Use of the Internet, and social networking sites (SNS) in particular, has steadily
increased in the United States and throughout the world. In fact, a 2018 poll from
the Pew Research Center showed that 68% of American adults are using SNS such
as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Snapchat (Smith and Anderson 2018), with
only a slight increase by 2019 to 69% (Perrin and Anderson 2019). Never before
have people been so readily able to communicate their immediate thoughts, feelings,
and behaviors, or access those of other people. Often SNS users share personal
information on these sites several times a day across multiple outlets, creating an
in-the-moment electronic footprint on an almost daily (or even hourly) basis.
Furthermore, it is becoming commonplace to maintain and make available other
types of records and reports via online databases and websites, some of which can
be uncovered with a simple Google search (i.e., so-called “Internet stalking”).
Information that is merely a few clicks away has clear implications, both direct and
indirect, for the practice of forensic mental health. In particular, this information is
relevant to forensic practitioners who conduct evaluations of psycho-legal issues for
the courts. Currently, there is minimal guidance on how to appropriately use and
incorporate Internet-based data into such evaluations.