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Social media users warned over court case comments | Social media users warned over court case comments |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The attorney general is to publish guidance on Twitter to help prevent social media users from committing a contempt of court by commenting inappropriately on criminal cases. | The attorney general is to publish guidance on Twitter to help prevent social media users from committing a contempt of court by commenting inappropriately on criminal cases. |
Dominic Grieve QC said it was designed to make sure fair trials took place. | Dominic Grieve QC said it was designed to make sure fair trials took place. |
Comedian Alan Davies, Commons speaker's wife Sally Bercow and celebrity Peaches Geldof have all recently run into legal difficulties with careless tweets. | Comedian Alan Davies, Commons speaker's wife Sally Bercow and celebrity Peaches Geldof have all recently run into legal difficulties with careless tweets. |
The advice will apply to court cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. | The advice will apply to court cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. |
The rise of social media has meant that conversations about criminal cases, once had down the pub or over the garden fence, are now instantly published online - and can be shared with thousands, BBC legal correspondent Clive Coleman says. | The rise of social media has meant that conversations about criminal cases, once had down the pub or over the garden fence, are now instantly published online - and can be shared with thousands, BBC legal correspondent Clive Coleman says. |
But Facebook and Twitter are publications subject to the same laws that in practice used to apply only to the mainstream media. | But Facebook and Twitter are publications subject to the same laws that in practice used to apply only to the mainstream media. |
Anyone commenting about a case or defendant in a way that could prejudice a trial could be prosecuted for contempt and imprisoned. | Anyone commenting about a case or defendant in a way that could prejudice a trial could be prosecuted for contempt and imprisoned. |
That is why the attorney general is going to start publishing advice - that previously only went to the media - to the public via his website and Twitter feed. | That is why the attorney general is going to start publishing advice - that previously only went to the media - to the public via his website and Twitter feed. |
It is designed to help inform people about the legal pitfalls of commenting in a way that could be seen as prejudicial to a court case or those involved. | It is designed to help inform people about the legal pitfalls of commenting in a way that could be seen as prejudicial to a court case or those involved. |
Mr Grieve said: "Blogs and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook mean that individuals can now reach thousands of people with a single tweet or post. | Mr Grieve said: "Blogs and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook mean that individuals can now reach thousands of people with a single tweet or post. |
"This is an exciting prospect, but it can pose certain challenges to the criminal justice system. | "This is an exciting prospect, but it can pose certain challenges to the criminal justice system. |
"In days gone by, it was only the mainstream media that had the opportunity to bring information relating to a court case to such a large group of people that it could put a court case at risk. | "In days gone by, it was only the mainstream media that had the opportunity to bring information relating to a court case to such a large group of people that it could put a court case at risk. |
"That is no longer the case and is why I have decided to publish the advisories that I have previously only issued to the media." | "That is no longer the case and is why I have decided to publish the advisories that I have previously only issued to the media." |
Mr Grieve said the move was not about telling people what they could say on social media but about helping to allow lawful comments. | Mr Grieve said the move was not about telling people what they could say on social media but about helping to allow lawful comments. |
Technology expert Tom Cheesewright said social media offered "instant publishing". | |
He said some individuals have more Twitter followers than national newspapers have subscribers but - unlike journalists - they do not have legal training or "an editor to stop them". | |
People may write posts while drunk or in "emotional states", he added. | |
"It's very unlikely we're going to have rules that stop this happening," he said. | |
"It's going to be about education and part of that education is going to come from high-profile prosecutions." | |
He said laws for print media had developed over many years and society would have to "go through the same process with social media" to develop laws and "public understanding". | |
Peaches Geldof apologised last week for tweeting the names of the two mothers whose babies were abused by rock star Ian Watkins. | |
Police are investigating the tweets over concerns that they identified protected parties. |