Facing criminal charges can be a life-altering experience, colored by the kind of anxiety and uncertainty that can keep you up at night. If you are facing criminal charges, your instinct – especially in the middle of the night – might be to turn to social media for support or to share your side of the story. However, staying off social media is very important right now.
Crafting a solid defense to the charges you’re facing will place you in the strongest position to obtain a favorable outcome in your case. Social media posts can be self-incriminating and can, therefore, seriously undermine the strength of your criminal defense strategy. Even seemingly innocent posts can be taken out of context and used against you in court.
Concerns to keep in mind
When you’re tempted to login to your social media accounts, remember that prosecutors are likely taking time to review your social media profiles and broader activity for evidence that they can use against you. Photos, videos, “likes,” posts and comments could unintentionally contradict your defense or portray you negatively and could impact your entire case as a result.
It is additionally important to remember that social media can shape how the public, including potential jurors, will perceive you and your case. Negative public opinion can indirectly influence the proceedings. It’s not uncommon for jurors to be influenced by public opinion, and social media can play a significant role in shaping these views.
Even if you commit to only using social media calmly and in very specific ways at this time, the stress and emotion of a criminal case can lead to impulsive posts that might seem cathartic at the moment but can have lasting negative effects. A moment of frustration or anger could lead to a post that undermines your case or affects your character assessment in court. In short? Even though it is going to be tough, it’s very, very important for you to stay off social media until your case has concluded.