Among the biggest takeaways so far from the Justice Department's prosecution of the insurrection is how large a role social media has played, with much of the most damning evidence coming from rioters' own words and videos.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Amy Jackson read aloud some of Russell Peterson’s posts about the riot before she sentenced the Pennsylvania man to 30 days imprisonment. “Overall I had fun lol,” Peterson posted on Facebook.
Does what goes on Facebook really matter? Almost a year after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, prosecutors are heavily weighing protestors’ online posts. In at least 28 federal crime sentences so far, prosecutors have requested stricter rulings based on social media posts.
For many rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, self-incriminating messages, photos and videos that they broadcast on social media before, durin