Yesterday the misuse of social media figured in at least two courts of justice.
In Great Britain a young man was sentenced for posting lies and conducting campaigns of hurtful character assassination against girls who had met untimely deaths and whom he did not know.
In a murder trial in Northern Ireland after reading out the names of numerous witnesses in the case, Mr Justice Hart told the jury to reflect on whether or not they knew anyone connected with the case. He warned them not to conduct any internet research into the case or to talk about it on Facebook or Twitter as “the consequences for a person who does that could be quite serious”.
The church – national and parochial – needs to take note of the increasing concern about the misuses of social media. Firstly, and to be positive, it has many benefits in terms of accessibility, the youth culture, outreach and in contributing to community building.
However, there are as many situations of which the church must be wary, and for which so far no guidelines would appear to have been considered let alone issued.
In this we are well behind trans-atlantic mainstream churches. Respected journals like the Princeton Theological Review have carried extensive insights on both the pros and cons of social media. American churches have been warned e.g., that certain types of information which has been shared in parish prayer groups should not be forwarded to the wider congregational community which was not present at the event. In some instances where this occurred there were unfortunate consequences. Pastoral visitors both ordained and lay need to avoid this dilemma also. And that is only for starters.
Unfortunately, this media is available to all – including the socially introverted who often cannot cope with engaging in communication and relationships in a real society and they exist socially principally through a virtual reality community – quite often of similarly socially challenged people.
Professionals such as general practitioners, medical specialists, teachers and clergy already have had to suffer the experience of their practices, professional standards and characters being subjected to searing, biased comments by patients, parents and parishioners.
Where there are difficulties or disputes in parishes, they are seldom helped or healed by those who comment on these situations in their contributions on social media. And unfortunately some of the C of I clergy themselves have through this media intruded in public into the affairs and business of other parishes and the ministry and responsibilities of a fellow cleric and indeed his/her bishop – take this cure which is both thine and mine. Here at least is one issue and challenge to Bishop Paul Colton and the group drafting the clergy code of conduct.
Mind how you Tweet – should come before General Synod as draft legislation! It is not so far removed from the tablets brought down Sinai by Moses.
Houston McKelvey
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-14894576
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-14898843