Thumbs Up to Web Code of Conduct, Thumbs Down to Facebook Ban
Almost half of all Web users would support an Internet code of conduct for bloggers and other Internet commentators, according to a survey by an international megafirm. But a growing number of observers question whether employer attempts to ban workers from using social networking sites like Facebook make sense.
“A survey by legal firm DLA Piper said 46 percent of Web users think bloggers should sign up to a code that reflected the laws on defamation, intellectual property and incitement, with 15 percent ambivalent and 4 percent strongly opposed,” reports the Guardian, a United Kingdom newspaper. Among bloggers, roughly one-third supported the idea, one-third opposed it, and the other one-third apparently didn’t have a strong opinion.
While lawyers presumably are aware of the legalities of Internet use, some may be skirting close to the ethical line by posting anonymously about cases in which they are involved, a recent National Law Journal article reports.
Meanwhile, as American Lawyer (reg. req.) notes in the latest article on the issue, many law firms apparently have thrown in the towel on efforts to restrict employees from using Facebook while in the office. Nearly half of the Am Law 100 firms, for instance, have Facebook networks, the magazine writes.
As discussed in earlier ABAJournal.com posts, British BigLaw firm Allen & Overy had to do what the London Times referred to as “an embarassing U-turn,” after insurrection resulted when it attempted to ban lawyers and staff from using Facebook last year.
And, while law firms, like other employers, don’t want workers spending undue amounts of time on the Internet, such social networking sites do serve legitimate business-generating and networking purposes, experts say.
For firms that are squeamish about authorizing Facebook use, however, a growing number of social networking sites for lawyers offer alternatives for legitimate business development and professional networking, such as Legal OnRamp, an ABA Journal article points out.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Looking For Employee Perks to Offer? Facebook Access May be Enough”
ABAJournal.com: “Facebook Costs, Benefits Firms”
ABAJournal.com: “Surfing the Net is Now Work for Lawyers”
ABA Journal: “Go Google Yourself!”
ABAJournal.com: “Partner Offers $10K Bounty for Blogger’s Identity”
ABAJournal.com: “Troll Tracker Outs Himself, $15K Reward Remains Unclaimed”
