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Screenshots are easily contested: 2025 guide to Forensic-Grade Online Evidence (EU)

Screenshots Aren’t Evidence: How to Collect Legally Valid Online Proof
Screenshots are quick but easily altered; their evidential weight is subject to judicial discretion and therefore readily contestable. A forensic certification with a Digitally Signed Certified Copy (qualified EU timestamp under eIDAS) and a documented chain of custody shifts the assessment to objective, verifiable facts — provenance, integrity, and attribution— significantly reducing discretion. If you need to prove what was online (a post, a review, a chat, a route, a log) on a specific date, you should request a forensic acquisition and a digitally signed, qualified EU-timestamped Certified Copy. This guide explains what European courts expect, what a Certified Copy contains, and the safest workflows for common scenarios.

Why screenshots fail

  • No trustworthy origin: a static image can’t prove server origin, URL, headers or the environment it came from.
  • Missing integrity: edits leave no trace; even metadata can describe a screenshot of an edited screenshot.
  • Partial capture: hidden code, linked files, dynamic content, and IDs (e.g., account/post IDs) are not preserved.

Courts and opposing counsel increasingly ask for authenticity, integrity, and a chain of custody consistent with widely accepted digital forensics practices and EU trust services (eIDAS).

What makes evidence legally robust

  • Forensic capture of the content and its context (URL, time, headers, source code, linked files, IDs).
  • Digital signature + qualified EU timestamp (eIDAS): seals integrity and embeds a certain date.
  • Chain of custody: who did what, when, and how (tools, versions, IP/session, logs).
  • Lawyer-ready report: methods, scope, limits; easy to cite in legal filings.

By default, our Certified Copies are valid across the EU; on request we can apply an international timestamp for broader recognition.


What you can certify (with quick links)


The step-by-step acquisition flow

  1. Scope & mandate: we define the target (URL, account, date range) and receive a digital legal mandate (protects you and our access).
  2. Forensic acquisition: we capture content and context (URLs/timestamps, code, headers, linked files, IDs; optional capture video).
  3. Sealing: we compute SHA-256 hashes and apply a qualified EU timestamp (CAdES .zip.p7m or TSD).
  4. Report: you receive a lawyer-ready report (English; other languages on request).
  5. Delivery: secure cloud link with evidence available for 3 months (store permanently on your side).

Remote-friendly options you can use today

  • FollowMee GPS history (no device shipping): service page
  • Google Takeout (many data types: mail, photos, maps, etc.): service page
  • Microsoft account export (Outlook, OneDrive, activity): service page
  • Server & platform logs (attack traces, admin actions): service page

Note: Some sources (e.g., Google Location History) now require the physical device. For long-range or non-shippable cases, consider FollowMee or other platform exports.


Common mistakes to avoid

  • Waiting too long: logs rotate; posts get edited or deleted; access trails expire.
  • Sharing credentials without a mandate: always use a written authorization and revoke access afterwards.
  • Relying on screenshots: they invite objections and undermine your position.
  • Cherry-picking: certifying the whole page/thread/log range is stronger and harder to contest.

What you receive

  • Digitally signed evidence package (.zip.p7m or .tsd) with qualified EU timestamp; international timestamp on request.
  • Independent evidence mirror: private read-only link where courts/law enforcement can download/check the acquisition independently.
  • Inside the package: URLs/timestamps, page content and source code, linked files and headers/metadata; when applicable, profile/user IDs, message identifiers, optional capture video.

FAQ

Is this valid outside the EU?

By default we apply a qualified EU timestamp (eIDAS). On request we can apply an international timestamp suitable for recognition in non-EU jurisdictions.

Can you work remotely?

Yes. Most certifications are performed remotely with a written mandate. If a source requires the physical device (e.g., Google Location History), we’ll propose remote alternatives (e.g., FollowMee) when shipping is impractical.

How fast is delivery?

We generally deliver within 48 hours of payment (urgent cases possible).

How long do you keep the evidence?

Evidence links remain available for 3 months. You should download and store your files securely; certified integrity does not expire.

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