Facebook's large user base and immense data collection make it a goldmine for Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) and Social Media Intelligence (SOCMINT) investigations.
Social Media Intelligence (SOCMINT), a branch of OSINT, focuses specifically on collecting information from social media platforms. Every social media platform, however, is unique, necessitating tailored guidance for effective OSINT investigations.
(Check out our SOCMINT guides for TikTok, Discord and Reddit here.)
In this Facebook OSINT/SOCMINT guide, we will cover how to leverage tools and techniques to collect and analyze information found on Facebook for intelligence purposes.
Facebook is a company owned by Meta (which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp) and remains one of the pioneering social media platforms globally. According to Demandsage, at the end of 2024, Facebook maintained over 3.07 billion monthly active users worldwide (see Figure 1), representing 59.38% of the global social media population.
Figure 1 - Facebook number of users worldwide | Source: https://www.demandsage.com/facebook-statistics
Facebook was first started in 2004 as a social network platform at Harvard University. However, it eventually evolved into a global communications powerhouse that transformed digital social interaction across the globe (see Figure 2). The platform's dominance originates from its diverse functionality, which incorporates personal profiles, business pages, marketplace features, and sophisticated advertising tools.
Facebook serves as a critical intelligence source for OSINT analysts. The platform's importance for OSINT operations stems from:
Facebook has more than 3 billion active users, making it full of personal and organizational data that could be used to support various intelligence needs.
Facebook users share all types of content on the platform, such as text posts, images, videos and geolocation information. Most of this data is shared publicly with limited privacy settings. OSINT gatherers can leverage such info to track movements, create timelines of events and verify identities.
Inspecting Facebook friends lists, followers, and groups provides insight into social and business relationships. This allows OSINT analysts to map connections between individuals, organizations, or groups.
Facebook has millions of groups. These groups contain users from diverse backgrounds, and many groups specialize in specific areas, such as sports, entertainment, or social connections. Inspecting these groups could reveal trends, threats or emerging issues.
Facebook is the preferred platform for people worldwide to organize gatherings, protests or meetings. Monitoring these gatherings allows for predicting future trends and understanding people's sentiments in a particular geographical region.
Many Facebook users share their geo data through check-ins, posts and geotagged images. OSINT gatherers can use this information to reveal current locations, track individual movements or verify location claims.
There are mainly two types of Facebook accounts:
These are designed for individual users and represent real people. They are used to connect with family members and friends.
Personal account users can do the following:
To create a Business or Brand Facebook page, you need first to have an individual Facebook account.
Facebook business pages are classified into distinct categories based on their purpose and ownership. In the business and commerce sector, pages can represent local businesses, places such as shops and restaurants, specific brands or products in the consumer goods market, or entire companies and corporations. Organizations can establish pages for institutions like schools, hospitals, non-profit organizations, and professional associations.
Public figures maintain pages for artists and performers, musicians and bands, as well as politicians and celebrities who need a professional presence. Special interest pages cover entertainment venues, social causes and movements, and community groups serving specific audiences.
Business pages have the following features:
Facebook groups are communities where people with common interests can connect. Groups can be either public, private, or hidden. Groups can be created by either personal profiles or business pages.
Facebook’s built-in search functionality allows you to find all types of content available on its platform. (See Figure 3.)
Figure 3 - Facebook built-in search feature
Here is how to Facebook’s built-in search feature on desktop:
1. Find the search box in the top left corner of the page. Insert your search query and hit Enter.
2. Facebook provides numerous filters to refine your results. Such as, “Search within”:
Posts
People
Photos
Videos
Marketplace
Pages
Figure 4 - The Facebook Pages filters
PlacesFigure 5 - The Facebook Places search filters
Groups
Events
Personal Facebook profiles are valuable sources of information for several investigative purposes. For instance, they provide:
Let us begin inspecting individual Facebook profiles, starting with Facebook Display Name and Username.
Each Facebook personal account can have a display name and a username. The main differences between them are as follows (see Figure 6):
Figure 6 - Facebook username appears in the profile URL, while the Display name appears next to the profile photo
Many Facebook users, contrary to Facebook’s real name policy, use a display name other than their first and last name. The display name could be used in other places online (for example, on different social media platforms) and/or could have a particular meaning for the user. When the Facebook display name is not the first and last name of the profile owner, we should search to see where else it appears online.
Here are some Google Dorks to search for display names:
Understanding the cultural meaning of the display name is also important, as it could reveal important information related to our investigation. Here are some online services to help you understand the meaning of names.
A user could use the same Facebook username on different platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit. Inspect all social networks with accounts that have the same target username. Here are some online services and tools to perform reverse username searches:
A Facebook "username" or "display name" could have other aliases similar to it. For example, the name "Pedram" could use the following aliases:
Additional variations worth considering:
We should consider executing systematic alias variation checks when the initial search returns no results to increase discovery chances.
A Facebook account typically has a personal profile picture and a header image. Both images should be inspected visually for any interesting leads or text written on them. We should also conduct a reverse image search to see where else these photos appear online, which could lead to discovering new accounts on other social networks.
