Social media on trial
Does Twitter belong in the courtroom or does it have the power to pervert the course of justice? In an article first published in Encore, Nic Christensen finds out.
As social media becomes an increasingly important part of modern reporting, the Australian judicial system is having to grapple with the complex challenges of when and how to allow it in the courtroom.
“Most court reporters in Sydney have Twitter accounts and do a lot of tweeting inside court from first appearances to verdict,” one court reporter told Encore. “To be honest, we never ask permission and have never been asked about it.”
More and more journalists and judicial officers are raising concerns about the lack of clear rules around the practice.
What’s scarey is this. With enough information anyone can be made to look bad – for some reason. Social media means shit loads of stuff is being held about you. Did you write some fan fiction that was about a terrorist attack? Did you lose it on line? Did a comment you tweeted show tendencies – for something? Did you agree with somebody who turned out to be seriously dodgy. And so on. With a little bit here and a little bit there and a couple of coincidences, even your granny could be put on a short list for people who shouldn’t be trusted to own a pair of knitting needles.