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Install socialscan on Linux in one command

socialscan asks a short list of major platforms whether a username or email is available, taken, or invalid, using their own sign-up validation. Fewer sites than Sherlock, far fewer false positives.

socialscan in three lines

pipx install otinstaller
ot install socialscan
ot run socialscan -- u:jane_doe

Runs iojw/socialscan (MPL-2.0, ★ 1.8k, otinstaller v0.0.4, registry updated Oct 13, 2026). otinstaller installs and runs it; it does not change or verify it.

What socialscan is for

  • A reliable yes or no on the big platforms.
  • Checking whether a handle is free before registering it.
  • Verifying Sherlock hits on the platforms socialscan covers.

Typed inputs for socialscan

otinstaller translates these prefixes into socialscan's own flags. Anything else after -- is passed through unchanged, so every original flag still works.

u:
username · ot run socialscan -- u:jane_doe
e:
email · ot run socialscan -- e:jane@example.com

Run every installed tool that takes the same input at once: ot run --all u:jane_doe

Where the results go

Every run lands under ./results/socialscan/<target>/ as a timestamped output file plus a .meta.json sidecar: the exact command, start and end time, exit code, and the SHA-256 of the output. Group runs with --case, compare the last two with ot diff socialscan <target>, and pull indicators out with ot extract.

Before you run it

  • Covers roughly a dozen platforms; use it for precision, not reach.

Update, remove, inspect

ot info socialscan      # inputs, flags, keys
ot example socialscan   # sample output
ot update socialscan    # move to the next tested version
ot remove socialscan    # delete its virtualenv

Full reference for this tool: docs for socialscan.

Pairs with

Sherlock
Sherlock checks a username against several hundred sites and reports where a profile with that exact handle exists.
Maigret
Maigret searches a username across thousands of sites and, where it finds a profile, extracts the public fields on it: display name, bio, location, linked accounts.
user-scanner
user-scanner takes a username or email and checks platforms that reveal whether an account exists.

FAQ

socialscan with otinstaller, answered

How do I install socialscan on Kali or Ubuntu?

Install otinstaller once with pipx install otinstaller, run ot init, then ot install socialscan. The tool lands in its own virtualenv under ~/.otinstaller/, pinned to a version that was tested on Ubuntu, so nothing touches your system Python. ot doctor flags a missing git or venv module.

Which inputs does socialscan take through otinstaller?

u: (username), e: (email). otinstaller maps each prefix to socialscan's own flag. Everything after -- that is not a typed input is passed through unchanged, so the original flags still work.

Where does otinstaller save socialscan results?

Under ./results/socialscan/<target>/ in the folder you run from, as a timestamped output file plus a .meta.json sidecar with the exact command, timing, exit code, and SHA-256. Add --case <name> to group runs, and ot diff socialscan <target> to compare the last two.

Does socialscan need an API key or a login?

No key is required for the basic run. Optional keys, where the project supports them, go in ~/.otinstaller/.env and are passed only to tools that declare them.

Can I run socialscan together with other tools?

Yes. ot run --all u:jane_doe runs every installed tool that accepts username input, in parallel, including socialscan. Save the combination as a playbook to repeat it.