The following key elements of the photos should be inspected:
To execute a reverse image search, you can use the following search engines:
If the image contains a human face, using a dedicated facial recognition tool or service could be more helpful.
To inspect images and videos for metadata, use the following tools:
The "About" section of the individual Facebook profile contains many sub-sections that contain a plethora of information about each user.
Contains brief information about the user, such as study, work, and country or city of origin.
The Work section contains information about the companies where the Facebook user has worked. If the company has a Facebook page, it will display as a link here (see Figure 7).
Figure 7 - The work and education section contains information about the companies and schools/colleges that the Facebook user attended previously.
The "places visited" section contains the user check-ins, which provide insights into a user's location-tagged places on Facebook. This data represents selective location shares through manual check-ins, which might not comprehensively capture all visited locations.
OSINT gatherers can extract valuable intelligence by analyzing these check-ins chronologically, such as identifying location clusters and mapping potential routine patterns of the target user.
The section might reveal restaurants, cafes, shops, and public venues that a user voluntarily marks, offering potential insights into personal movements, social networks, and lifestyle habits.
The "Contact and basic info" section contains important information about the Facebook account, such as:
Note that some or all of this information could be unavailable depending on privacy settings. However, when we have email, phone numbers, and links to other websites belonging to the user, such as their blog, we should also inspect them.
OSINT gatherers can use email aggregator services to trace where a specific email appears online and uncover connected emails tied to the same individual. These platforms compile email addresses from various sources, linking them to user profiles and cross-referencing alternate addresses. They can prove very useful in mapping digital identities.
The most prominent email aggregation services include ZoomInfo, and RocketReach. Each platform offers unique capabilities for discovering and verifying email contact information across different digital platforms.
If the target Facebook user has published their phone number publicly, then we should execute a reverse phone number search to see where it appears online. A reverse phone search allows OSINT gatherers to:
We should also search for the phone number in the following locations:
This section displays more information about the Facebook user, such as:
Of course, displaying all or part of this information depends on the privacy settings of the user's Facebook profile.
This section provides more information about the target Facebook profile, such as Name pronunciation, Other names and Favorite quotes.
This section lists major events or milestones of the Facebook user. For example, it may contain the following information:
A user's Facebook posts and comments are considered a rich source of information for OSINT gatherers. By systematically analyzing user posts and comments, OSINT investigators can uncover valuable insights about an individual's activities, connections, and behavior.
This involves examining the chronological order of posts and comments to identify frequent patterns, major events, or changes in behavior. For example, a user posts about starting a new job in January 2025, then posts about relocating to a new city in March 2025 and attending a specific business conference in June 2025. This timeline helps us map their professional and personal movements during the first six months of 2025.
For example, analyzing a sudden drop in the number of posts for several months might indicate travel, illness, or a change in online behavior, such as leaving Facebook to concentrate after getting a new job.
A user shifts from posting about home gardening in 2023 to sharing political content in 2025, indicating a change in priorities or affiliations. This allows OSINT gatherers to build a chronological profile of the individual, which helps understand their life events and behavioral shifts over time.
This involves extracting location data (GPS coordinates) from posts, check-ins (see Figure 8), or tagged photos to determine where the individual has been or frequently visits. For example, we can conclude the following facts after inspecting some Facebook user check-ins:
Figure 8 - Location check-in in a Facebook post
This involves understanding how the user interacts with others on Facebook, such as their likes, comments, and shares, to identify their social circle and level of engagement, in addition to the nature of their relationships, which can be useful for mapping networks or identifying associates.
For example:
The language used to write posts and comments can reveal much about the writer, such as their personality, cultural background, and professional expertise, which can be useful for profiling users. Linguistic analysis involves analyzing the language, tone, and style of posts and comments to understand the users' potential psychological traits and current state of mind when they post their content. For example:
OSINT gatherers can assess the emotional tone of posts and comments to determine whether the content is positive, negative, or neutral. This allows OSINT gatherers to gauge the user's emotional state, potential stressors, or mood changes, which can be relevant for psychological profiling or understanding motivations.
There are different Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered tools to execute sentiment analysis; here are the most prominent ones:
When analyzing Facebook videos, you'll first need to extract the text before applying sentiment analysis tools. Below are some tools that can assist in this process:
Facebook does not impose strict verification on its users, so finding fake profiles is normal. We should consider doing the following verification techniques to verify information found on Facebook:
Facebook users can post text, images, videos, and URLs on their Facebook profiles. Inspecting these contents can provide a wealth of information for OSINT gatherers such as uncovering hidden details, verifying authenticity, and assessing potential risks.
Image metadata, also known as EXIF data, contains details about the photo itself, such as the capturing device type, GPS coordination, and timestamps. Extracting this data can reveal important information about the image's origin and context.
OSINT investigators can gain valuable information from videos. They can identify details like locations, individuals, and events by analyzing the visual and audio components. For example, a Facebook video shows a recognizable landmark, such as the Eiffel Tower, placing the user in Paris at the time of recording, while another video includes a group of people, some of whom are tagged or identifiable, which could reveal the user's social circle.
