Digital Forensics
Social Media Evidence Preservation and Website Capture
Authorized account exports and documented web page captures, hashed and logged so the content can be authenticated when it matters.
When you need social media evidence preservation
Posts get deleted, accounts go private and web pages change overnight. Social media evidence preservation captures that content in a way you can later authenticate: an authorized export of an account, or a documented capture of public pages, with hash values and notes that explain exactly how it was collected. Honeybadger Solutions provides this as part of our digital forensics practice, for litigation, HR matters, harassment cases and investigations nationwide.
People usually contact us after they have already taken screenshots. Screenshots are a good start, but they show no URL history, no capture time you can prove, and no way to rule out editing. If the other side challenges them, someone has to explain where they came from. A forensic capture gives that someone a record to stand on.
If you are being threatened or stalked and are in immediate danger, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers confidential support and safety planning.
What we deliver
Each service is scoped to a defined account, page set or file group, so you know in advance what will be captured.
Authorized account export
We preserve one account the client owns or is authorized to access, for one date range, using the platform’s supported download tool or a forensic collection. The export is hashed, logged and stored under chain of custody, up to a stated volume; larger accounts are added by change order.
Public page and website capture
One starting URL and up to 20 linked pages captured in a single session, with capture notes: date and time, URL, method, browser and hash values for each file. Large, logged-in or highly dynamic sites are quoted separately.
Metadata and geolocation analysis
We examine exported photos, videos and files for available metadata and location artifacts, billed hourly against an initial allowance. Platforms often strip metadata on upload, so outside corroboration may be needed.
Authentication support for court
A written declaration describing how the content was collected, and where it fits, a certification for Federal Rule of Evidence 902(13) or 902(14) signed by the examiner who did the work. Deposition or trial testimony is available through our expert witness service.
Collection from the client’s own phone
When messages or posts live on a phone, a forensic extraction may preserve more than an export. That is handled through our mobile forensics service.
Review-ready delivery
Captures are delivered in a readable report with native files and hash values, ready for counsel, an expert or a review platform.
How courts authenticate social media and web evidence
Federal Rule of Evidence 901(a) requires the proponent to produce evidence sufficient to support a finding that the item is what the proponent claims it is. For social media and web pages, that usually comes from a witness with knowledge (901(b)(1)), distinctive characteristics such as content, usernames and context (901(b)(4)), or evidence describing a process or system that produces an accurate result (901(b)(9)). Our capture notes are written to support those paths.
Since December 1, 2017, Rules 902(13) and 902(14) allow certain electronic records and copied data to be self-authenticated by a certification from a qualified person, with advance notice to the other side under Rule 902(11). Rule 902(14) is built around hash values: matching hashes show a copy is identical to the original. The committee note is clear that a certification establishes only authenticity. The other side can still object on hearsay, relevance or other grounds, and can still argue about who actually posted the content.
That last point matters. A perfect capture proves what a page showed at a moment in time. It does not by itself prove who wrote it. Attribution often needs more, such as account export data, device evidence or witness testimony.
| Method | What it shows | Main weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Screenshot by a party | What the screen displayed | No verifiable time, URL history or integrity check |
| Documented page capture | Page content, URL, capture time and hash values | Public content only; attribution still needs support |
| Authorized account export | The account’s own records from the platform | Requires the account holder’s authority; deleted items may be missing |
| Forensic phone extraction | App data and artifacts stored on the device | Requires lawful access to the device; app support varies |
Can you get deleted or private posts from the platform?
Usually not directly. The Stored Communications Act, 18 U.S.C. 2702, bars service providers from knowingly divulging the contents of communications except under listed exceptions, including the lawful consent of the sender, recipient or subscriber. Facebook, for example, has long pointed civil litigants away from subpoenas for content and toward the account holder’s own download tool. In practice, private content in an opposing party’s account is obtained through discovery directed to that party, which counsel handles.
Platform download tools help when the account holder cooperates. As of October 2026, Google Takeout lets the account holder pick which products to export and warns that archives expire in about seven days. X lets the holder request an archive after an identity check, and notes it may take a few days to prepare. Meta’s Accounts Center offers a similar download option. None of these tools promises that deleted content will be included, so no recovery is guaranteed.
How an engagement runs
- Request online. Choose social media or website preservation on the request form and list the accounts or URLs. Do not post about the dispute or engage with the other party.
- Authority check. We confirm who owns each account and what you are authorized to share. Public pages need no login; private accounts need the holder’s written authority.
- Scope. We agree on the accounts, date range, page count and deliverables in writing.
