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Cyberstalking & Desensitized Americans in 2023

Imagine you are taking a once in a lifetime style vacation, visiting the most amazing places, eating the best food at highly rated restaurants, and experiencing the spectacular view from your hotel room window. How much of this would you feel led to share on social media? And of that, how many of the posts would you geotag with your location? We are currently living in a world full of 8 billion people, and 4.9 billion of those people engage in social media. That is over half of the entire world population, sharing information about their lives on the internet. There is a large majority of people who engage in social media who do so privately with the exception of close friends and family. You then have the other side of the coin with people who share their social media experience with all 4.9 billion people on social media. This is where the danger of social media truly lives, cyberstalking.

Cyberstalking

It has been reported that each year there are an estimated 850,000 adults in the United States who are victims of cyberstalking. This is an issue that is unfortunately not discussed nearly as much as it should be, especially with the younger generations.

Take the story of TikTok star Ava Majury. In 2020, 13 year old Ava had attracted over 1 million followers to her social media accounts by sharing videos of herself doing dances and lip synching to popular music. Ava began receiving messages from an 18 year old boy named Justin, who she assumed was just another one of her fans. Justin, through social media, was able to locate friends and classmates of Ava’s who he paid in exchange for photos of her and her cell phone number. It was clear that Ava had developed a Cyberstalker and she blocked him through all her social media. Still, Justin was able to connect with people through social media to discover where she lived and show up to her house armed with a shotgun. Ava’s father, a retired police lieutenant, ordered him to leave their property and drop his weapon. Justin did not listen and his intent on causing the family harm was made clear, and he was fatally shot by Ava’s father. Ava continues to share content online publicly with the support of her parents.

Social Media Influencers

Stories like Ava’s are more common than you think. In September of 2018 there was a story reported of a 21 year old man who was arrested for breaking into a home and bedroom of a 13 year old girl whose address he had found by studying her posts on social media. Take Tabitha Swatosh, better known as the “big sister” of the internet. Tabitha has made her fame through TikTok but also through YouTube as she posts videos of her lip syncing to different sounds as well as ‘vlogging’ her everyday life. She has over 13 million followers on her TikTok account, and has been a part of the Hype House since 2022.

You may wonder what the Hype House is. Well, the Hype House is a content creator collective and an actual physical rental mansion in Los Angeles, California. The whole point of having this home is for the members of this tight knit club to collaborate with each other and brands making viral content for the internet. It was created by (at the time) 17 year old TikTok star Lil Huddy and 21 year old YouTube star Thomas Petrou. Over the years they have had a multitude of members including some of the more recognizable Charlie and Dixie D’Amelio.

So how does this fit into cyberstalking? Well, Hype House member Tabitha Swatosh has been very open about the countless stalkers she has obtained throughout her social media journey. The most recent being in December of 2022, Tabitha posted to TikTok sharing that she has to move for the 3rd time in one year due to a stalker coming to the door of her apartment. Despite Tabitha’s history with stalkers, she continues to share videos on her TikTok showing parts of the outside of her new apartment building as well as distinguishable features of the inside. The content that she has shared about her most recent stalkers has combined views of over 8 million. So now we ask the question, is society romanticizing cyberstalking?

Social Media Oversharing

On your journey through social media you can find content of people stalking their current love interests on social media, learning things about them that they shouldn’t really know based on their in person conversations. You have instances like the current pop culture drama between Hailey Beiber and Selena Gomez, where society is deep diving into the archives of social media to prove a point about these two celebrities saying they’re ‘investigating’ when really it could be considered a form of cyberstalking.

Finally, taking a look at one of the most popular Netflix shows currently streaming called You. This show follows the lead character Joe Goldberg who is a serial stalker, and it is narrated from his point of view. Viewers are taken through a journey as Joe stalks people online, in person, and kills people all under the illusion of him having to do these things to protect the people he loves… Society LOVES this character, choosing to see his better qualities and ignore the bad.

