http://www.rostroncarlyle.com/social-media-law.htmlRostron Carlyle Legal Publicationsen-auCopyright Rostron Carlyle Solicitors Using information from social networking websites in litigation is expected to rise, with current generations publishing more and more about themselves online. With the enormous surge in popularity of social media websites such as Facebook, employers are nervously watching how the use of these websites will impact their workplace relations.http://www.rostroncarlyle.com/legalarticles/social-media-law-articles/can-your-social-media-profile-be-used-in-evidence.htmlhttp://www.rostroncarlyle.com/legalarticles/social-media-law-articles/can-your-social-media-profile-be-used-in-evidence.html The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (Act) expands employee protection against breach of ‘workplace rights’ and discrimination. The ‘adverse action’ provisions under the Act will compel employers to be more cautious when making decisions that affect employees, which may include interactions on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. http://www.rostroncarlyle.com/legalarticles/social-media-law-articles/adverse-action-claims-managers-warned-to-consider-who-they-befriend-online.htmlhttp://www.rostroncarlyle.com/legalarticles/social-media-law-articles/adverse-action-claims-managers-warned-to-consider-who-they-befriend-online.html Care should be taken to ensure that Social Media Policies (SMP's) are not only legally binding on employees and contractors, but that they reflect the goals and practical aspirations for an organisations social media strategy. http://www.rostroncarlyle.com/legalarticles/social-media-law-articles/drafting-tips-for-social-media-policies.htmlhttp://www.rostroncarlyle.com/legalarticles/social-media-law-articles/drafting-tips-for-social-media-policies.html Social Media Policy (SMP) is a document, communicated to an organisations employees so as to be legally binding, setting out the way in which employees are to participate on Social Networking Sites (SNS) and the rules that the Organisation wants to apply.http://www.rostroncarlyle.com/legalarticles/social-media-law-articles/what-is-a-social-media-policy.htmlhttp://www.rostroncarlyle.com/legalarticles/social-media-law-articles/what-is-a-social-media-policy.html In what appears to have been a world-first decision, an Australian court allowed service of court documents via a social networking website where personal service was impractical and the court was satisfied that service by Facebook will bring the document to the relevant party’s attention. http://www.rostroncarlyle.com/legalarticles/social-media-law-articles/can-you-be-served-a-legal-document-via-your-social-media-profile.htmlhttp://www.rostroncarlyle.com/legalarticles/social-media-law-articles/can-you-be-served-a-legal-document-via-your-social-media-profile.html 2009 saw a gradual evolution of the law in relation to social networking in all jurisdictions. It's possible in certain circumstances, for website owners to have a duty of care to their users, individuals can now be served via their Facebook profile if they can't be located, and in the US, there is a continued debate over online privacy. In Australia, individuals profile page can be used in evidence there has also been comment about organisations wanting to own their employees "Tweets". The point of this is that the legal risks for organisations participating in social networking are evolving at the same pace as the technology is.http://www.rostroncarlyle.com/legalarticles/social-media-law-articles/submarines-online-legal-risks-of-social-networking-for-organisations.htmlhttp://www.rostroncarlyle.com/legalarticles/social-media-law-articles/submarines-online-legal-risks-of-social-networking-for-organisations.html