Online activity traces around a “Boston bomber”

Abstract

This paper describes traces of user activity around a alleged online social network profile of a Boston Marathon bombing suspect, after the tragedy occurred. The analyzed data, collected with the help of an automatic social media monitoring software, includes the perpetrator's page saved at the time the bombing suspects' names were made public, and the subsequently appearing comments left on that page by other users. The analyses suggest that a timely protection of online media records of a criminal could help prevent a large-scale public spread of communication exchange pertaining to the suspects/criminals' ideas, messages, and connections.