Are we, as a society, becoming desensitized to the risks of publicly oversharing on social media? It is very possible to have a safe online presence, but the current ‘influencers’ are pushing the narrative that to have a multitude of followers and viral videos, you have to share the private details of your life publicly. Is this really the example we want to set for the youth of America? Are we encouraging them to share private details of themselves online just for the sake of chasing clout? No matter what the circumstances? It sure seems as a society we need to be much more aware of what we post publicly.

Tips to Identify Fake Images Online in 2023

Identifying a fake image online can be challenging as technology has made it easier to manipulate images. In a blog post from 2020, titled “OSINT Research & False Positives” we discussed how easy it was to create a computer generated image. However, fast forward to 2023, with the explosion of artificial intelligence, creating computer generated images of all kinds have taken on a life of their own.

Taking a closer look at examples of fake images can help to train your eye to look for certain traits of the image to determine it’s legitimacy. Nothing is infallible of course, but there are some steps you can take to assist in identifying fake images. In fact, next time you have some time to kill, check out “Which Face is Real” to test out your knowledge!

Signs of computer-generated manipulation

The photo above was identified as fake through Snopes.com’s fact checking. The photo was posted to a Twitter user’s feed. Snopes is a great resource for debunking fake profiles, images and news. According to the article on the site, “The photo was generated by artificial intelligence (AI), with several telltale signs of computer-generated manipulation. For examples, an area near Trump’s lower lip showed another trace of lip; the faces of the presumed Secret Service agents and many crowd members were disfigured; some heads looked more like skulls, and the flags’ coloring wasn’t consistent. Additionally, the man immediately behind Trump not only had signs of digital doctoring in his face but also his right hand.”

The photo was fake; it was not a genuine documentation of Trump arriving to New York for his booking and arraignment. The Twitter user acknowledged that fact, writing in a reply tweet, “I didn’t find this [photo]. I generated it via prompts.”
Source: Snopes.com

Systems such as Stable Diffusion, DALL-E, and Midjourney make it easy for anyone to create images to fit their narrative. The good news is that historically, AI generated systems have struggled to mimic human hands as an example. Something to keep in mind, for now at least.

Scientific American’s recent article on Artificial Intelligence, states that the some AI images are so hard to detect that it may take AI to identify it as being a fake!

“It’s pretty amazing, in terms of what AI image generators are able to do,” says S. Shyam Sundar, a researcher at Pennsylvania State University who studies the psychological impacts of media technologies. “There’s been a giant leap in the last year or so in terms of image-generation abilities.”

Tips to Identifying Fake Images Online

Look for inconsistencies: Study the photo carefully for inconsistencies or irregularities in the image. Look for blurred edges, mismatched shadows, or disproportionate objects. These inconsistencies can be a sign of photo manipulation.
Check the metadata: Most digital photos contain metadata that includes information such as the date, time, and location of the photo. Check this information to ensure it is consistent with the photo’s content.
Reverse image search: Use a reverse image search tool like Google Images, Bing Images, Yandex Images or TinEye to check if the photo has been used elsewhere on the internet. If it has been used in different contexts, it may be a sign that it’s a fake.
Consult experts: If you’re still unsure about the authenticity of a photo, consult experts such as photo forensics specialists, journalists, or fact-checking organizations.
Be skeptical: Finally, always approach photos online with a healthy dose of skepticism. Be wary of photos that seem too good to be true or those that are designed to elicit an emotional response.
Look for a Watermark: DALL-E 2 places a watermark on every photo generated through their system. The Watermark is shown below (the color bar). It is placed very small on the image. It can be removed however, so it will not always be shown.

By following these steps, you can increase your chances of identifying a fake photo online.

The Shift from Posts to Stories

Over the past few years, there has been a noticeable shift from traditional social media posting to stories. Stories are short-lived, vertical format posts that are available for 24 hours on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

There are a few reasons why this shift has occurred. First, stories are more visually engaging than traditional social media posts. They allow users to share a series of photos or videos in a more dynamic way, often with added features like filters, stickers, and text overlays. This makes stories more appealing to younger generations who value visual content.

