Social Media users, especially younger generations, often use slang to communicate. You may have heard a phrase or two from a Gen Zer that made you pause and wonder what they meant by that! One that I hear a lot in my personal life is “spill the tea” ~ which means “tell me the gossip.” Innocent enough, but when conducting a social media deep dive on a person of interest, it is critical to educate yourself. Without knowledge of these terms, investigators might miss crucial details.
Identifying Drug Activity
Recently the publication, WIRED covered the subject of drug sales and drug use in social media. More and more dealers and consumers are using a combination of emoji’s and slang as a way to communicate. This has morphed into getting the delivery of your drugs via the USPS, rather than meeting the dealer on a street corner or in the dark web. Some dealers have even sponsored social media posts to gain more traffic. “Dealers ran hundreds of paid advertisements on Meta platforms in 2024 to sell illegal opioids and what appeared to be cocaine and ecstasy pills, according to a report this year by the Tech Transparency Project, and federal prosecutors are investigating Meta over the issue”.
Staying educated is one way to stay ahead of this. Here are some examples of the new terms used in social media along with their meanings:
Common Slang Terms Used by Drug Dealers:
Plug: Refers to a supplier or someone who can provide drugs.
Connect: Another term for a supplier or source for drugs.
Re-up: The act of replenishing a drug supply.
Slab: A large quantity of drugs, often sold in bulk.
Cut: Additives used to dilute or enhance drugs.
Cook-up: The process of preparing drugs, particularly in creating unique combinations.
Generation Z (Gen Z) generally includes individuals born between 1997 and 2012, according to the Pew Research Center. However, some sources may slightly adjust these dates, with ranges often extending from 1995 to 2010 or similar variations. As of 2025, Gen Zers are approximately 13 to 28 years old.
Generation Z has developed a vibrant wordlist of slang terms that are widely used across social media platforms. Here are some of the most popular expressions:
Rizz: Derived from “charisma,” this term refers to someone’s ability to attract or charm others, especially in a romantic context. Delulu: A playful abbreviation of “delusional,” used to describe someone who has unrealistic fantasies, particularly about relationships or personal aspirations. The ick: A sudden feeling of discomfort or repulsion towards a person, often triggered by a specific behavior or trait. Bussin’: Used to describe something exceptionally good or delicious, commonly in reference to food. Mid: A term signifying that something is mediocre or average in quality. Simp: Describes someone who is overly attentive or submissive to another person, often in a romantic context, without reciprocation. No cap: A phrase used to assert that someone is telling the truth or being genuine. Cheugy: Refers to something that is outdated or no longer trendy.
Glow up: Describes a significant transformation, often in appearance or style, indicating improvement. Stan: A blend of ‘stalker’ and ‘fan,’ it denotes someone who is an enthusiastic and devoted admirer of a celebrity or public figure. Ghosting: The act of suddenly cutting off all communication with someone without explanation, typically in a dating context. Salty: Feeling upset or bitter, often in response to a perceived slight or disappointment. Bet: A term used to express agreement or affirmation, similar to saying “okay” or “sure.” Fam: Short for “family,” but often used to refer to close friends or a trusted group. Sheesh: An exclamation used to express disbelief, admiration, or exasperation. Resource: Parade
LinkedIn is a professional networking platform designed for individuals to connect with colleagues, showcase their professional achievements, and engage in industry-related discussions. While it’s a great platform for professional networking and personal branding, it’s essential to strike a balance and maintain a level of professionalism in your posts and interactions.
If you’re noticing that people on LinkedIn are oversharing, it could be due to various reasons. Some individuals may not be aware of the professional boundaries on the platform, while others might be intentionally blurring the lines between personal and professional content.
What LinkedIn Can Reveal
Depending on your case, and online investigation, searching LinkedIn may not be top of mind. However, it is quickly becoming a platform that you may not be able to afford not to check!
One recent post was from a professional woman who was sharing publicly that she was 5 years sober. She was proud of her accomplishment and wanted everyone to know. She went into quite a bit of detail as to what she went through in her journey to sobriety.
Another recent post was a from a male in his forties who was having a difficult time finding a job. His post was very personal. He wrote about the hardship of his wife having to work two jobs and the toll it was taking on his kids. It was almost like a public outcry for help and it was a very long and detailed post.
I immediately thought of how this information may be very beneficial in our OSINT work. LinkedIn is often thought of as the place to check for employment verification. However, if this is the new trend, it will serve to be much more useful than just that.
