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For the complete documentation index, see llms.txt. This page is also available as Markdown.

SOCMINT - Social Media

General Social Media Search Tools

  • Custom Google SE - Social Networks - Custom Google Search Engine for searching across multiple social networking platforms.

  • Social Searcher - Free social media search engine for real-time mentions and analytics across multiple platforms.

  • Profil3r - An OSINT tool that identifies potential social media profiles and email addresses associated with a person. Also provides alerts for data leaks related to discovered email addresses.

  • Social Media Hashtag Search - Quick search tool for finding hashtags and keywords across 70+ social media platforms.

  • social_mapper - Social media enumeration and correlation tool by Jacob Wilkin (Greenwolf) for mapping profiles across multiple platforms. Note: Last updated 2019; some features may not work with current platforms.

  • https://www.osintcombine.com/world-social-media-platforms - Tool from OSINT Combine for discovering popular social media platforms by country.

  • https://www.osintcombine.com/alt-tech-social-search - A Google CSE from OSINT Combine that searches across alternative and "non-mainstream" social platforms and boards including Parler, Gab, Minds, BitChute, DLive.tv, Rumble, JustPaste.it, WrongThink.net & 8kun.

  • https://one-plus.github.io/access.html - Collection of easy-to-use OSINT tools for Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, Reddit, Snapchat, YouTube, Twitch, LinkedIn, and other platforms.

  • https://www.smat-app.com - The Social Media Analysis Toolkit (SMAT) enables activists, journalists, researchers, and social good organizations to analyze and visualize harmful online trends including hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation across platforms such as Reddit, Gab, Parler, 4chan, 8kun, Telegram, Gettr, and more.

  • https://app.skylens.io - Geolocation visualization tool that displays geotagged posts from five social networks (Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Flickr, and Vkontakte) on a single map.

  • https://findmyfbid.in/ - Multi-platform toolkit for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, and YouTube. Features include finding user IDs, searching Reddit comments, and calculating YouTube channel earnings.

  • Orion - Open-source search engine for social networking websites.

  • Hashatit.com - Hashtag search engine supporting Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest.

  • https://www.crowdtangle.com/features - DEPRECATED: CrowdTangle was shut down by Meta in August 2024. Replaced by Meta Content Library (requires academic/research access).

  • Social-Analyzer - API, CLI, and web app for analyzing and finding a person's profile across 1000+ social media/websites.

General username enumeration tools such as Sherlock, WhatsMyName, Maigret, and Blackbird are maintained on the Username/Email page.

Username/Email

Local helper copy: Communities.html

TikTok

  • TikTok Creative Center - Discover trending hashtags, songs, creators, and videos with analytics data.

  • https://mavekite.com - TikTok profile and video downloader without watermarks. Analyze user statistics and engagement metrics. Note: Third-party TikTok tools may experience intermittent functionality.

  • https://urlebird.com - Web-based TikTok profile and video viewer with search functionality. View content without a TikTok account. Note: May change domains or experience downtime.

  • TikTok Username Search - Direct profile access by replacing "username" with the target account name.

  • https://www.osintcombine.com/tiktok-quick-search - Quick search tools for TikTok usernames, hashtags, and sounds.

  • TikTok Hashtag Analysis - Analytics and tracking for TikTok hashtags and trending content.

Clubhouse

Note: Clubhouse has significantly declined in popularity since 2021. Limited active content and users.

Discord
Facebook
Gab
Instagram

  • instaloader - Command-line tool for downloading Instagram content including public and private profiles, hashtags, user stories, feeds, saved media, comments, geotags, and captions. Note: Authentication required for most features; may encounter rate limiting.

  • https://www.searchmy.bio/ - Search engine for discovering Instagram users and influencers based on their profile biography text.

  • https://codeofaninja.com/tools/find-instagram-user-id - Tool for finding Instagram user IDs from usernames.

  • https://searchusers.com - Instagram user search by name or username. Note: Functionality depends on Instagram's current restrictions.

  • https://imginn.com - Web-based Instagram viewer for anonymously browsing profiles, downloading photos and videos, and viewing stories without an account. Note: May experience downtime or domain changes due to Instagram's anti-scraping measures.

Local helper copy: Instagram.html

kik

  • https://ws2.kik.com/user/%3Cusername_goes_here%3E - Kik API endpoint that returns account information in JSON format including full name, profile picture, and UNIX timestamp of the last profile picture change. Example: https://ws2.kik.com/user/<username_goes_here>. Note: May have intermittent availability.

  • https://kik.me/%3Cusername_goes_here%3E - Verify if a Kik username exists and view basic profile information including full name, username, and profile picture. Example: https://kik.me/<username_goes_here>.

Linkedin
Mastodon
Parler

Note: Parler experienced significant downtime and relaunched in 2023. Historical data may be more valuable than current content.

Reddit
Slack

  • Slack Pirate - Python tool that uses native Slack APIs to extract sensitive information from a Slack workspace when provided with an access token.

Skype

  • vedbex.com/tools/email2skype - Tool for finding Skype accounts by email address. Note: Results depend on user privacy settings and data availability.