URLs shared on Facebook can lead to external websites, some of which may be malicious or scams. Checking the reputation of these URLs helps assess their credibility and potential risks. Here are some online services to check URL reputation:
Combining image metadata, video analysis, and URL checks creates a comprehensive picture of the inspected content's origin, context, and credibility.
Facebook groups are valuable sources of information for OSINT gatherers. A Facebook group is a community similar to Reddit's subreddits, where users share the same interests or ideas.
A Facebook group can be either public or private. Once a group is private, it cannot be changed into public. The major difference between the public and private groups is the visibility factor; we can summarize it in the following table:
|
Public |
Private |
|
|
Who can see what people post, comment and share in the group? |
Anyone |
Current group members |
|
Who can see who's in the group? |
All Facebook users |
Current group members |
|
Who can see who the admins and moderators are? |
All Facebook users |
Visible: Anyone on Facebook Hidden: Current members or anyone invited |
A Facebook group has a home page that contains links to other group areas (see Figure 9). Examine the group's description, rules, and pinned posts to understand its purpose (e.g., professional networking, hobby discussions, or activism). We can also analyze the frequency and type of posts to gauge activity levels and engagement.
Figure 9 - A Facebook Group home page
The "People" section reveals group composition. Admins and moderators are listed separately, enabling the identification of key influencers and decision-makers. Member interactions reveal subgroups, alliances, and hierarchies within the community (see Figure 10).
Figure 10 - View a Facebook Group Admin members
We can identify active members, admins, and moderators from the People section to map key influencers in that group. We can also cross-reference member profiles to uncover connections or shared affiliations.
Clicking the "Discussion" link on the group home page will take you to group posts. You can examine posts, comments, and shared media to identify trends, topics, or recurring themes. We can also extract keywords, hashtags, or links to understand the group's focus and interests.
Location indicators appear through:
The media section requires examining the following:
The file section contains files uploaded by group members, such as MS Office and PDF documents files. Critical analysis points include:
A group admin can also add new sections to their group, such as:
Facebook's massive user base makes it a lucrative platform for scammers. Fake accounts and compromised profiles proliferate across the platform. Threat actors use these compromised accounts to spread misinformation, execute phishing attacks, and perform fraudulent schemes. For instance, Romance scams exploit emotional vulnerabilities, with perpetrators carefully cultivating trust before initiating financial requests. "Free" offers and unrealistic deals frequently conceal malware such as keyloggers, while clickbait content drives traffic to malicious websites to steal sensitive data such as baking information or to install malware.
To inspect if an ad or offering is a scam on Facebook, follow these technical countermeasures:
Despite the simplified interface and its easy navigation, investigating Facebook presents several technical and methodological challenges because of the different privacy controls available on the platform to protect user's data. This requires careful consideration from OSINT gatherers to get the most out of Facebook.
Here are how OSINT gatherers can avoid the most pressing challenges of investigating on Facebook:
The Facebook multi-layered privacy architecture creates major obstacles for OSINT analysts. For instance, common information like friends lists could be hidden when investigating a private profile. Still, OSINT investigators can often work around this through the following:
For example, if we investigate "John Doe," who made their profile private or locked, we might find their comments on a local music band's public page. This could reveal connections and activities even if their profile is locked or private.
Inactive Facebook accounts require different investigative approaches. To investigate them you can do a historical post analysis through cached data:
Figure 11 - View Historical Facebook content on the Internet archive service
An inactive account might not show any recent posts but still have a digital footprint through occasional likes or comments on community Facebook pages. Here are some other methods for uncovering a digital footprint:
While the WayBackMachine can be useful, you may not always find what you’re looking for. Once a post is deleted, it’s possible that it will disappear for good. To ensure you’re able to reference content that has been edited or deleted, OSINT gatherers should consider employing tools like WebPreserver to capture their data to their own device immediately when they find it, before it disappears.
For example, if investigating a group, regular snapshots of member lists can reveal pattern changes over time, even if members later leave or their profiles get deleted.
As we’ve demonstrated, Facebook is a great source for collecting digital evidence to support various investigation needs.
However, because Facebook evidence can disappear, OSINT investigators should follow specific procedures when collecting evidence to ensure the defensibility of their findings:
WebPreserver is a social media and web capture tool that allows you to capture long Facebook posts, comment threads, or entire profiles and timelines in just a couple of clicks. The browser plug-in automatically expand threads and comments, and autoscrolls timelines, saving you time from manually expanding and capturing every post. Better yet – all evidence collected is complete with the appropriate metadata, digital signatures for authentication, and can be exported in native formatting, so you can present your evidence in context.
Learn more about WebPreserver here.
With over 3.07 billion monthly active users, Facebook offers rich intelligence-gathering opportunities through groups, user profile analysis, and even advertisements. By examining Facebook's structure, analyzing user profiles, performing reverse username searches, searching Facebook Groups, using Google Dorks and sentiment analysis tools, and conducting image and metadata investigations, investigators can extract valuable information from the platform.
Reading this guide has equipped you with sound strategies to explore user-generated content, analyze interactions, and unearth valuable intelligence while navigating the nuances and challenges that come with a vast data set of anonymized content.