Oversharing is not Well Received By All
The Washington Postpublished an article back in August of 2023 on this subject. It is titled, “LinkedIn is getting weirdly personal and not everyone likes it”. The article referenced a recent post by Erika Taylor-Beck who was interviewed for the article. Here is what was written:
“I don’t always have it all together,” she wrote before revealing that she had been sexually abused, had turned to self-harm and binge drinking as coping mechanisms and has struggled with social anxiety and depression. “I share my ‘dirty laundry’ because it has made me who I am. … I’m grateful, and I want to help others get here too.”
Taylor-Beck, 40, made these confessions along with words of encouragement on LinkedIn, the social network more than 930 million people use globally for professional networking and job searching. As a vice president of e-learning and health-care compliance company Relias, she wanted to lead by example.
“I wanted to create a culture where folks felt like they could bring their whole selves to work,” she said. “So sharing my experiences so you feel safe to share yours.”
Research shows that people get positive mental effects from expressing personal elements about themselves to others, said Sunny Xun Liu, associate director of the Stanford Social Media Lab, which studies the psychological and interpersonal processes of social media. But how others perceive these confessions may not always be equal, she added.
“For men [mostly leaders] … people will think they’re competent,” she said. “But for lower ranks [and sometimes women], people may think they’re less competent.”
LinkedIn Searching
Search and Boolean Operators: Use LinkedIn’s search functionality with specific keywords and Boolean operators to narrow down results. This can help you find individuals or companies with specific characteristics.
Reviewing Recommendations and Endorsements: Recommendations and endorsements on LinkedIn can offer additional insights into an individual’s professional strengths and relationships.
Metadata and Timestamps: Pay attention to timestamps on posts and updates. This information can be crucial for establishing timelines and understanding the sequence of events.
Saved Articles and Publications: LinkedIn allows users to save articles and publications. Reviewing what a person finds valuable or informative can provide insights into their interests and expertise.
Consistency Checks: Cross-reference information gathered from LinkedIn with data from other sources to verify its accuracy and ensure consistency.
In today’s hyperconnected world, social media applications have become the go-to space for people to share their thoughts, feelings, opinions and experiences. While social media has endless benefits, such as staying connected with friends, family and the world at large, the boundaries between personal and professional life have never been blurrier. It is well known to some, but sadly not all, that what you share on social media can have a profound impact on your career and personal reputation. It’s a double-edged sword, a powerful tool for self-expression and networking, but one that can also be a slippery slope, potentially costing you your job and damaging your reputation in the blink of an eye. There are many ways, within the intricate web of social media, you can experience real-world consequences of the content you choose to share.
Current Events
First of all it has to be taken into account that the world is currently under a considerable amount of stress. Natural disasters have resulted in loss of lives, widespread destruction, and escalated tensions among nations and individuals. At this very moment, we are watching an unfolding conflict between Israel and Hamas, prompting people from all around the globe to express their thoughts, feelings, emotions, and political stances on social media regarding this complex issue. This war has ignited powerful sentiments worldwide, with many taking sides in this particular conflict.
The Associated Press (AP) recently found themselves in a predicament when one of their reporters, stationed in Gaza, was discovered to have a long history of publicly condemning Israel as anoppressive, apartheid regime. This raised concerns about the reporter’s ability to provide objective coverage of this conflict. A deep examination of the reporter’s X profile (Twitter) uncovered multiple tweets dating back to 2019, reinforcing the perceptions that his views on Israel were deeply rooted.
As a result, AP has taken the steps of relieving the reporter from his duties and is actively investigating his social media history. Interestingly enough, this is not the first time such an incident has occurred at AP. In 2021, the organization hired and subsequently fired a Stanford graduate who had previously posted anti-Israel contenton social media. The question is, did either of these employees ever wonder if what they shared on their social media would be reviewed by their employer?
Social Media and the Hiring Process
Recent data from The Harris Pollrevealed that a significant 71% of hiring decision makers concur on the effectiveness of scrutinizing candidates’ social media profiles as a screening tool. This statistic underscores a proud shift in the way our society approaches hiring practices. Social media’s influence has grown to such an extent that your resume is no longer the sole focus during the application process.
DeeAnn Sims-Knight, the visionary founder of Dark Horse PR, aptly captures this evolving landscape: “Because we tend to view our personal social media accounts as being “personal”, there’s a good chance that by viewing someone’s profile, you’ll get a glimpse into their personality beyond their resume.”
In this digital age, where our online presence can be as impactful as our real-world identity, it has become increasingly vital for job seekers and professionals alike to carefully curate their digital footprint. Your online presence isn’t just an extension of your resume; it’s an essential part of your professional identity.
