PROJECT: YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAN HURT YOUR CASE
- Isabel Spies
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
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Social media activity has become a routine component of legal investigations.
South African courts, insurers, and legal representatives increasingly rely on digital footprints to assess credibility,
liability, and damages in civil and criminal matters.
Specialised Security Services (SSS) has observed a growing number of legitimate claims and cases being compromised—
not due to dishonesty, but due to careless or uninformed online behaviour.
This public awareness project aims to educate and protect the public, not to promote concealment or dishonesty,
but to ensure individuals understand how their digital conduct can lawfully be interpreted and used as evidence.
WHY THIS MATTERS:
If you are involved in:
A personal injury claim.
A motor vehicle accident case.
A workplace injury matter.
Any ongoing civil or criminal investigation.
Your online activity may be scrutinised by:
Courts of law.
Insurance companies.
Legal representatives.
Investigators and forensic analysts.
Platforms regularly examined include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp, X, location-based apps, and fitness tracking applications.
WHAT CONSTITUTES DIGITAL EVIDENCE:
Under South African law, most forms of digital data may be admissible if they are relevant and lawfully obtained.
This includes:
Photos and videos (including those posted by others where you are visible or tagged).
Social media posts, stories, comments, likes, and shares.
WhatsApp messages, voice notes, and group communications.
Fitness and health app data (steps, routes, distances, activity levels).
Location check-ins, timestamps, and metadata.
Digital evidence is often used to verify or contradict factual claims, not opinions.
HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN UNDERMINE AN OTHERWISE LEGITIMATE CASE:
CREDIBILITY CONCERNS:
If online content appears inconsistent with sworn statements or medical reports, your credibility may be questioned, even if the injury or incident is genuine.
APPARENT CONTRADICTIONS:
Fitness or location data may suggest physical activity that seems incompatible with the severity or limitations of an injury as described in affidavits or testimony.
PERCEIVED LIABILITY OR FAULT:
Emotional, sarcastic, or impulsive posts about an incident may be interpreted as admissions, exaggerations, or acknowledgements of responsibility.
LAWFUL AND RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT DURING A CASE:
SSS emphasises not to lie, do not mislead, and do not destroy evidence.
The following guidance is about awareness and caution, not concealment.
RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS:
Review and understand your privacy settings
Ask friends and family to avoid posting about you or tagging you during active proceedings
Be mindful of location-sharing and automatic activity tracking
Preserve all content related to the incident exactly as it exists
Assume that anything published online may be viewed in a legal context
CONDUCT TO AVOID:
Do not discuss the incident, injuries, or legal strategy publicly
Do not engage with strangers seeking information about your case
Do not delete posts, messages, or accounts once a matter is underway
Do not attempt to “clean up” or alter your online history
Do not misrepresent your condition online or offline
Altering or destroying potential evidence may itself have serious legal consequences.
CASE EXAMPLE (BASED ON REAL LEGAL OUTCOMES):
In a documented matter, an individual claimed that a workplace injury severely limited his mobility.
Investigators later obtained fitness application data indicating sustained long-distance cycling during the same period.
The court accepted the digital data as credible evidence, resulting in the dismissal of the claim.
The outcome was not based on social media use alone, but on inconsistencies between claims and digital records.
KEY FACTS THE PUBLIC MUST UNDERSTAND:
Privacy settings do not guarantee immunity from legal scrutiny.
Deleted content may still be recoverable.
Posts made by friends or third parties can also be introduced as evidence.
Digital evidence is increasingly decisive in modern legal proceedings.
IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT EXISTING ONLINE CONTENT:
Do not panic and do not attempt to delete or alter anything.
Be completely honest with your legal representative.
Exercise heightened caution with all future online activity.
Honesty and transparency with your legal team are essential.
Many South Africans remain unaware of how deeply digital behaviour can affect legal outcomes.
Specialised Security Services encourages the public to educate themselves and
others to prevent avoidable harm in legitimate cases.
This information is shared in the interest of crime prevention, legal compliance, and public protection.
RELEVANT NEWS ARTICLE:
Specialised Security Services invites the public to the Mike Bolhuis Daily Projects WhatsApp Channel.
This channel is important in delivering insights into the latest crime trends, awareness, warnings and the exposure of criminals.
How to Join the WhatsApp Channel:
1. Make sure you have the latest version of WhatsApp on your device.
2. Click on the link below to join the Mike Bolhuis Daily Projects WhatsApp Channel:
3. Follow the prompts to join the channel.
4. Make sure you click on "Follow", then click on the "bell"-icon (🔔)
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Regards,
Mike Bolhuis
Specialist Investigators into
Serious Violent, Serious Economic Crimes & Serious Cybercrimes
PSIRA Reg. 1590364/421949
Mobile: +27 82 447 6116
E-mail: mike@mikebolhuis.co.za
Fax: 086 585 4924
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EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: All potential clients need to be aware that owing to the nature of our work as specialist investigators there are people who have been caught on the wrong side of the law - who are trying to discredit me - Mike Bolhuis and my organisation Specialised Security Services - to get themselves off the hook. This retaliation happens on social media and creates doubt about our integrity and ability. Doubt created on social media platforms is both unwarranted and untrue. We strongly recommend that you make up your minds concerning me and our organisation only after considering all the factual information - to the exclusion of hearsay and assumptions. Furthermore, you are welcome to address your concerns directly with me should you still be unsatisfied with your conclusions. While the internet provides a lot of valuable information, it is also a platform that distributes a lot of false information. The distribution of false information, fake news, slander and hate speech constitutes a crime that can be prosecuted by law. Your own research discretion and discernment are imperative when choosing what and what not to believe.
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