According to the case background outlined in the SJC ruling, Detective Matthew Krug served on the Lowell Police Department’s Gang Unit from 2019 to 2021, where he monitored social media platforms to investigate gang activity. Krug created a fictitious and undercover Snapchat account using a nonwhite name and Bitmoji avatar, then sent friend requests to users who were already connected to other undercover gang unit profiles. Once connected, Krug used a department-issued iPad to monitor users’ stories. In 2021, the defense filed a motion for discovery, seeking evidence of racial bias in Lowell’s use of Snapchat surveillance. The SJC also said that police did not disclose the screen name Krug used during the investigation.