Final answer:
To determine when a file was created locally on a Mac, you can use the 'stat' command in the Terminal, which displays the file's MACB timestamps, including the creation time. It's important to remember that these timestamps can be altered. The Finder app also shows basic timestamp information but for in-depth details, forensic tools would be more thorough.
Step-by-step explanation:
To tell when a file was created locally on a Mac, you can use the MACB (Modified, Accessed, Created, and Birth) timestamps. These are metadata attributes associated with files on a filesystem that can give you information about different aspects of the file's history. On a Mac, you can use the Terminal and the 'stat' command to view these timestamps. For instance, running 'stat filename' will display a list of detailed information, including the creation time, which represents when the file was created. If a file was created locally, the creation time should indicate the date and time the file was originally made on that system. It's important to note that these timestamps can be changed or manipulated, so they should not be solely relied upon for definitive evidence in, for example, a legal context without corroborating evidence.
Additionally, the Finder app provides basic timestamp information. You can view this by right-clicking on a file, selecting 'Get Info', and looking under 'General' for the 'Created' date. However, for a more detailed investigation, professionals may rely on digital forensics tools that interpret the filesystem data more comprehensively.