Second, stories are more ephemeral than traditional social media posts. Because they disappear after 24 hours, users may feel more comfortable sharing candid, unpolished content without worrying about it living on forever. This makes stories feel more authentic and raw, which can be a refreshing change from the curated feeds that dominate traditional social media.

Third, stories are often prioritized by social media algorithms. This means that users are more likely to see stories from people they follow at the top of their feed, making it a more effective way to stay up to date with friends and influencers.

Overall, the shift from social media posting to stories reflects a desire for more dynamic, authentic, and visually engaging content that feels more personal and less polished.

Several social media platforms have adopted the stories feature, which allows users to share short-lived, vertical format posts that disappear after 24 hours. Here are some of the most popular social media platforms that have stories:

Which Social Media Platforms Have Stories?

Instagram: Instagram was one of the first social media platforms to introduce stories, and it remains one of the most popular platforms for stories. Instagram stories allow users to share photos and videos with added features like stickers, text overlays, and music.
Snapchat: Snapchat is another social media platform that is well-known for its stories feature. Snapchat stories allow users to share photos and videos with added filters and effects.
Facebook: Facebook introduced stories in 2017, allowing users to share photos and videos in a format similar to Instagram stories.
WhatsApp: WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, also has a stories feature called Status. WhatsApp Status allows users to share photos, videos, and text updates that disappear after 24 hours.
YouTube: YouTube has a stories feature called Reels, which allows creators with over 10,000 subscribers to share short-form video content with their audience.
Twitter: Twitter has a stories feature called Fleets, which allows users to share text, photos, and videos that disappear after 24 hours.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn has a stories feature that is currently available only to users in certain countries. LinkedIn stories allow users to share short-form video content related to their professional lives.

The Future of Social Media Stories

The future of social media stories looks promising, as they continue to be a popular feature across various social media platforms. Here are some potential trends that may shape the future of social media stories:

Continued innovation: Social media platforms will continue to innovate and expand the features of their stories, such as adding new filters, animations, and interactive elements to keep users engaged and entertained.
Integration with e-commerce: Social media stories may become more integrated with e-commerce, allowing users to purchase products directly from a story or swipe up to view a product page.
Increased use by businesses: Businesses are already using social media stories to reach customers and promote products, and this trend is expected to continue. As stories become more interactive and integrated with e-commerce, businesses may use them as a primary marketing tool.
Growth in private stories: Private stories, which are only visible to select friends or followers, may become more popular as users seek to share more personal content in a more intimate setting.

Greater emphasis on video: Video content is becoming increasingly popular on social media, and stories are no exception. Platforms may place greater emphasis on video content in their stories, such as by allowing longer videos or adding more video editing features.

They Can See You

Several social media platforms allow users to see who has viewed their stories, while others do not offer this feature. Here are some of the most popular social media platforms that allow users to see who views their stories:

Instagram: Instagram allows users to see a list of people who have viewed their story. Users can access this list by swiping up on their story.
Snapchat: Snapchat allows users to see a list of people who have viewed their story. Users can access this list by swiping up on their story.
Facebook: Facebook allows users to see a list of people who have viewed their story. Users can access this list by clicking on the eye icon located at the bottom of their story.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn allows users to see a list of people who have viewed their story. Users can access this list by clicking on the “views” icon located at the bottom of their story.

It’s important to note that while some social media platforms allow users to see who has viewed their stories, others do not offer this feature. For example, Twitter’s Fleets feature does not currently allow users to see who has viewed their stories. Additionally, users may only be able to see who has viewed their story if their account is set to public, as private accounts may not allow this feature.

How Can You Search Stories as an Investigator?

As an investigator, searching social media stories can be a valuable tool in gathering information, but it may not always be easy or straightforward.

The ability to search social media stories will depend on the platform in question. Some platforms, like Instagram, allow users to search for stories using keywords or hashtags, while others, like Snapchat, do not have a search feature for public stories.