Social Media and the Workplace
Over the course of our seven years in business at E-CHATTER, we have seen first hand human behavior through social media and the role it plays in the workplace. According to Zippia, 98% of workershave social media for their own personal use. Alongside that statistic, 77% of workers report using and engaging with social media at work. It is not uncommon for employees to exhibit patterns and tendencies when sharing content online throughout their day. Many individuals are drawn to sharing an abundance of personal information. According to Harry Denley, a hacker and Security and Anti-Phishing at MyCrypo, said: “Most people are very verbose about what they share online. You can find virtually anything…”
People Magazine shared some truly astonishing testimonies of individuals who either experienced firsthand or witnessed the repercussions of their online activities. One particularly shocking case involved a nurse who shared posts to her Facebook such as, “Soooooo sleepy here in the ICU. Will someone please code and give me something exciting to do? #isthatbad?” alongside racist comments. What made this even more astonishing was that the nurse had tagged her posts with the location of the hospital where she worked.
Another example within the article showcased a co-worker who was dismissed from their job for indulging in marijuana and alcohol during work hours and proudly shared photos of these activities to social media. Unsurprisingly, their boss discovered the incriminating posts and promptly terminated the employee.
One of the most ironic stories shared of them all was the tale of a firefighter who was let go from his position after leaving work multiple times for an “emergency”. He was later caught sharing images to social media of him swimming in a pool and riding quads posting, “sometimes you just need to F-off from work”.
Social Media Oversharing
To comprehend this tendency, we must consider the unique dynamics of social media. Many perceive it as an outlet where they can shout into the void, assuming their posts will go unnoticed or that their identity will remain concealed. Sharing on social media offers a buffer period between the confession and the consequences, completely removing the power of face-to-face interactions. More than anything, most underlying reasons for oversharing on social media have to do with chasing clout or those “15 minutes of fame”. It can alleviate feelings of isolation, connecting individuals with like-minded people who empathize with their experiences.
With these insights in mind, E-CHATTER approaches online investigations with the understanding that there is a high likelihood that someone, at some point, may have inadvertently shared crucial information. Let’s consider a few real-life stories that vividly illustrate the unforeseen consequences of thoughtless digital actions.
Social Media History
While some individuals face termination in the workplace due to their current posts or comments, others may be terminated based on their social media history. Depending on the company’s policies, your social media past can hold as much significance as the posts made during your tenure. E-CHATTER has taken on cases that involved scrutinizing individuals due to discrepancies in their work history as listed on their resume. In one notable instance, an individual asserted that they had long-term employment with some of the most prestigious companies and organizations in their industry, a claim that didn’t stand up to analysis.
As our investigation unfolded it became evident that this individual was operating online under a different name. They were actively hosting a podcast that delved into their life, exposing a trail of admissions related to drug use and inappropriate content. This revelation proved to be a potential catastrophe averted for the employer, underscoring the importance of thorough background checks and the observance of a potential hire’s digital footprint.
In conclusion, the ever-expanding digital landscape has significantly altered the way we perceive and interact with the professional world. Employers must recognize the importance of closely monitoring their employees’ and potential hires’ online presence, especially in relation to sensitive topics such as race, sex, and discrimination. By proactively addressing and mitigating any harmful or inappropriate online content, businesses can not only safeguard their own reputation but also foster a more inclusive and respectful work environment. In today’s interconnected society, the boundary between one’s personal and professional life has become increasingly blurred, making it imperative for employers to adapt to these new realities and take a proactive stance in promoting a workplace culture that upholds respect, diversity, and equalityfor all.
Conducting an online investigation on a corporation involves gathering information about the company from a variety of online resources. It is used for many purposes; some of which include, gaining insights to its operations, financial health, reputation and more. A PI investigating a corporation typically follows a systematic approach to gather information, uncover potential wrongdoing, and provide valuable insights to their clients. This includes collecting publicly available information about the corporation. Researching its history, key personnel, financial records, public statements, news articles, etc… There are several different reasons why a corporation might hire an Investigator to conduct online research. Some of the most common are listed below.
Due Diligence: Investigations on corporations for potential investors, partners, or clients. This might involve verifying financial information, assessing the company’s reputation, investigating key executives, and uncovering any hidden risks.
Intellectual Property Theft: Looking into cases of intellectual property theft or industrial espionage. PIs can gather evidence to identify culprits and prevent further theft.
Competitive Intelligence: Assisting companies by gathering online information about their competitors, including market strategies, product developments, and potential vulnerabilities.
Corporate Security Assessments: PIs might be hired to assess a corporation’s security protocols, vulnerabilities, and potential threats, helping the company improve its security measures.