SnapChat
Telegram

  • https://telegramdb.org - Database of public Telegram groups, channels and bots.

  • https://search.buzz.im/ - A tool that allows you to search Telegram channels, messages and authors for a specific string.

  • https://lyzem.com - Search engine for Telegram and Telegraph content.

  • https://telegcrack.com - Search engine for Telegra.ph posts. Find all posts with known titles from an index of approximately 3.5 million posts.

  • Telegago - Custom Google Search Engine for Telegram content.

  • Commentgram CSE - Custom Google Search Engine for searching Telegram comments.

  • Telegram Message Analyzer - Tool for exporting and analyzing Telegram chats (requires Windows version of Telegram). Provides statistics including message count, average messages per day, word frequency, and more.

  • @SangMataInfo_bot - Telegram bot that reveals the name history of a user when you forward their message.

  • @tgscanrobot - Telegram bot that shows which Telegram groups a person is a member of. Note: Only shows groups where both you and the target are members.

  • Telegram Nearby Map - Tool for discovering and mapping the location of nearby Telegram users on OpenStreetMap.

  • Telescan - Search for Telegram users in groups and identify which groups they belong to using user ID, username, or phone number (if in contacts).

  • Tgstat - One of the largest Telegram channel directories featuring detailed analytics on audience growth, engagement metrics, and cross-platform channel mentions.

  • @VoiceMsgBot - Telegram bot that transcribes voice messages to text.

  • @transcriber_bot - Telegram bot that converts voice messages to text in 24 different languages.

  • Telegramchannels.me - Rankings of the 100 largest Telegram channels by subscriber count across different categories and languages.

  • https://hatless1der.com/telegram-osint-basics-5-tips-anyone-can-do-right - Guide covering five basic Telegram OSINT techniques for investigators.

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Twitch

  • https://sizeof.cat/post/twitch-leaks/ - Analysis of the October 2021 Twitch data breach. Article explains the contents of the leaked data and provides a magnet URI for downloading the raw dataset.

X (Twitter)

  • Advanced Search - https://twitter.com/search-advanced - X's native advanced search interface.

  • Toolsets

    • https://tweetbeaver.com - Comprehensive collection of tools for conducting X/Twitter account OSINT. Requires authentication with your account. Note: Some features may be limited due to API restrictions.

  • User Reports

    • https://tinfoleak.com/ - Tool for discovering X/Twitter user information leaks and metadata analysis. Note: Limited functionality due to API changes.

  • Analytics and Statistics

    • https://socialbearing.com/ - X/Twitter analytics and search platform for analyzing users, posts, and trends. Note: Functionality limited by API restrictions.

    • https://botsentinel.com - Platform for classifying and tracking inauthentic X/Twitter accounts, bots, and toxic trolls using machine learning.

    • https://twiangulate.com/search/ - Cross-reference tool for analyzing relationships between multiple X/Twitter accounts.

  • Geolocation

    • https://onemilliontweetmap.com/ - Interactive map visualizing geotagged posts from around the world in real-time. Note: Limited by reduced geolocation data availability.

Local helper copy: Twitter.html

YouTube

  • YouTube Advanced Search - YouTube's native search with advanced filters for upload date, duration, features, and sort options. Access filters through search results page.

  • YouTube DataViewer - Amnesty International tool for extracting metadata from YouTube videos including upload time and thumbnail images for reverse image search.

  • YouTube Comment Finder - Search for comments by specific users across YouTube.

  • YouTube Geofind - Discover YouTube videos by location and upload date using geographic coordinates.

  • YouTube Metadata - Extract detailed metadata from YouTube videos, channels, and playlists.

  • Montage - Create video timelines by searching multiple YouTube channels simultaneously. Note: Service may have limited functionality or availability.

  • Hadzy - YouTube comment search engine for finding specific comments or users.

  • Deturl (PwnYouTube) - Download YouTube videos and extract video information.

WhatsApp

  • whatsanalyze.com - Analyzes exported WhatsApp chat files for statistics including word clouds, timelines, and message frequency. Note: Requires chat export file.

  • chatvisualizer.com - WhatsApp chat analyzer with visualization features. Note: Requires exported chat data.

  • Watools.io - Tool for downloading WhatsApp profile pictures. Note: Limited by WhatsApp privacy settings.

  • WAGSCRAPER - Scrapes WhatsApp group links from Google search results and provides working links with group names and images.

VKontakte (VK)

  • VK Advanced Search - Native VKontakte search with filters for people, communities, videos, and more.

  • https://vk.watch - Tool for searching VK users, groups, and posts with advanced filtering options.

  • VK5 - Python tool for VKontakte OSINT including friend list extraction and profile analysis. Note: Repository archived; may not work with current VK API.

  • https://reportvk.com - Analyze VK profiles and extract information including friend lists, groups, and activity history. Note: Verify current functionality.

  • VK City4Me - Geolocation tool for finding VKontakte users by location. Note: May require Russian language interface.