- Capture. We export or capture the content, record the method and time, and hash every file.
- Report. You receive the capture report, native files and chain-of-custody record, plus any metadata findings.
- Court support. If needed, we prepare a declaration or certification and testify about the process.
Authority, consent and legal limits
We do not access any account without lawful authority. We do not guess passwords, bypass two-factor authentication, use fake profiles or friend requests to see private content, or install monitoring tools on another adult’s device. Unauthorized access to a computer, system or data can be a crime, including computer tampering under Arizona law (A.R.S. 13-2316).
Authorized sources include accounts the client owns, accounts whose holder gives written consent, content that is publicly visible without logging in, and data produced in discovery or under a court order. Honeybadger Solutions is an Arizona DPS-licensed private investigation agency, and Arizona’s licensing statute covers securing evidence for use in civil and criminal trials. This is general information, not legal advice.
How it is priced
Social media evidence preservation is priced per unit, described here in words. Account preservation is quoted per account, covering one authorized account, one date range and a supported export up to a stated volume; extra volume is billed per gigabyte. Website capture is quoted per capture session, covering one starting URL and a set number of linked pages with capture notes. Metadata and geolocation analysis is billed hourly against an initial allowance agreed in writing.
| Included | Quoted separately |
|---|---|
| Hash values and chain-of-custody record for every capture | Additional accounts, date ranges or export volume |
| Capture notes and a readable report | Large, logged-in or dynamic websites |
| Native files delivered to counsel | Declarations, certifications and testimony |
| Guidance on platform download tools | Phone extraction and deeper forensic analysis |
Mistakes to avoid before you request social media evidence preservation
- Deleting your own posts. Once a dispute is likely, deleting your content can look like spoliation. Ask counsel before changing anything.
- Commenting, reacting or messaging. Engaging with the other party can change the evidence and create new problems.
- Relying on cropped screenshots. Keep full screenshots with the URL and time visible, and save the original files, not copies sent through messaging apps.
- Logging into someone else’s account. Even if you know the password, using it without authority can be unlawful and can taint the evidence.
- Waiting. Posts, stories and pages can disappear in hours. Request a capture as soon as the content matters.
Who this is for
- Law firms
- Family law attorneys
- Employers and HR teams
- Businesses facing online defamation
- Individuals facing online harassment
- Insurance investigators
Why the online request is faster
When you choose social media or website preservation on the online request form, the request goes straight to our cyber and forensics lead with your URLs and accounts already listed. No phone tag, and time-sensitive captures can be scheduled sooner.
Frequently asked questions
Are screenshots enough for court?
Sometimes, if a witness with knowledge can authenticate them, but they are easy to challenge. A documented capture with URL, capture time, method and hash values gives a stronger foundation under Rule 901.
Can you recover posts someone else deleted?
Not directly from the platform in most cases. Providers generally will not disclose private content without the account holder’s consent, and export tools may not include deleted items. We can preserve what is still available, and no recovery is guaranteed.
Can you capture a private account or group?
Only with lawful authority, such as the account holder’s written consent or a court order. We do not use fake profiles, guessed passwords or friend requests to get past privacy settings.
What is included in social media evidence preservation?
An authorized export of one account for one date range, hashed and stored under chain of custody, with a readable report. Public web page captures include capture notes for each page. Analysis, declarations and testimony are separate services.
Do Rules 902(13) and 902(14) make a capture automatically admissible?
No. They let a qualified person’s certification establish authenticity without live testimony, with notice to the other side. The opposing party can still object on hearsay, relevance or other grounds, and the court decides.
How fast should we act?
As soon as the content matters to your case. Posts, stories and pages can be edited or removed at any time, and some export archives expire within days of creation.
Related guides
- Authenticating social media evidence for litigation
- Recovering deleted social media accounts for investigations
- Social media OSINT (SOCMINT) investigations
- OSINT for litigation evidence
- Metadata analysis: what files and photos reveal
- Digital forensics services
- Open-source intelligence (OSINT) investigations
- Cloud account extraction
- Photo and video metadata forensics
We preserve only content we are authorized to access or that is publicly visible; we never access accounts without lawful authority. This is general information, not legal advice.
Sources: FRE 901; FRE 902(13) and 902(14); 18 U.S.C. 2702; Google Takeout help; A.R.S. 13-2316.
Preserve the posts before they disappear
Send us the accounts and URLs that matter. Requesting online routes your matter straight to the forensics lead, so there is no phone tag. If content is about to be deleted or a hearing is close, use the urgent intake form.