Once upon a time, defamation only involved the rich and famous taking publishers and media organisations to court. However, with the relentless rise of social media, everyday people now represent most of both defamers and defamed. For example, a court recently ordered a Queensland woman to pay an eyewatering $279,000 in damages to a couple she defamed on Facebook. As a result of Australia’s helpful defamation laws, legal experts now expect a flood of defamation cases involving everyday people. In most of these, slanderous social media posts and nasty online comments will feature prominently. But what if the slanderer hides behind an anonymous or fake Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter account? Investigating anonymous social media defamation requires an expert approach that tracks down and exposes offenders, so you can get justice. Fortunately, Cybertrace are industry-leading social media investigators who will leave no stone unturned for you. For help, contact us today.
What Is Defamation?
At its core, defamation law exists as a defence to stop others ruining your reputation by spreading lies about you. There are three key tests to see if published statements about you are defamatory. Firstly, a statement needs to insinuate something bad and untrue about you (an imputation). Crucially, this imputation must be defamatory, i.e., something that would damage your reputation, subject you to hatred, contempt or ridicule, or lead to others shunning or avoiding you. Secondly, you must be identifiable as the victim, either directly (by name) or indirectly (via obvious clues about your identity). Finally, the defamatory statement needs to be published and seen by someone other than you. Importantly, defamatory publications can come in various forms, including news articles, websites, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts, and many more. With social media playing an increasingly important public role, investigating anonymous social media defamation has thus become vitally important.
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Can I Sue Someone for Defamation?
If you are the victim of defamation, you have the right to take the offender to court and sue them. On the other hand, those accused of making defamatory statements have several defences at their disposal, including telling the truth. The court will assess whether their statement has a defamatory imputation, clearly identifies you and can be seen by others. If the court finds in your favour, the offenders can be liable for substantial damages. Recent cases involving celebrities have resulted in tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars of compensation. Crucially, Cybertrace investigators have noticed substantial increases in anonymous cyberbullying, harassment, and defamation cases against a whole range of people. It looks like, finally, victims have stopped copping it on the chin and are fighting back. Whereas cyberbullies try to hide in the shadows, investigating anonymous social media defamation shines a bright light on them.
What is Anonymous Social Media Defamation?
Unlike traditional publications such as books, newspapers, radio and TV, social media has made defamation both easier and more ubiquitous. For example, careless words typed in anger about someone else in a Facebook or Instagram post count as a publication. If a court finds those words defamatory, whoever wrote them could be liable for thousands of dollars in damages. However, that’s only the case if you know who made the defamatory statement. Unfortunately, more and more perpetrators are using the anonymity of the internet to hide behind a supposed veil of secrecy. On the one hand, these cyberbullies might slander you by leaving nasty anonymous comments because they’re jealous, hateful, or inadequate. On the other hand, they might even create a fake profile to spread malicious lies or threatening rumours about you. Thankfully, through our investigative expertise and custom-built tools, Cybertrace are capable of investigating anonymous social media defamation.
What Does Investigating Anonymous Social Media Defamation Involve?
Specialising in exposing offenders hiding behind anonymous fake accounts, our social media defamation investigations use the latest technology. Whether offenders use fake Facebook profiles or unidentified Instagram accounts, our experienced investigators can help you take action. Our discreet, effective, and reliable service is available to both high-profile clients as well as everyday members of the public. Importantly, we can provide actionable intelligence and court-admissible evidence for defamation lawsuits and other legal cases. Our clients have successfully presented our evidence in court cases, initiated police investigations or confronted perpetrators directly. Whatever path you go down, investigating anonymous social media defamation give you the first vital step: premium intelligence.
How Can Cybertrace Help Me?
As industry leaders in investigating anonymous social media defamation, Cybertrace can identify who is behind anonymous/fake social media accounts. Our experienced investigators use a combination of custom-built tools and technical investigative techniques. This includes comparing published content and writing styles used by the fake profile to any individuals identified as potential suspects. Cybertrace has also developed its own highly specialised tools with the capability to deploy through various social media platforms to extract user information. No other investigators use the same technical tools and the social engineering our investigators deploy to trap cyberbullies and slanderers. With global capabilities, Cybertrace can identify offenders located anywhere in the world that are hiding behind fake social media profiles. If you want to us to start investigating anonymous social media defamation, speak to one of our friendly team today. Take action and protect your reputation!
