Police Use of Social Media in Missing Persons Investigations Abertay University Police Use of Social Media in Missing Persons Investigations Joseph Hamilton Supervisor: Dr Penny Woolnough

Missing Persons Crime Prevention Public Protection Background Missing Persons Crime Prevention Public Protection 300,000 incidents per year (NPIA, 2011; NCA, 2016) £1,325 - £2,416 per medium- risk case (Greene & Pakes, 2013)

Social Media Evolution of technology in policing Advantages: Background Social Media Evolution of technology in policing Advantages: Economic & Efficient Demographic Access (Pew Research Centre, 2017) Interactive Nature

Social Media Online Risks: Wildfire effect Privacy & protection Background Social Media Online Risks: Wildfire effect Privacy & protection Tone & rapport

Method Current Study Aim: Optimising police practice using internal experiences and opinions Stage 1 14 Police Scotland Facebook accounts (Jun-Aug, 2016) Division ‘X’ MP archives Publishing behaviour & general demographic detail

Method Current Study Aim: Optimising police practice using internal experiences and opinions Stage 2 Semi-structured interviews with staff (n=8) Police Scotland & NMPU Current Use, Challenges and Improvements Intelligence Monitoring The ‘Digital Footprint’ Social Media Procedure Public Engagement

# Followers** (% of Population) Results & Discussion Results Table 1. Descriptive Statistics for Police Scotland Divisions Division Population* # Posts # Followers** (% of Population) # Shares*** Argyll & West Dunbartonshire 182,000 20 10,543 (5.8) 134 Ayrshire 368,290 11 35,753 (9.7) 180.6 Dumfries & Galloway - 37 38,970 137.88 Edinburgh 495,000 49 29,073 (5.9) 58.60 Fife 402,600 23 31,691 (7.9) 184.53 Forth Valley 294,430 38 42,154 (14.3) 214 Greater Glasgow 770,000 45 40,296 (5.2) 332.19 Highlands & Islands 40 54,888 146.94 Lanarkshire 634,500 25 29,910 (4.7) 314.58 Lothians & Scottish Borders 462,080 24 21,419 (4.6) 143.09 North East 333,040 32 68,133 (20.5) 81.45 Renfrewshire & Inverclyde 264,500 15 14,285 (5.4) 133 Tayside 36 60,833 102.90 Police Scotland 5 237,582 45.5

# Followers** (% of Population) Results & Discussion Results Table 1. Descriptive Statistics for Police Scotland Divisions Division Population* # Posts # Followers** (% of Population) # Shares*** Argyll & West Dunbartonshire 182,000 20 10,543 (5.8) 134 Ayrshire 368,290 11 35,753 (9.7) 180.6 Dumfries & Galloway - 37 38,970 137.88 Edinburgh 495,000 49 29,073 (5.9) 58.60 Fife 402,600 23 31,691 (7.9) 184.53 Forth Valley 294,430 38 42,154 (14.3) 214 Greater Glasgow 770,000 45 40,296 (5.2) 332.19 Highlands & Islands 40 54,888 146.94 Lanarkshire 634,500 25 29,910 (4.7) 314.58 Lothians & Scottish Borders 462,080 24 21,419 (4.6) 143.09 North East 333,040 32 68,133 (20.5) 81.45 Renfrewshire & Inverclyde 264,500 15 14,285 (5.4) 133 Tayside 36 60,833 102.90 Police Scotland 5 237,582 45.5

Results Results & Discussion Graph 1. Age distribution of missing persons according to online publishing and reporting

Theme 1. Public Engagement Results & Discussion Themes Theme 1. Public Engagement Online communities & Misinformation ‘There were rumours abound through social media…that could potentially have taken attention away from the investigative officers…’ Monitoring comments Twitter as a secondary mechanism

Themes Theme 2. Runaway Teens Apathy towards teenage MP’s Results & Discussion Themes Theme 2. Runaway Teens Apathy towards teenage MP’s ‘People have more preconceptions around that age group, of to why they’ve gone missing, their life circumstances…I think their empathy is decreased because…they can give a narrative…based on stereotypes.’ Impact of negative comments Importance of cancellation interviews

Theme 3. The ‘Digital Footprint’ Results & Discussion Themes Theme 3. The ‘Digital Footprint’ General advocacy for removal 67.1% of appeals were resolved online Life consequences “This person is unstable, they’ve run away…” “Somebody might be going through some kind of mental breakdown and they’re on Facebook 3 months later and they still see their image there…”

Limitations & Future Research Results & Discussion Limitations & Future Research Deletion of social media posts Small interview sample (n=8) One source of divisional records Police Scotland Missing Persons Public

Conclusions Online protection of young missing people System for monitoring feedback Target ‘runaway teens’ stigma Consistency in minimising the ‘Digital Footprint’

Police Use of Social Media in Missing Person Investigations Abertay University Police Use of Social Media in Missing Person Investigations Thank you! Questions? Joseph Hamilton Supervisor: Dr Penny Woolnough In association with: Police Scotland, Carnegie Trust for Universities of Scotland, National Missing Person Unit