Proper Protocol
While the question of whom to friend or follow or what to repin has always been ruled by social media protocol, this takes on a greater significance during litigation. Is it acceptable for lawyers to send friend requests to judges, for example, or does that cross the line between personal and professional? Some jurisdictions feel social networking at this level should be impermissible, because it speaks to potentially inappropriate influences.
Sheer Volume
Even a social media profile that’s only somewhat active can generate an enormous amount of personal data over time, which can be overwhelming to dig through. No matter how rich the repository, the collection process used during social media discovery must allow for significant culling in order to discard volumes of irrelevant information.
Ethical Debates
Social media discovery sometimes feels like navigating a minefield, with so many litigators unsure where the acceptable boundaries lie in any given situation. This brings up the question of counsel’s ethical duty about how to instruct clients with regards to social media. Currently, the official court stance has been firmly on the side that anyone with a social media profile should accept that they have no reasonable expectation of privacy.
Look for four more steps in our next blog –Major Challenges in Using Social Media in Litigation – Part 2. If you would like more information about eDiscovery or how TERIS solutions can assist you, please contact us!