Additionally, stories are often ephemeral and disappear after 24 hours, which can make them difficult to locate and collect as evidence. However, it is possible to capture screenshots or screen recordings of stories as they appear in real-time, which can be useful for preserving evidence.

It is important to note that accessing and collecting information from social media stories must be done in accordance with the platform’s terms of service and applicable laws and regulations. As an investigator, you should be familiar with the legal and ethical guidelines surrounding the collection and use of social media data.

Overall, the future of social media stories is likely to be shaped by continued innovation, increased integration with e-commerce, and a greater emphasis on personalization and video content. Stay tuned! It’s only the beginning.

Breaking Down BeReal

It is interesting to think about how social media has changed our world. We have grown from corded wall phones, to flip phones to now mini computers we carry around with us everywhere we go. It isn’t enough for society to have instant conversations through emails, text or phone calls, but we need to share our daily activities through an app using pictures, videos and captions. Gone are the disposable kodak film cameras and in are the kodak film filters to make your iphone selfie look ‘vintage’. With the use of great lighting and precise movements, someone could be using a filter to change their face shape, hair color, eye color, lip size and so much more. Influencers are not influencing honestly, society has molded and shaped a reality that is fake and inhuman. No one wants to share their insecurities; they would rather mask them with technology and paint a picture that is not real life.

With this being said, we are being introduced to a new app that forces you to share your insecurities. No more being able to take 50 photos and choose the best one, and most of all no filters. The social media application, BeReal, was introduced in December 2019 by Alexis Barreyat and Kévin Perreau. The popularity grew overseas as the French creators launched BeReal, and now it is spreading world wide. This app pushes users to share who they are in the moment, with no addons, and now it is among the latest trending social media apps.

Move over Emoji….

So how does BeReal work? Once the app is downloaded, you have the opportunity to make a public or private profile. If your profile is made public, just like Instagram or TikTok, your image each day gets shared to an explore page for the public to interact with. If shared just with friends, the image populates in a feed for your friends to see each day. The app was built to display transparency in just about every way. Instead of choosing an emoji to respond with when looking at a post, you reply using what the app calls a RealMoji. This presents you with the same basic reaction emojis that you see on any other social media app, you choose which emoji you want to respond with and you are then prompted to recreate that emoji with your own photograph, your own face

BeReal and Transparency

Each day at a random time you will be alerted by the app that it is time to post a BeReal for the day. Once you open the alert and navigate into the app you have 2 minutes and 2 minutes only to take a photo of what you are doing at that moment. The transparency doesn’t end there. Not only are you taking a selfie of yourself or maybe a photo of the activity you are currently doing, but you take two photos. One photo is from your front facing camera and the other is from your back facing camera. So you are posting a full representation of where you are and what you are doing. You can retake your photo as many times before the 2 minutes are up, but be wary because everyone on the app (if your profile is public or friends if your profile is private) can see just how many times you re-took your photo. Once you begin posting, only you can go back and see the previous posts you’ve made. If you don’t want to post one day, that’s okay don’t post. But if you don’t post, you won’t be able to see your friends BeReals for the day.

What About Safety?

Of course BeReal has some questionable features as well. If you make your profile public, there is no end to who could see your photo or what reaction they could send you via Realmoji. This opens up the normal social media downfall of trolling and bullying. But posting publicly, you have no clue who is seeing your posts which opens up the door to someone taking screenshots of your content. Similarly to Snapchat, BeReal will show exactly who has screenshotted your post, but that doesn’t delete it from their device. Another questionable feature of BeReal is the reporting. There is no currently available option to report a post with specific detail, you are just prompted with the simple ‘it’s undesirable’ or ‘it’s inappropriate’. Just like any other social media website/application it is almost virtually impossible to moderate the content being shared, so you have the possibility of seeing explicit/inappropriate content shared by the public.

