Millions of people across the U.S. use social media every day, and it is likely that you are one of these individuals. You may utilize online platforms to send messages to friends and family. Perhaps you share photos of your daily outings or use post features to vent your frustrations or discuss current events?
If you’re facing DWI charges in Texas, can your online conduct impact the case at all? In short, the answer is yes. Outlined below are some of the key reasons you want to think carefully about social media posts when you have charges pending.
Your location can be identified
Your cell phone, smartwatch and computer can all give clues as to your whereabouts at any given time. If the prosecution is attempting to build a timeline in an attempt to establish your guilt, online information could be very useful to them. Even if you have set your privacy settings to the most secure option, your posts can still be tracked by law enforcement. Even an innocent picture of you with friends at a bar could be used to build a narrative that you had consumed alcohol on the night in question.
Should you delete posts?
You may decide to clear out your social media pages altogether by deleting posts. A deleted post is not gone for good immediately. Social media firms generally hold on to posts for some time after they have been removed from profiles. A lot of this has to do with criminal activity. By deleting your posts, the prosecution may try to build a narrative that you were trying to destroy evidence, and law enforcement will most likely be able to obtain this information from the social media company anyway.
A DWI conviction could significantly impact your life, so it is important that you build a watertight defense. Managing your social media activity is part of this process. If you have concerns about your charges, make sure you look into your legal rights in the state of Texas.
