Convenor:  Dr Anne Wallace, JAR-Association President

Speaker:  Silvio Roberto Vinceti (Roberto Ruffilli Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Bologna, Department of Political and Social Science)

Social media have become a central platform for all kinds of relationships, communities, and social interactions. Quite unsurprisingly, judges have also been drawn to social media. While in some respects uneventful, the use of digital platforms by judges can also be a valuable tool for raising awareness about the justice system and the law. In some countries, digital platforms have been tapped by judges to denounce and fend off attacks on judicial independence. At the same time, judges’ use of interactive technologies raises worrisome risks. Online friendships with lawyers and parties, ex parte communications, as well as the expression of personal views on political and social issues—all these uses potentially jeopardize judges’ appearance of impartiality and thereby compromise the fair administration of justice. Against the challenges of social media, moreover, existing ethical regulations around the world appear increasingly obsolete. By examining prominent national case studies, the e-seminar will foster a discussion on the policy implications of regulating judges’ use of social media. The initiative is supported by the Robert Ruffilli Postdoctoral Fellowship Program at the University of Bologna’s Department of Political and Social Science. The e-seminar will be open to students, scholars, judges, and all others interested in the subject. Registration is required.

Members will automatically receive an email with the Zoom link for this e-Seminar. If you are not a member and would like to attend, please email the organiser.