How should I protect myself?

September 26, 2012 3:04 PM

A student filed for disciplinary action against me, also a student, at the school we both attend regarding a fake Facebook page that was set up of her. It had stupid, photoshopped pictures and was closed by Facebook for those reasons. We attend a New York college.

I did not create that Facebook page nor participated in any photoshopping activities, so I did not get suspended or expelled at the spot. However, the school's disciplinarian told me that they are working with Facebook to investigate the IP address and various other identifiable pieces of information of the person who did make the fake Facebook page.

I suspect a few people in my social circle were involved in this, many of whom I've used their internet and let use my computer. These people do not attend this college anymore. In addition, I suspect a family member because she knows how to photoshop fairly well. I used to live with this family member (I moved out two months ago), and have not yet changed my legal address with the school.

The school's disciplinarian was probably bluffing to get me to admit to wrongdoing because I know for a fact that it is very time-consuming and expensive to get Facebook to cough up private informations. I doubt the school will jump through hoops to get subpoenas, warrants, etc.

Here is my question: In the scenario that they do, what should I do to protect myself?

posted by anonymous to computers & internet (14 answers total)

Get a lawyer.
posted by brainmouse at 3:06 PM on September 26, 2012 [15 favorites]

Get a lawyer. In the meantime, make no statements about this to anyone, especially to friends or family.
posted by Happydaz at 3:07 PM on September 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

Stop letting other people use your computer and password protect it WELL.
posted by DoubleLune at 3:09 PM on September 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

Keep your mouth shut. Find new friends. Disassociate with this family member.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 3:12 PM on September 26, 2012 [6 favorites]

Get a lawyer -- a real one, not someone related to the campus in any way. Change all your passwords on all websites you have a membership on, including your desktop password and any phone passwords and use long, unhackable randomly generated passwords with a password locker. Put a passcode/pin on your phone or change the one you have and set it so that it locks within a minute if you leave it out on the bar. Change your legal address. Do not talk to any of these "friends" or that family member. Be able to demonstrate you moved out of that family member's house by being able to show bills or mail or a change-of-address/forwarding order with the USPS to your new address.
posted by SpecialK at 3:26 PM on September 26, 2012 [2 favorites]

Oh, and don't make any more statements to the campus disciplinarian or anyone else associated with the campus administrator until you have a lawyer, and then tell them to talk to that lawyer.
posted by SpecialK at 3:27 PM on September 26, 2012 [2 favorites]

The fact that you were named specifically by this student, and you acknowledge that it was probably someone you know may make it difficult for you to get out of any trouble unless you tattle-tale on your friends/family members.

The fact that you immediately weave a story about people that may have access to your computer and may have been the ones responsible for this is...troubling. It sounds like you know for sure that your IP address is logged by Facebook.

I think SpecialK's advice of not making any more statements and getting a lawyer is probably your best course of action. But the lawyer may not help you from being disciplined. You might only have a civil case against the university for wrongfully disciplining you after the fact. IDK, IANAL.

It would also be good to keep in mind that "We are the company that we keep" when it comes to future friendships.
posted by nickerbocker at 4:05 PM on September 26, 2012 [13 favorites]

Agree, get a lawyer today and do not discuss this issue with friends or family. The facts as you have presented them (people using your computer, etc) may implicate you and you need good advice as soon as possible.
posted by artdesk at 4:17 PM on September 26, 2012 [1 favorite]

Since you are secure in your innocence, two things come to mind:

1. If someone used your computer to post to a faux Facebook account, that person probably did other things on line at about the same time using your computer -- like checking their own Facebook account, maybe their own email account -- I know nothing about computer forensics -- but maybe you can track simultaneous or very very adjacent activity that took place at the same time?

2. If it comes to you, and you think you know who did it, sue him/her for whatever consequences (damages?) you suffered.

I am not a lawyer, I am not knowledgable about tracking computer activitites -- these are just two things that came to mind.
posted by vitabellosi at 4:23 PM on September 26, 2012

You can reset your computer back to a certain date, or wipe the hard drive, but they need a court order to examine your computer. However, be aware that college don't always abide by actual legal principles as the regular court system. And lawyer.
posted by Ideefixe at 4:43 PM on September 26, 2012

Watch this talk. It is well worth your time. In your case police=college authorities. Don't talk to the police. For clarity, this is not some anti-police diatribe - this is a lawyer discussing what should be your approach to an accusation of wrongdoing.
posted by Jakey at 5:05 PM on September 26, 2012

So you're saying you suspect a relative of yours, who presumably doesn't attend this school, decided to photoshop some nudes of a random college kid you happen to know and put them up on a fake facebook page?

Unless your relative has a habit of this sort of activity, that sounds very much like a transparently bullshit story that a guilty person would come up with while talking too much. It doesn't sound believable at all.

And if the college kid is underage and your relative is an adult, it's also the sort of accusation that (true or not) could cause your relative a whole raft of trouble. Think very very carefully about whether you really want to stick to that story.
posted by ook at 5:14 PM on September 26, 2012 [2 favorites]

You might have this question deleted by the mods.
posted by mecran01 at 5:16 PM on September 26, 2012 [2 favorites]

I agree with mecrano01, there is enough information in this question that I would also request deletion if I were you.
posted by HuronBob at 5:44 PM on September 26, 2012