How does Substack compare to other Microblogging Platforms?
Does your social media investigation include Substack? For private investigators, this platform deserves a place on the research checklist.
Substack combines newsletters, articles, podcasts, and videos with social features that can expand a subject’s public digital footprint. Users can publish their own content or participate through profiles and discussions.
How Does Substack Compare to Other Microblogging Platforms?
If you’re familiar with the short posts and conversations associated with X, Threads, or Bluesky, Substack Notes follows a similar format. Users can share short updates, reply, like content, and “restack” posts to share them with their audience. Notes are public and can appear on the web, in the app, and on profiles.
For OSINT analysts, the added value is the connection between those brief interactions and longer content. A short Note may lead to an article, personal essay, or publication that provides more context for a case.
What Can Analysts Find?
Depending on public visibility and privacy settings, a Substack review may reveal:
Profile information: Photos, biographies, usernames, and linked social profiles.
Published content: Posts containing statements, images, or references to activities and events.
Conversations: Notes, replies, comments, and restacks.
Visible engagement: Likes and publications a user publicly displays as reading.
What Makes a Finding Useful?
A reused username or linked website can provide a lead for further research. A dated post may help document statements relevant to the case timeline. However, a matching name alone does not confirm identity, and an interaction does not establish a personal relationship or endorsement.
Effective Substack OSINT research connects corroborated profiles and documented activity to the scope of work, with source URLs, dates, and context.
At E-Chatter, our analysts look beyond familiar platforms to help private investigators uncover relevant digital activity and document clear, factual findings.
When conducting an online investigation, LinkedIn may not be the first social media platform that comes to mind. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X often receive more attention because of the amount of personal content users share.
But LinkedIn can tell a very different story.
For private investigators, attorneys, insurance professionals, and other investigative professionals, LinkedIn can provide valuable insight into a subject’s professional life, relationships, locations, businesses, and history.
More importantly, the information discovered on LinkedIn can provide new leads that take an investigation far beyond the platform itself.
At e chatter, we look at LinkedIn as another piece of a much larger digital footprint.
Why LinkedIn Matters During an OSINT Investigation
People use LinkedIn differently than they use most social media platforms. On Instagram, someone might share where they traveled last weekend. On LinkedIn, that same person might publicly identify their employer, job title, city, education, professional certifications, coworkers, business ventures, and career history. For an investigator, those details matter. A subject who has very little publicly available personal social media activity may still maintain a detailed professional presence. The important question is not simply: Does this person have a LinkedIn account? The better question is: What does this information tell us, and where can it take the investigation next?
Employment History Can Establish a Timeline
LinkedIn can be particularly useful when attempting to understand a subject’s employment history.
A profile may identify a current employer, but investigators should also consider previous employers, job titles, dates, promotions, career changes, and locations. These details can help establish a timeline. For example, a subject’s employment history may indicate that they previously worked in another state. That information could provide a new geographic location to research.
A newly identified employer could lead to a company website, employee biography, professional license, business record, news article, or additional social media account. The value is often not the employment information itself. It is what that information allows the investigator to search next.
Professional Connections Can Reveal Important Relationships
Relationships are an important part of digital investigations. LinkedIn may help identify coworkers, supervisors, employees, business partners, clients, professional associates, and other individuals connected to the subject. These connections can become valuable investigative leads.
An associate may publicly discuss a project involving the subject.
A coworker may post photographs from a company event.
A business partner may announce a new venture.
An employer may publicly congratulate the subject on a promotion.
Sometimes another person’s online activity provides information that the subject never disclosed on their own profile.
This is why investigators should look beyond the subject and consider the digital environment surrounding them.
LinkedIn Activity Can Tell a Different Story
A LinkedIn profile is only one part of the platform.
Posts, comments, reactions, photographs, announcements, and other activity may provide additional context about what a subject is currently doing.
Depending on the scope of an investigation, activity may reveal information related to:
• Employment changes
• Business ventures
• Professional events
• Conferences
• Travel
• Geographic locations
• Projects
• Professional relationships
• Industry involvement
• Awards and accomplishments
• Recent professional activity
A subject does not necessarily need to create their own post to leave a digital trail.