  • Yasiv VK - Visualize VKontakte friend networks and connections. Note: Service status uncertain; verify before use.

Alternative Platforms

  • Truth Social - Search directly on the platform. Limited third-party OSINT tools available.

  • Gettr Search - Native search functionality for the Gettr platform.

  • Rumble - Video platform search for alternative content creators.

  • Odysee - Decentralized video platform built on LBRY blockchain. Search available natively.

  • Bluesky Search - AT Protocol-based decentralized social network. Search via native interface.

  • Threads - Meta's microblogging platform. Limited OSINT capabilities; primarily accessible through Instagram accounts.

Archival and Historical Research

  • Wayback Machine - Internet Archive's historical snapshots of social media profiles and posts.

  • Archive.today - Create and search permanent snapshots of social media content and websites.

  • Cached Pages - Access cached versions of social media pages from multiple search engines.

  • Politwoops - Archive of deleted tweets by politicians and public officials (US and international).

General SOCMINT Techniques and Best Practices

  • Operational Security

    • Use dedicated OSINT accounts separate from personal profiles

    • Consider using VPNs or Tor for sensitive investigations

    • Be aware of platform terms of service and legal boundaries

    • Document your methodology for potential legal proceedings

  • Verification Techniques

    • Cross-reference information across multiple platforms

    • Use reverse image search to verify profile pictures (Google Images, TinEye, Yandex)

    • Check metadata in downloaded images and videos

    • Verify timestamps and geolocation data

  • Collection Best Practices

    • Take timestamped screenshots of all evidence

    • Archive pages immediately using archive.today or Wayback Machine

    • Export data in multiple formats when possible

    • Maintain detailed chain of custody documentation

  • Analysis Frameworks

    • Use timeline analysis tools to correlate activity across platforms

    • Map social networks and connections between accounts

    • Identify patterns in posting behavior and content

    • Look for account linking through shared usernames, emails, or phone numbers

  • Legal and Ethical Considerations

    • Understand jurisdiction-specific privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA, etc.)

    • Respect platform terms of service

    • Avoid social engineering or impersonation

    • Consider ethical implications of investigation methods

  • Useful Resources

For Tor, VPN, privacy, and persona OPSEC guidance, use the privacy section.

Grey - Privacy/TOR/OPSEC
Deprecated or Limited Functionality Tools

The following tools are no longer functional, have severely limited capabilities, or have been discontinued. They are listed here for historical reference and awareness.

  • Twitter/X API-Dependent Tools (Limited/Broken)

    • twint - Advanced Twitter scraping tool. Status: No longer functional due to Twitter/X API changes and site structure updates. Last maintained 2021.

    • https://nitter.net - Privacy-focused Twitter front-end. Status: Most public instances are non-functional due to Twitter/X blocking. Self-hosted instances may still work with limitations.

    • https://foller.me/ - Twitter analytics tool. Status: Non-functional due to API restrictions.

    • https://analytics.mentionmapp.com/ - Twitter network visualizer. Status: Limited functionality due to API changes.

    • https://spoonbill.io/ - Profile change tracker. Status: No longer functional due to API restrictions.

    • Snap Bird - Twitter archive search. Status: Discontinued due to Twitter API changes.

  • Discontinued Platforms

    • [Google+ OSINT tools] - Platform shut down in April 2019. All tools non-functional.

    • [Periscope] - Service discontinued by Twitter in March 2021. Merged into Twitter.

    • [Vine] - Platform shut down in 2017. Archives may exist but no active tools.

  • Third-Party Instagram Viewers (Unreliable)

    • https://kikusernames.com/search - Kik username search. Status: Frequently offline or non-functional.

    • Various Instagram viewer sites (imginn.com, urlebird.com alternatives) - Note: These sites frequently go offline, change domains, or become non-functional due to Instagram's anti-scraping measures. Verify functionality before relying on them.

  • Limited by Platform Changes

    • https://clubsearch.io - Clubhouse room search. Status: Limited value due to Clubhouse decline.

    • Third-party TikTok viewers - Many domains frequently change or become non-functional due to TikTok's anti-scraping measures.

Alternative Approaches:

  • For X/Twitter: Use native advanced search, paid API access, or browser-based manual collection

  • For Instagram: Use official tools like Instagram Data Download or browser-based collection with proper authentication

  • For archived content: Check Wayback Machine and archive.today

  • Consider using official platform APIs where available (with appropriate authorization)

4chan

  • https://archived.moe/ - Searchable archive of most 4chan boards with historical thread and post data.

  • https://4chansearch.com - Custom Google Search Engine for searching 4chan and its various archives.

  • https://4plebs.org - Comprehensive searchable archive of threads and images from multiple 4chan boards including /adv/, /f/, /hr/, /o/, /pol/, /sp/, /tg/, /trv/, /tv/, and /x/. Note: Content may be offensive.

  • https://find.4chan.org - Search tool for finding matching keywords in currently active 4chan threads.

  • https://qresear.ch - Searchable archive of QAnon-related posts from 8kun/8chan.

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