Instagram is a fun little pastime for folks looking to enjoy a few easy distractions! Scrollers can spend hours finding recipes for edible flower cookies or searching for their latest bucket list destination. Instagram Reels, a take-off from TikTok, makes it easy to sit back and enjoy video content pushed to you as a viewer. Ads are what pays for this party on Instagram. For example, when ‘pumpkin spice’ season arrives, content may feature the newest fall boots to purchase while walking among the pumpkin patches. Businesses might pay to have ads targeting those consumers. However, there are numerous sneaky maneuvers by other parties aimed at misdirecting users for their own gain. For instance, offering a deep discount on a luxury item (that’s actually a fraud), or something similar that the user has seen on the platform…. this is the proverbial “bait and switch” type of marketing.

Typically, these offers are sent via direct message. As an expert witness in Instagram, let me share a few DMs digital media fraudsters send:

  • Phishing DM’s: Direct messages to a user’s account can claim to be “security” and ask for the user to verify their identity and personal information.
  • Lottery Winners: A message with a generic, smiling face congratulates the user on winning a lottery that the user didn’t sign up for. Then asked them to “click the link.”
  • Unreal Job Offers: A “recruiter” is offering a big paycheck for easy online work-from-home efforts. They’ll send links to an online application that requests personal information, such as social security numbers and home addresses.
  • Bogus Sponsorships: New influencers seeking to boost their page may be misled by a “business” seeking a brand ambassador. These fraudsters may also claim to be a legit company that the influencers would be eager to promote.
  • Norton posted a listing of online scams used on Instagram.

Instagram is a clever little platform, which is why you have to be smart to explain it! As an expert witness in META advertising, I often get called in not so much when consumers get scammed as when business #1 steps on the toes of business #2. If you’re a lawyer and looking for an expert witness in Instagram, give me a call at 415-655-1071.

AN EXPERT WITNESS IN INSTAGRAM MARKETING

The popular social media platform may seem easy to users, but explaining its to a jury can become complicated fast. This is especially true, now that Google is indexing Instagram for SEO purposes. This includes the feed, reels, and Threads, all of which are integral to the Instagram experience. There are numerous instances where digital media marketing fraud can arise. As an expert witness in Instagram marketing and advertising, I know how to explain the issue, whether it includes DMs, paid, organic ads, or general SEO black hat tactics.

I can also explain common SEO litigation cases involving copyright infringement, domain names, and trademark infringement. Being a professor who teaches SEO courses, I can share terms with a jury, such as “scraped” and “duplicate content,” which are typical in digital marketing disputes.

If digital evidence exists on Instagram, I can help substantiate claims and refute allegations to strengthen an attorney’s digital litigation case.