Comments and interactions can be equally important.
Even a short comment on another person’s post may help establish a relationship, confirm professional involvement, or provide another avenue for research.
Business Interests May Be Hiding in Plain Sight
LinkedIn can also help investigators identify business interests that may not immediately appear through a standard social media search.
A subject might identify themselves as an owner, founder, consultant, contractor, advisor, partner, freelancer, or investor.
That information can open an entirely new area of research.
Once a business is identified, investigators may be able to examine publicly available company websites, business records, professional profiles, social media accounts, reviews, advertisements, and other online sources.
This is especially important because people sometimes maintain a stronger online presence for their businesses than they do for themselves.
A relatively private individual may operate a very public company.
Don’t Forget the People Around a Business
When investigating a company, the company’s official LinkedIn page is only one potential source.
Employees and leadership may reveal additional information through their personal profiles.
For example, employees may discuss new projects, office openings, hiring, partnerships, conferences, company events, leadership changes, or expansion.
This information may provide context that does not appear on the company’s official website or social media accounts.
In some investigations, understanding the individuals connected to a business can be just as important as researching the business itself.
Education Can Strengthen Subject Identification
Education, certifications, licenses, training, and professional organizations can provide additional identifiers. This becomes particularly valuable when investigating someone with a common name. Consider two individuals with the same name. If one individual attended the same university as the subject, works in the correct industry, lives in the expected geographic area, and is connected to a known associate, those combined details provide significantly more context than a name match alone. This is where analysis becomes critical. Investigators should evaluate multiple identifiers rather than relying on a single matching piece of information.
Attribution Matters
Finding a profile and proving that it belongs to the subject are two different things. This distinction is extremely important in professional OSINT investigations. A matching name alone may not provide enough information to confidently attribute an account. Investigators should consider the totality of available identifiers, which may include:
• Name
• Location
• Employment
• Education
• Known associates
• Usernames
• Profile photographs
• Email addresses
• Phone numbers
• Historical information
The strength of those identifiers should determine the level of confidence associated with the profile. This is especially important when investigative findings may be used in litigation, insurance matters, corporate investigations, background investigations, or other professional settings.
One Finding Should Lead to Another
One of the most important skills in OSINT is knowing how to pivot. Imagine an investigator identifies a previously unknown employer through LinkedIn. That employer can now be researched independently. The company’s website identifies the subject as part of its leadership team. A business record connects the subject to another company. That company has an Instagram account. The Instagram account contains photographs from an event. Those photographs identify another associate. That associate leads to another piece of relevant information.
The investigation started with LinkedIn, but the most valuable finding may ultimately come from somewhere completely different. This is why comprehensive online investigations require more than searching a list of social media platforms. Each finding should be evaluated for where it can lead next. Images Can Provide Additional Investigative Leads. Profile photographs and background images may also contain useful information. A background image could reveal a company, organization, event, location, vehicle, or other visual detail. Profile photographs may provide opportunities for additional image research.
When appropriate and legally utilized, reverse image searches and facial recognition technologies can help investigators identify additional publicly available online content. However, image results should always be analyzed carefully. A potential image match is an investigative lead. It should not automatically be considered confirmation of identity. Other identifiers should be evaluated before making an attribution.
LinkedIn is Part of a Larger Digital Footprint
The greatest value of LinkedIn may be its ability to connect information. An employer can reveal a location. A location can reveal another profile. A profile can reveal an associate. An associate can reveal a business. A business can reveal additional online activity.
That activity can lead investigators to information they may never have discovered by simply searching the subject’s name. This is where professional OSINT analysis becomes especially valuable. Finding information is only the first step.
Why Work With E-Chatter
At e chatter, online investigations are what we do every day.
Our analysts understand that a strong digital investigation requires much more than entering a subject’s name into a search tool and collecting whatever appears.
We dig deeper.
Our team examines publicly available information across social media platforms, websites, professional networks, applications, records, and other online sources to help uncover a subject’s broader digital footprint.
