Supreme Court chief advises justices to avoid social media

JUDGES are finding it difficult to “shrug off ” abuse on social media, the head of the Supreme Court has said, as she urged colleagues to avoid the sites.

Baroness Hale of Richmond, the UK’S most senior judge, said that while social media could be a force for good, it also gave a platform for people to leave “extremely hurtful” comments.

Giving evidence to the Lords Constitution Committee alongside her deputy Lord Reed, Lady Hale said yesterday that social media “clearly does put a lot of pressure on some people”.

“I don’t think the justices of the Supreme Court actually engage in social media,” she said. “Whether that is a self-defence mechanism, whether that’s a good thing or not, I don’t know.”

Lady Hale, who is due to stand down next year, said that justices were aware of public opinion and received newspaper cuttings, but that it did not deter them from doing their job of upholding the law.

She added: “You have to be very, very careful not to put the wrong information out there, you never know where it may get to.

“The capacity for anonymous and extremely hurtful comment to come along … you can shrug it off but I think it’s not that easy.

“It is very, very important that we do go about our job in accordance with our oaths, without fear or favour of affection or ill-will. Social media could distort that if we pay too much attention. So I’m very cautious.”

As a result, she urged the judiciary to avoid “engaging on social media”.