Tip: Be Careful What You Search for Online
Your search history is never private. Even if you think no one is tracking your every move online, think again. Searches such as “how to make a homemade bomb” “best places to hide a body” “teen porn” and others could raise red flags for law enforcement, causing them to investigate your search queries and history. Suspicions can easily arise from common searches and online purchases involving razor blades, gloves, trash bags, duct tape, formaldehyde and other items used in the commission of crimes.
However, police officers and other law enforcement agencies must be on the lookout for suspicious searches to identify potential threats to the public. Even if your searches are innocent, they may seem alarming from an outside perspective. Thus, regardless of whether your online searches are for educational and professional purposes, or just out of curiosity, you may get an unexpected visit from the police.
What If I Clear My Browsing Data?
It’s important to note that even if you clear your search history and delete everything from your online past, your cache may still contain this information. If you clear your cache, the police may suspect that you’re destroying evidence.
If you’re worried that by clearing your browser history and cache you’re going to look suspicious, we advise you to double-check that your search history isn’t questionable or related to criminal activity. Our attorneys understand that people simply want to clear their cache and cookies to speed up their browsers, but depending on their search history, it may not be a good idea. Thus, as we mentioned before, monitor your search history before erasing it.
If you’re not careful, you may end up in a messy situation with law enforcement. Depending on your web searches, you may face the following charges:
- Child pornography
- Terrorism
- Gang-related crime
- Piracy
- Homicide
Our Fresno criminal defense lawyer understands that innocent people can get into bad situations by the click of a button. As a result, we welcome you to learn more about how to best prevent an accidental criminal charge by contacting us at (559) 484-2112 today!