Can Social Media Posts Be Used in an IRS Audit?

One comment we see frequently on TikTok (our least favorite platform for tax advice) is people saying "hOw WoUlD tHe IrS eVeN kNow? This is how. Tech billionaire Michael Taylor was sued for tax fraud for claiming he lived in Florida when really he resided in the District of Columbia and is seeking $100M in taxes/penalties/interest.

So how in part did they gather evidence for this?

His social media posts. The suit actually includes screenshots from his Facebook of him posting multiple pictures from his DC residence and referring to it as his "home", while tagging his location as Washington DC. If you reside in DC more than 183 days during the year they consider you a resident.

In summary:

1) please don't fragrantly commit tax fraud; and,

2) understand the taxable implications of where you are earning your money - especially if you're a digital nomad and traveling/working in multiple states.