More importantly, our analysts review and connect the information.
We look for relationships between accounts, usernames, locations, employment, businesses, associates, images, and online activity to help provide our clients with meaningful investigative intelligence rather than simply a collection of search results.
Whether you are a private investigator, attorney, insurance professional, or other investigative professional, e chatter can help expand your investigative capabilities without requiring your team to spend hours searching across the internet.
From focused social media research to comprehensive digital footprint investigations, our goal is simple:
Help you see more of the digital story.
Want to see what E- Chatter can do for your next investigation?
Visit our E-Chatter Client Portal to explore our available services, view current pricing, create an account, and submit your next search:
In the world of digital intelligence, the terms social media search and social media investigation are often used interchangeably. But make no mistake—they are not the same. Understanding the difference is crucial if you’re looking to uncover actionable information for a legal case, insurance claim, background check, or workplace inquiry.
At eChatter, we offer both services, and our clients often ask: “What’s the difference?” This blog breaks down the key distinctions between a basic search and a full investigation so you can choose the right approach for your needs.
What is a Social Media Search?
A social media search is typically the initial step in locating a person’s online presence. It’s a surface-level scan of publicly available information across social media platforms such as:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter/X
TikTok
LinkedIn
Snapchat (when content is public)
This search aims to identify whether a subject has an online presence, what platforms they use, and some general details like profile names, photos, and bio information. It may also include:
Profile creation dates
Recent posts or visible activity
Basic connections or followers
Use Case: A social media search is ideal when you’re trying to confirm identity or determine if deeper investigation is warranted.
What is a Social Media Investigation?
A social media investigation goes far beyond the basics. It is a comprehensive, analytical deep dive into a subject’s digital activity, using both manual review and AI-powered tools to uncover patterns, behaviors, and inconsistencies. These investigations can include:
In-depth analysis of posts, photos, and comments
Geolocation data pulled from images and check-ins
Associations with other individuals or groups
Timeline building for specific dates or events (e.g., after an injury)
AI-enhanced facial recognition and image matching
Archived or deleted content (when available through legal means)
Behavioral or sentiment analysis
Use Case: A social media investigation is used in legal claims, fraud detection, workplace misconduct, background screening, and civil or criminal litigation. The output often includes a documented report with screenshots, metadata, and analysis suitable for courtroom or internal use.
Key Differences at a Glance
Feature
Social Media Search
Social Media Investigation
Purpose
Locate basic profiles and content
Uncover detailed, case-relevant information
Depth
Surface-level scan
Comprehensive review and analysis
Tools Used
Manual searches, open web
Advanced AI, geolocation, facial recognition
Output
List of profiles, general info
Detailed report with screenshots, timelines, associations
Recommended For
Preliminary review or ID confirmation
Legal evidence, fraud investigations, litigation
Which One Do You Need?
If you’re simply looking to find out whether someone has a digital footprint, a social media search may be enough. But if you’re trying to gather evidence, verify claims, or identify behavioral patterns, a full social media investigation is the way to go.
At eChatter, we specialize in both services. Our AI-powered tools and trained analysts ensure that no relevant detail is missed—especially in high-stakes cases.
Need help choosing the right level of investigation?
Contact us today for a free consultation, and we’ll help you determine whether a search or full investigation best suits your needs.
eChatter is a digital intelligence company providing OSINT and social media analysis to law firms, insurers, investigators, and businesses across the U.S.
Snapchat has introduced a range of features, both functional and protective, aimed at enhancing user experience while ensuring safety for kids and teens. Here’s a breakdown of Snapchat’s features and how they are working towards protecting minors on the platform.
Snapchat offers several different features and understanding all of them can be difficult at times. We have broken down some of the most used features within the application for you.
Snapchat Terms and Meanings
Snaps are photos and videos that users can send to their friends. After they are viewed they will either instantly disappear or after a 24 hour period. This depends on the settings the user as selected within this field.
Chat is used like a text message. This will disappear after being read (unless saved by the user). The user can also send audio and video messages.