Insurance Fraud: Private investigators can assist insurance companies in investigating potential fraudulent claims made by corporations, such as property damage or liability claims.
Litigation Support: Private investigators can provide evidence and information that supports legal cases involving corporations, such as in cases of contract disputes, intellectual property infringement, or wrongful termination.
Online Resources to Use
We use several online resources, but the few mentioned below are worth mentioning. Like any other deep web dive, each site potentially offers breadcrumbs that can be used in your investigation.
Open Corporates (https://opencorporates.com ) Collects and aggregates data from various public sources, such as company registers, government records, and other official documents. The platform then organizes and presents this data in a standardized format, making it easier to search and analyze. Users can access information about a company’s legal status, ownership, financial history, and more. Ripoffreport (https: ripoffreport.com) is a consumer complaint website that allows individuals to post complaints and reviews about businesses, products, and services.
Glass Door (https://www.glassdoor.com) This site is a job and recruiting website that allows employees and former employees to anonymously review companies and their management, provide salary information, and share insights about the interview process.
LittleSis (https://littlesis.org/) This site is used for tracking and researching the connections and relationships among powerful individuals, organizations, and corporations in the United States. It allows users to create and access profiles of influential people, companies, politicians, and non-profit organizations. These profiles include information on their affiliations, board memberships, political contributions, financial interests, and other relevant data.
Crunchbase (https://crunchbase.com) is a platform that provides information about companies and startups, including their funding, key personnel, products or services, and other relevant business details.
Corporate Case Study
We were hired recently to conduct several deep web scans on companies and their C-Suite executives. The Investigator worked with a client who was about to do some major business with three businesses and wanted to know everything about them before jumping into a business relationship. When completed, one could get an excellent picture of the overall reputation of the companies. The group of companies were business to consumer, so there were a lot of online reviews from various sites from Amazon to Yelp. Social media played a significant role. Newspaper articles published online were included as well as company generated press releases. As you can imagine, it was a large report.
Don’t forget About the Employees
The next step in our corporate case study was to identify online profiles and information on key executives in each organization. Why was this important? By conducting this research, it revealed how the employees felt about working for the company. It also ruled out any social media violations in the workplace. Our research included looking for any of the following areas of interest.
Sharing Confidential Information: Posting sensitive company information, trade secrets, financial data, or proprietary information on social media platforms without authorization.
Harassment and Bullying: Using social media to target, harass, or bully colleagues, supervisors, or other individuals within or outside the organization.
Discriminatory Remarks: Making discriminatory comments, including those related to race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics, which can create a hostile work environment.
Defamation and Libel: Making false or damaging statements about the company, coworkers, or management that could harm their reputation or result in legal consequences.
Negative Publicity: Sharing negative opinions, complaints, or criticism about the company, products, or services, which could potentially harm the company’s image or business relationships.
It always amazes me what people will post online. Even in the age of increased privacy awareness, people get carried away sometimes with the personal information they post online. It may have been posted years ago but can come back to haunt them in an investigation.
Once again, the landscape of social media is undergoing transformation. Emerging platforms are gaining traction and popularity, prompting us to ponder whether they truly live up to the buzz. Fortunately, we’ve delved into the depths to spare you the effort. One of the platforms purportedly riding the wave of attention is Mastodon Social.
Mastodon Social
Mastodon Social, named after the heavy metal band hailing from Atlanta, GA, was brought into existence by Eugen Rochko in October of 2016. Rochko, a German software developer and entrepreneur, grew up accustomed to the universal social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Frustrated by the dominance of American corporations and their governance of these platforms, Rochko took matters into his own hands and conceived Mastodon.
This innovative platform took the form of an open-source, decentralized social network, comprising independent servers organized in a federated structure. This arrangement empowers users to establish their own servers. Notably, in 2022, when Elon Musk assumed control of Twitter, Mastodon witnessed a significant surge in growth. It was recorded that 800,000 accounts were established on Mastodon, but this figure swiftly declined by 30%. The reason? Novice users felt that the platform was dominated by tech-savvy individuals, which made those less tech-savvy feel unwelcome.
Functionality of the Platform
At first glance, the platform can be overwhelming for outsiders. As previously mentioned, it consists of myriad social networks, all running on distinct servers, or ‘instances,’ as they are referred to. These instances communicate with one another through a mechanism known as the Fediverse. What exactly is the Fediverse? To add a touch of complexity for the average user, the Fediverse constitutes a loosely connected group of decentralized servers that operate on open-source standards. This setup permits users to interact and engage across multiple platforms. In simpler terms, it’s akin to liking a Tweet on Facebook or viewing an Instagram Reel on TikTok. Notably, Mastodon instances or servers are not obliged to be connected to the Fediverse, and the majority aren’t. A case in point is Truth Social, the social network linked to former US President Donald Trump, which remains disconnected from the Fediverse and has garnered a reputation as the most renowned Mastodon instance.
