidence can be presented by private investigators in a court case to support your side of a case. Here are a few reasons a private investigator would want to look at your Facebook messages: 

  • Infidelity – you may think you’re safe if you use Facebook messenger to message your lover, but that’s not always the case. If a private investigator gets access to those messages they’ll be used as evidence. 
  • Employee investigations – employers often want access to their employee’s Facebook accounts to see what they’re saying about the company. 
  • Reputation management – if you say things about someone or something on Facebook it might be used as evidence and a private investigator would gather this data as evidence if you were to say something negative. 
  • Copyright infringement – if you or someone you know have information regarding copyright infringement and you chat about it on Facebook, then those messages can be gathered by a private investigator and used as evidence. 

How would private investigators
look at Facebook messages?

So now you know some of the reasons private investigators look at Facebook messages, it makes sense to look at just how they might get access to them, and these methods might surprise you. As you’ll see below, through no fault of your own, your Facebook messages might fall into the hands of a private investigator. 

  • Using subpoenas – private investigators can work with attorneys to ask the court to force you to hand over your phone, your tablet, your computer, and any other device you use to access Facebook messages. Armed with a subpoena, they’d have access to your entire facebook profile. 
  • Using the court – again, working with an attorney a private investigator can ask the judge to make you download your entire Facebook profile. There’s an actual process for that. 
  • Using your friends – if a private investigator can find one of your friends to work with, then that’s one way private investigators look at Facebook messages.  Not all of your friends might be loyal to you. Be careful what you say. 
  • Using you – maybe you have nothing to hide and you’d be willing to work with a private investigator and give them access to your Facebook account. This is another way private investigators look at Facebook messages and all they have to do is ask. 

If you want to talk to a professional, caring private investigator who has experience with looking at Facebook messages and can advise you on how to protect yourself, then just call (800) 867-3930 and speak to someone who will be happy to answer any questions you have, no obligation. If you are looking for affordable licensed private investigators in Atlanta with 20 years of experience in assisting individuals, attorneys and corporations feel free to contact us here. You can also view a portion of our extensive client list here, and see here what actual clients say about Eagle Investigative Services a private investigator in Atlanta, Georgia.

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