Social media sites have been used in the past by various agencies to aid in the investigative process regarding potential fraud cases No one denies the power of social media. Now, even the IRS is beginning to utilize information from Facebook and Twitter to verify information on tax returns. Law enforcement and other government agencies have been using this information in the recent past, but now the IRS has joined the party.
The IRS denies that they will use these sites to target people for tax audits, according to www.foxbusiness.com.
Social media networking sites are public domain; anyone, including the government, can have access to the information posted there. This access can work for you or against you, which makes it difficult to come down definitively on either side. One of the good things to come from this type of data mining took place in New York. By accessing social media profiles, law officers there were able to indict 63 members of an East Harlem gang for crimes that they committed. This is only one example of how these sites can be used for good.
On the other end of the spectrum comes the issue of privacy when using a social media site, such as Facebook. People think of Facebook as a site on which they can share life events with family and friends of their choosing. Sometimes this isn’t the case. Anything that you post on the internet can be found or seen. If you don’t want the information shared, don’t post it – period.
There have been many incidents where information has been used in court that was obtained from social media networking sites such Facebook. This is especially true with those that may be filing for disability then go on Facebook and post pictures of themselves water skiing. You can understand them being prosecuted for fraud. Yes, there are people out there that do that so don’t be surprised if the government checks your networking site to see if there is anything that would make them point the finger at you.
Should government agencies be able to access information on your social media site without your permission or knowledge? This is an important question, particularly today when the right to privacy is such a hot topic. According to the laws, the internet is public domain meaning that they can access your information. If this is the case how do you think it affects things such as record keeping.
Use of social media by the IRS is just one of the many concerns that people have in the highly technological world we have become. Check privacy settings on these accounts, and remember not to post what you don’t want to be made known. Take the time and let us know how you feel about the IRS accessing your information. Let us know whether a pre-audit decision or post-audit decision should be made by the IRS. Check out Facebook for other discussions concerning privacy issues.