Israeli Judges will be allowed to use Facebook, under conditions

By‎ עו"ד דותן המר

שותף בקבוצת הסייבר, הפרטיות וזכויות היוצרים במשרד פרל כהן צדק לצר ברץ

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After a year and half of deliberations, the internal committee established by the Israeli Judiciary recently submitted its report regarding recommendations and guidelines for judges’ use of social networks. The committee’s report includes a very long list of recommendations that will ultimately allow judges to use Facebook, subject to numerous restrictions designed to ensure the purity of the judicial process, prevent the mere appearance of a conflict of interest and the tarnishing of the judges’ public image and stature. Among others, the guidelines recommend:
 
• Prohibiting judges from making their judicial post known on Facebook;
 
• Blocking the use of Facebook through the IT systems of the Judiciary, so that judges will not use Facebook in connection with their work;
 
• Requiring judges to undergo training on the use of social networks, particularly the risks involved with such use and the ways to control privacy settings on their user accounts;
 
• As a general rule, judges will be prohibited from being Facebook ‘friends’ with attorneys;
 
• Judges will be prohibited from posting anything on social networks relating to political issues, their work, or proceedings they are presiding over.
 
The report also recommends that "judges refrain from posting a photo or status that may tarnish their public image or diminish the public’s trust in the Judiciary system.” Source: TheMarker (In Hebrew, by: Ido Baum and Jasmin Gueta).