Stories is a 24-hour collection of Snaps that users can post for their friends or the public to see.
Spotlight is a public space for viral short videos, like TikTok. Users can view content based on their interests.
Lenses and Filters are Augmented Reality (AR) filters and effects users can add to their photos and videos.
Discover is a feature where users can find content from publishers, creators, and influencers.
Memories is a private archive where users can save Snaps and Stories for later viewing or sharing.
Snap Map is a feature that allows users to share their location with friends or view the location of friends who have shared their location on the map.
Streaks is a fun feature that tracks how many days in a row two users have been sending each other Snaps.
Bitmoji is where users can create personalized avatars (Bitmojis) to represent themselves in Snaps and chats.
Snapchat Features for Protecting Kids and Teens
Snapchat has taken steps to make the platform safer for younger users, particularly with features aimed at privacy, limiting exposure to inappropriate content, and enabling parental controls. Additionally, Snapchat recently rolled out a resource for educators, explaining what Snapchat is, Safety at Snap, and Educators Tools and Resources. Note, that while these new features and transparency within the Snapchat corporation are aimed at assisting in the protection of minors, there are still workarounds that teens may find accessible.
Age Verification
Snapchat requires users to enter their date of birth during account creation. If users are under 13, they are restricted from creating a standard account.
Note: Users who are utilizing this platform without the supervision of an adult can still create a date of birth that is false.
Privacy Settings for Teens (13-17)
Default Friend Settings: For users under 18, Snapchat defaults to allowing communication only from their accepted friends. Strangers cannot send messages, Snaps, or friend requests unless explicitly added as friends.
Limited Discovery: Snapchat curates and limits the content teens can access in the Discover section to avoid exposure to adult or inappropriate content.
Note: Users are still able to view “friend suggestions”. This means that if Bobby, a current friend of Sarah’s, is friends with John the drug dealer, John may pop up as a “friend suggestion” to Sarah. Sarah may feel safe adding a friend of Bobby’s since Snapchats culture is all about making friends and connections.
Snap Map Privacy
Ghost Mode: Users can hide their location from others by activating Ghost Mode. By default, users must manually opt-in to share their location.
Restricting Location Sharing: For users under 18, location-sharing features are restricted to only friends they have accepted, and public location sharing is discouraged.
Two-Factor Authentication
Snapchat offers two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security, helping to protect accounts from being hacked.
In-App Reporting Tools
Safety Center: Snapchat provides a dedicated safety center for users to access guidance on privacy settings and how to report abuse.
Reporting Content: Users can report inappropriate content, bullying, harassment, or suspicious accounts within the app. Snapchat’s moderation team reviews these reports.
Restricted Friend Suggestions
Snapchat does not show accounts of teens (13-17) in Quick Add to anyone unless they have mutual friends. This helps prevent strangers from discovering their profiles.
Parental Control Features (Family Center)
Family Center: Snapchat introduced Family Center, a set of tools for parents to monitor and guide their child’s usage without directly viewing their messages.
View Friends List: Parents can see who their child is friends with, allowing them to be aware of connections without invading their child’s privacy.
Report Harmful Activity: Parents can report accounts or concerns directly to Snapchat via the Family Center.
Content Moderation and Filtering
Snapchat uses machine learning and moderation tools to detect and remove inappropriate content, especially in public sections like Discover and Spotlight.
Age-appropriate Content: Snapchat curates content and ensures that minors do not have access to channels or content labeled as inappropriate for younger audiences.
Anti-Bullying Measures
Snapchat encourages positive interactions by allowing users to control who can contact them and limiting the ways they can be discovered by others.
Disappearing Messages: Since messages disappear after being read, this discourages the spread of harmful or inappropriate content.
Blocking and Reporting: Users can easily block, report, or remove someone from their friends list, and Snapchat investigates reports of harassment or bullying.
Time Management
While Snapchat does not offer built-in time limits, it encourages parents to use third-party parental control apps to manage screen time, ensuring teens do not spend excessive time on the app.
