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account that appeared to show incriminating chat logs.
However, the defendant denied ever using Tinder.
Upon reviewing the digital evidence, our team found
that no formal request had been made to Tinder to
verify the account information, such as email addresses
or IP logins. Screenshots alone were not sufficient to
definitively link the defendant to the account, and our
analysis demonstrated the need for more thorough
digital attribution before reaching a conclusion.
online platforms like Amazon, undermining the claim
that it was an illegal item. This insight from our report
proved crucial in questioning the reliability of the
evidence presented by the prosecution.
Another fascinating case involved the investigation of
vehicle telematics. A young driver was charged with
causing death by reckless driving. The key evidence
was the location data retrieved from the driver’s
iPhone, which provided detailed GPS coordinates
throughout the journey. Using specialised software,
our experts were able to map the journey, calculate
the driver’s speed, and determine that excessive speed
was indeed a factor. The same technology, however,
can also be used to exonerate drivers in other cases,
demonstrating the importance of digital analysis in
determining the truth.
Navigating the Challenges of Digital Investigations
While digital evidence can be incredibly powerful,
handling it properly is key. One of the significant challenges in digital investigations is the complexity of the
data. Unlike traditional forensic evidence, which
might involve physical traces such as fingerprints or
DNA, digital data often exists in massive quantities and
is constantly changing.
The Digital Media Investigator: A Critical Role in
Law Enforcement
The role of the Digital Media Investigator (DMI) has
evolved significantly in recent years, reflecting the
growing importance of digital evidence in criminal investigations. However, the structure of DMI teams
varies widely across law enforcement agencies. In
some forces, DMIs are full-time specialists, while in
others, officers juggle the DMI role with their regular
duties in areas such as CID or major crime units. This
variability in training and experience can result in
gaps in digital evidence handling, with some DMIs
receiving only limited training yet being asked to
provide crucial evidence in serious cases.
Mobile phones, for example, generate and store a
tremendous amount of information. However,
analysing that information and drawing meaningful
conclusions from it requires both technical expertise
and a deep understanding of the context in which it
was generated. Additionally, as the capabilities of digital devices expand, the amount of data that can be
extracted also grows exponentially. Investigators must
ensure they have the right tools and techniques to
manage this influx of data.
At IntaForensics, our team handles a wide range of
digital evidence. This includes communications data
analysis, which can track calls, text messages, and data
usage across mobile networks. Our investigators are
adept at analysing this data in conjunction with cell
site and Wi-Fi analysis to pinpoint a suspect's location
or activity. This can be crucial in establishing or undermining alibis, particularly in cases where location
data is key.
At IntaForensics, our digital investigators are highly
trained specialists, many with extensive experience in
law enforcement. They not only gather digital evidence but also provide expert testimony in court, ensuring that complex digital data is presented in a clear
and comprehensible manner. This is especially important in cases involving communications data or social media analysis, where the technical intricacies can
be challenging for juries to understand.
We also routinely conduct open-source intelligence
(OSINT) gathering, which involves the analysis of
publicly available data on the internet, including social media platforms. Often, people post comments,
share information, or engage in conversations on public platforms without realising that this information
could later become relevant in a criminal investigation. Our ability to analyse and interpret these digital
footprints has proven invaluable in numerous cases.
One of the key roles of a digital investigator is
ensuring proper attribution. In cases where digital evidence is used, it is essential to establish that the data
belongs to the person in question. For instance, in social media cases, it is not enough to simply present a
screenshot of a message or post. Investigators must be
able to demonstrate that the account in question is
controlled by the suspect and that no third party could
have accessed it. This often involves analysing IP addresses, multi-factor authentication methods, and call
data records.
Real-World Case Studies
To illustrate the power of digital investigations, it’s
worth considering some real-world examples where
our expertise has played a pivotal role.
In one case, a defendant was accused of sending
racially charged messages on Twitter (now X) and possessing an illegal publication. The prosecution relied
heavily on the Twitter posts, some of which were protected tweets, meaning they were only visible to select
followers. Our role was to explain the mechanics of
Twitter to the court, including the distinctions between
public and private posts, and to verify whether the account in question could be linked to the defendant.
Additionally, we reviewed the alleged illegal publication, only to find that it was readily available on major
EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL
Staying Ahead in a Rapidly Evolving Field
Digital investigation is an ever-evolving field, with new
technologies and platforms emerging all the time.
Staying ahead of these changes is essential for investigators. At IntaForensics, we continually update our
knowledge and skills to ensure we can tackle the latest
challenges. For example, we are frequently asked to
examine new mobile applications like Telegram or
TikTok, which may not have existed just a few
years ago but are now central to certain criminal
investigations.
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