Cybersleuth's Guide
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In a December 25, "Dealbook" article, the New York Times details how IRS agent Gary L. Alford used his online searching skills to correctly identify the previously-anonymous, "nearly-mythical leader" of the illicit online marketplace Silk Road. Known for years to authorities only by his online alias "Dread Pirate Roberts," Alford positively uncovered the criminal...
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In September 2015, the Colorado Bar Association Ethics Committee (Committee) issued Formal Opinion 127—“Use of Social Media for Investigative Purposes” to address the conflicting ethical opinions from various jurisdictions about how to apply the established ethical principles to the use of social media and social networks as investigative tools. The Committee stated, “In...
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Google has crippled yet another of it's search filters/features. This time it's the location feature. Changes to the search results interface now limit a searcher's option when customizing their location. It's fairly well known that Google customizes search results based on the detected location of your device (among numerous other criteria). For a number of years, Google has...
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By virtue of a new agreement between Yahoo and Google, search results from the two rivals may start looking even more alike. Yahoo has signed an agreement with Google under which, "Google will provide Yahoo with search advertisements ..., web algorithmic search services..., and image search services." So now, Yahoo will draw some if its web search results, image results, and...
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blockquote { display: block; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 40px; margin-right: 40px; } Recently, Internet For Lawyers principals Carole Levitt and Mark Rosch shared some of their favorite secret Google search tips and ways to access expensive research databases for free with Sam Glover over at the Lawyerist Podcast. In his introduction to the interview,...
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Not everything is available for free on the Internet - and sometimes even when it is, that information might be difficult to find or spread over multiple sources. With their access to public records, publicly available information, and proprietary information not available elsewhere, pay investigative research databases are important tools lawyers can use to uncover background information about...
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Today, TLOxp announced a forthcoming “Relationship Report,” which will allow subscribers to run one report automatically comparing the assets (typically this refers only to real property and vehicles—not bank accounts or stocks) of two subjects, as well as showing other connections. "This additional investigative tool will save you valuable time by running one report...
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The full text of ProQuest's database, which includes journal and newspaper articles and working papers, is now indexed in Google Scholar. This allows Google Scholar users to view abstracts of ProQuest's materials for free in their Google Scholar results and then to access the full-text of ProQuest's materials for free, if their public library has a subscription to ProQuest. In a...
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Yahoo, has made a subtle change to the way it displays its search results. The search engine has moved the placement of its links to "cached" versions of Web pages that appear in its organic search results. Access to the cached versions of pages in Yahoo search results (when available) is now hidden behind a less-than-obvious down-arrow to the right of the results' URL. Hovering...
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by Carole Levitt President, Internet For Lawyers In July 2014, at the American Association of Law Libraries annual meeting, I got a sneak preview of Fastcase 7 but was sworn to secrecy. Then, in August 2014, I visited Fastcase’s headquarters in Washington, DC where CEO Ed Walters demonstrated some additional new features…still sworn to secrecy. This was its first re-design since...