Safety Education
Snapchat partners with organizations such as ConnectSafely and the Family Online Safety Institute to educate teens, parents, and educators about digital well-being and online safety.
No Public Profiles for Teens
Snapchat restricts users under 18 from creating public profiles, helping protect their content from being viewed by strangers.
Snapchat has designed a range of features aimed at providing a safe environment for teens while offering privacy control and parental oversight tools. While it continues to evolve and improve, the platform emphasizes privacy and safety for younger users by default.
At E-Chatter we strive to not only educate Private Investigators on how to search through social media platforms, but also shed light on social media topics such as this to educate parents, grandparents, educators, and guardians. Visit our website for additional information on how we and assist you and your online search efforts now.
There has been unrest in the world of social media since well known social media and networking site Twitter was purchased by billionaire Elon Musk. Many users are unhappy with the changes that are being brought to the site and are realizing that they will most likely have to share their thoughts, opinions and ideas in a new way on a new platform… And that platform just happens to be Tumblr.
Tumblr was founded by David Karp in 2007, following the recent launch of Twitter in 2006 and Facebook in 2004. The site was built to be a simple microblogging social media platform, but with the feature of being able to share multiple forms of media. Tumblr users could design their own page, posting and sharing videos, pictures, GIFs and text posts. The site quickly gained popularity and by 2013 had seventy-three million accounts. By this time Tumblr was acquired by Yahoo! Inc for 1.1 billion dollars.
For those who never used Tumblr, the site was known to be “whatever you want it to be”. There were no limits on what you could share and or how you shared it and this idea attracted quite the mixing pot of users. The site quickly became ‘fandoms homeland’ according to Mashable. Users got to write fan fiction, share illustrations, clip down moments from shows or movies and repost them out of their original context to fit whatever fantasy they wished.
With this mindset of being free to post whatever you wanted came the infiltration of pornography on the site. Pornography workers who didn’t fit industry standards at the time made their way over to tumblr and grew their fame and following by blogging and sharing explicit images or videos. Tumblr became a site where people freely shared their sexuality, creating and sharing NSFW illustrations, fetish art/pornography, queer erotica and so much more. The layout of Tumblr is unlike the social media layouts we see today. Users do not receive curated feeds based on what the algorithm thinks you would like to see, Tumblr users follow hashtags, keywords and follow pages that are similar to their own, creating a tight-knit community of people just like you.
In 2018 Tumblr saw a major change… Apple removed the app from their app store due to rumors of child pornography being shared on the site. In response Tumblr took action and banned adult content from the app completely. Immediately the users who found fame on the platform began leaving and finding new ways to share their content. The platform relied on digital tools to hand pick the banned content, and of course there were issues. Explicit content was being missed while other content began being flagged even though it didn’t contain anything against guidelines, resulting in even more people abandoning their accounts and fleeing to different social platforms.
This brings us full circle to 2023 where the phrase ‘tumblr comeback’ is being tossed around on the profiles of unsatisfied Twitter users. The millennials that originally had accounts on Tumblr are searching for a new platform to share their thoughts in text form and not in the form of a TikTok video, which is leading them back to Tumblr. Gen Z is also finding their way to Tumblr for the first time. Tumblr, now owned by Automattic, a parent company of WordPress, reports that 61% of their new users are a part of the Gen Z demographic. Also reporting that 48% of the site’s users are Gen Z as well.
The site remains the third most popular blogging site in the US, Canada and the UK, although users had left it in the dust for so many years. Many people don’t believe that Tumblr will ever become relevant again and will crumble as MySpace did, but users are beginning to prove them wrong. Though the site has a long way to go before competing with the Twitter universe, they are an attractive FREE alternative. Heading into 2023, the site has once again lifted their ban on nudity saying in a blog post “we now welcome a broader range of expressions, creativity and art on Tumblr, including content depicting the human form (yes, that includes the naked human form). Only time will tell if users will continue to abandon the sinking ship that is Twitter and find their way over to Tumblr, whether they are a first time user or are returning back to their beginnings. Either way, we may be seeing a Tumblr comeback.
