It seems that nothing is private anymore, not with the advent of social media and people's inclination to post/upload photos of all the things happening in their lives. However, it was only a matter of time before a client's errant post(s) was picked up by opposing counsel and presented as evidence in a court of law. This is an interesting infographic depicting some of the ways family law attorneys are using posts and photos during trials. Baby-boomer and Gen-X parents have been telling our kids to not post anything that will embarrass us parents but then we forget to abide by the same adage and it's coming back to bite us in court!
I'm seeing CLE courses offered for attorneys regarding ethical considerations of personal use of social media but am not seeing an actual law school courses regarding social media in the courtroom or personal usage. There is a high percentage of under-30's using social media these days (89% according to the graphic) so I imagine it is only a matter of time before a course in social media usage, as both an ethics and evidentiary consideration, becomes a required course in law school. Seeing this graphic prompted me to sign up for a CLE webinar regarding ethics and social media since this topic is becoming more and more a part of my job description. And although I am always careful about what I post on my various social media pages, it also serves as an additional reminder to think before hitting "enter"!
Infographic courtesy of Dishon & Block Family Law Attorneys
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