Saving the best feature for last, BeReal (similarly to Snapchat) has a geotagging feature. As long as the app has access to your location settings, it will share your EXACT location on a map immediately with your post. With the setup of this app, you can not post an experience later when you get home and tag your previous location. You are sharing within a two minute window exactly where you are. This is a very large safety concern for many users, and for many parents of younger users.

Investigating BeReal

So what does this mean for investigators? This is another app to be keeping your eyes on when looking into a subject. You can search for specific people through BeReal, but the catch is that you can only see people’s content if you post yourself. Usually within investigations, you are wanting to capture something from someone’s online presence. Since the app is only available on an android or iPhone, capturing a post without being seen is difficult due to their screenshotting feature. It has been posted online that there is no way for users to know if you have taken a screen recording of someone’s post, which proves to be helpful for investigators but a slight safety issue for the users. So what do you think? Is BeReal setting a standard for the future of social media? Only time will tell.

The TikTok Influence

The world just doesn’t know what to do with TikTok. For what appears to be the umpteenth time, news outlets are covering the famous app as U.S. lawmakers work to ban it in the United States. Over 1 billion people tune in to the app monthly, and for reference that closely follows the 1.4 billion people on Instagram, 2.2 billion on YouTube, and 2.9 billion users on Facebook. In the United States alone, TikTok has over 138 million active users who spend an average of 95 minutes on the app per day. It is safe to say that this app has a very particular sway on its users, more so than any other social media platform in history.

According to the Washington Post, in 2021 the trending viral videos of people sharing their favorite books, many of them with the hashtag #BookTok, helped make 2021 one of the publishing industry’s best sales years ever. This trend doesn’t just stop at the publishing industry. Take the Stanley Big Grip Travel Quencher that was on everyone’s Christmas list this past year, it is safe to say that their sales of this viral water bottle were largely influenced by TikTok. The hashtag #stanleytumbler has over 133 million views, and the brand’s TikTok page has over 30 thousand followers. If you can believe it, the app’s influence doesn’t stop there.

In July of 2022, Google senior vice president Prabhakar Raghavan shared internal data showing that an average of 40% of 18 to 24-year-olds in the United States go to TikTok and Instagram over Google for their search needs. This data makes many businesses wonder what the future holds in regard to consumer behavior. TikTok has already demonstrated its influence with viral videos, but what happens when users start funneling from Google over to TikTok for their searching needs? We have seen other apps such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube attempt to produce the TikTok model with Reels and YouTube Shorts, but nothing seems to beat the incredibly smart algorithm that TikTok holds.

So with all of these incredible benefits on our economy, why would lawmakers be trying to ban TikTok in the United States? TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, who is located in China, have been accused many times of accessing nonpublic data about US TikTok users which is exactly why former president Donald Trump tried to ban the app during his presidency. In a 2021 Senate hearing, a TikTok executive shared that there was a US based security team that decides who gets access to the data, and that US user data was not being handled in China. According to the BuzzFeed News, that is not the whole truth. There were 14 statements made by 9 different TikTok employees sharing that there were Beijing-based engineers that “have access to everything”.

So what does this mean for the app’s future in the US? Currently, both Democrats and Republicans stand mostly unified in their attempts to weaken the immensely popular (and powerful) social media platform. President Joe Biden approved a limited TikTok ban when he signed the over 4,000 page spending bill into law in December. The ban disallows the use of TikTok by the federal government’s employees, which stretch to almost 4 million people, on devices owned by its agencies. The bans don’t stop there, many state government’s banned the app to be used by its employee’s, but also to students and workers who are on the wifi of certain college campuses. University of Oklahoma, University of Texas, Alabama and Auburn are some of the campuses who have set forth this new campus rule.

ByteDance has created a new U.S. Based team as of this past December, to help address these trust and safety issues stating that the purpose was to “build further trust and confidence in the protection of US user data and compliance”. It has been said that President Biden is more inclined to keep the app in the market, but there is no final decision that has yet been made. This safety issue that is being discussed not only affects everyday Americans and the content creators on the app, but it may also have a lasting effect on businesses and the future of social media marketing.