FAQ

Frequently asked

Who is this platform for?: Journalists doing source verification, OSINT analysts in newsrooms / NGOs / government / private practice, legal teams supporting litigation or e-discovery, academic researchers studying digital culture, and corporate compliance teams. socials.download is built around chain-of-custody and audit needs, not casual saving. See pricing.
Do I need authorization to capture content?: Yes. By submitting a capture you attest that you have a lawful basis in your jurisdiction. That includes your own content, public-record material, journalistic work product, court-authorized discovery, your client’s authorized investigation, or another lawful basis. Unauthorized capture is prohibited and your sole liability. Full terms.
What proves a capture is authentic?: Every artifact ships with a metadata sidecar containing the source URL, capture timestamp (UTC, NTP-synced), a SHA-256 hash of the artifact bytes, the platform-reported account handle and post ID, and a capture session ID that ties back to the audit log. The sidecar is reproducible: re-hashing the file at any point verifies the artifact has not been altered since capture.
Will socials.download bypass log-in walls or paywalls?: No. We capture public artifacts only. We do not bypass paywalls, log-in walls, friend-only privacy controls, or DRM. If a post requires login to view it, we won’t see it. If the account is private, we won’t capture from it.
What platforms does it cover?: Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), Facebook, VSCO, Reddit, Pinterest, Threads, Tumblr, Bluesky, Twitch (clips), and Vimeo. Every capture goes through the same metadata + hash + audit pipeline regardless of source.
How does the case archive work?: Free-tier captures stream through and aren’t persisted past the seconds it takes to deliver the file. Pro accounts get a 30-day audit-logged archive: captures and sidecars are retained, hash-verified, and re-downloadable for 30 days. Studio extends that to 90 days plus per-platform retention controls. After the retention window the artifact is permanently deleted.
Can I use these captures in litigation or as evidence?: The artifacts and sidecars are designed to support evidentiary use: hash-verified, timestamped, source-attributed, audit-logged. Whether a specific capture is admissible in a specific proceeding is a question of law and procedure for counsel in your jurisdiction. We do not provide legal advice. The artifact and audit log are tools; counsel decides how to use them.
How do you handle DMCA and takedown requests?: Valid DMCA notices are acted on within 24-48 hours of receipt. Procedure, counter-notification process, and audit log are documented at /legal/dmca. Repeat-infringer accounts are terminated.
How do I reach a person on the team?: support@socials.download for general questions. dmca@socials.download for takedown notices. legal@socials.download for subpoenas, preservation requests, and counsel correspondence.