Integration of Several Platforms
Mastodon seamlessly amalgamates several familiar platforms into a unified experience. Much like Twitter, users can share brief messages, referred to as ‘toots,’ either with the world at large or specifically with chosen individuals. Each post is capped at a maximum of 500 characters (a substantial leap from Twitter’s 280-character limit). The platform facilitates the sharing of links, images, audio files, and videos. Users retain the autonomy to decide with whom they share, allowing for posts to be either public or private, accessible solely to their followers. Unlike platforms that employ algorithms to curate content, Mastodon displays posts from accounts users follow, with much of it organized through hashtags. Just like other networking sites, users follow hashtags that align with their interests, exposing them to content associated with those hashtags. Posts are presented in a timeline, sequenced chronologically, though not just one timeline—there are three. First, the Home Timeline encompasses all posts and reblogs from those you follow, providing the most familiar experience. Next comes the Local Timeline, showcasing content solely from your server if you possess one. Lastly, the Federated Timeline displays posts from Mastodon servers that you follow.
Mastodon Followers
Mastodon employs a concept of ‘followers,’ although it diverges significantly from the conventional notion of followers or friends. Users can follow any account, even if it’s on a different server, and the content from that account will feature on their Home Timeline. Accounts set to private require review and approval for followers. The platform permits users to mark posts as favorites, but the count of likes or favorites doesn’t surface on timelines. If you wish to amplify someone else’s post, you need to ‘boost’ or reblog it. Comparable to TikTok or Instagram, you can ‘bookmark’ posts or toots without notifying the account that shared them. A distinctive feature that contrasts with other social sites is Direct Messaging. However, it’s not what you might anticipate. While you can engage in back-and-forth messaging with other users on Mastodon, the messages aren’t strictly private. Instead, you create a post much like any other and restrict its visibility to only those tagged in the post. This approach ensures that the post is concealed from those who haven’t been tagged, yet it remains a post, potentially leading some users to be cautious about sharing private or personal information through this method.
Platform Moderation
Now, onto the topic of moderation. Traditional social networking sites typically employ centralized moderators to determine what content is considered safe or acceptable for sharing. Given Mastodon’s decentralized structure, users take on the responsibility of moderating content on their own servers. As one might expect, this arrangement has led to some challenges. Research conducted by Stanford University revealed alarming findings regarding the presence of child sexual abuse material. Over a span of two days, researchers identified 112 instances of child sexual abuse material out of approximately 325,000 analyzed posts. Shockingly, the first instance of such content was located within just five minutes. Furthermore, an examination of the Fediverse for the use of the top 20 child sexual abuse-related hashtags yielded 713 instances of hashtag use and 1,217 posts without associated media. While Mastodon users can report items, and the platform does offer moderator tools for review, it lacks built-in mechanisms for reporting child sexual abuse material
This leads us to the issue of sharing general NSFW (Not Safe For Work) content on the platform. Formerly, Tumblr served as a sanctuary for NSFW content creators, but as the platform implemented stricter policies against such content, users have migrated to Mastodon. The platform encompasses multiple instances or servers that predominantly focus on sharing explicit content. For instance, Switter, a hub for users and clients to connect with sex workers, boasts a user base exceeding 200,000. Numerous popular instances or servers have become havens for users seeking refuge from platforms like Tumblr and Twitter due to their content restrictions. These facts bring to the surface another question. As many users are trying to find a safe place to land, in terms of leaving Twitter, are they prepared to be introduced to content with no trigger warning or blurring of explicit content?
The overarching question remains: Can Mastodon sustain the growth of its user base, or will this momentum taper off? With Twitter’s rebranding as X and the ensuing frustrations of its users, a hunt for a new virtual haven to express thoughts and opinions is underway. Whether the discontented trickle of users will eventually cease or continue to seep into other platforms is uncertain. Predictions suggest that Mastodon’s growth might be curtailed due to its intricate framework. The platform is anticipated to cater to a niche audience, primarily due to its complexity. Notably, the absence of paid advertising or marketing means that there are no businesses driving the platform’s expansion. Will this platform eventually strike a chord with the average user, or will it eventually fade into obscurity? Only time holds the answer.
