The Florida Supreme Court, announced it will be “one of the first courts in the world to use social media for official live video” according to the court’s post Tuesday on its Facebook page
This is great news for those who have an interest in the judiciary. Now you can watch and hear the arguments first-hand. This would be great for registered sex offenders, who, with a myriad of legal and constitutional issues facing every aspect of their everyday lives, arguably have a tremendous interest in following. Only they can’t… that prohibition on sex offenders using Facebook.
As the courts themselves (including the Supreme Court in last year’s Packingham) are recognizing, social media is the modern day town-square, where people go for news, information, to exchange ideas and to exercise their First Amendment rights.
Logic would follow that any site seeking to serve as that “public forum” should not be allowed to pick and choose who is able to participate. That’s discrimination. If these sites are permitted to discriminate, logic should also follow that a government entity not hold its public trials in a forum that is not accessible to all.
Since this is a nationwide problem, FAC is calling for participation from other state advocacy groups in considering a potential legal challenge to Facebook’s (and other entities with similar policies) policy banning “sex offenders” from its site. If you are interested, please reach out to [email protected].
This comment may be hard to understand but I was wondering…. If “I” created an email account then “I” have to report it to the sheriff’s department prior to me sending emails…. Now what if my friend created a new email account and then went on and created a new Facebook account using that email and then used my first and last name on the page. they give me the log in info for the Facebook account but “NOT” the email account. Now seeing that the email account is not mine and I have no access to it to send emails I would not have to report it to the sheriff’s department. I WILL NEED TO REPORT THE FACEBOOK PAGE. online at the fdle offender dashboard it only requires me to list user ID (which would be my name which is very common) and the site which would be Facebook. It Doesn’t ask for the email associated with the account. They probably just assume that it would be attached to my personal email. I would not be in violation for not registering the email because I don’t have access to it. I would have to register the Facebook account though. And as far as D.O.B. and personal information on the Facebook page I could just keep it private and not post my photo or share my hometown so nobody would know I’m a S.O. accept the sheriff’s department which I legally registered the page with. I believe that this would work as the only way Facebook tracks us is through “OUR” emails and the email used to create this Facebook page is not mine and I have no access to it so I do not have to register it. I may be wrong or missing something if I am please let me know if I missed anything.
I know more than a few SOs who use Facebook and I’m told that they have shared this every time they register,with ” the powers that are in control of their registration. They are not told to remove themselves from that site, or are they told that they are in violation. So my question is can a S.O. be in violation if they have a Facebook account and they confirmed it every time they register…?
No, not in Florida.
This is not about a law prohibiting registrants from being on Facebook.
This is about facebook’s policy: https://www.facebook.com/help/210081519032737?helpref=uf_permalink
Ok,so if it’s Facebook it’s self that doesn’t allow SOs to be part of the citizens who can be on Facebook then has any one heard of a sex offender being ordered to be, or has been removed by Facebook it’s self. And , I believe that FB must know or have a way to know if SOs have an active account on FB. So why hasn’t FB contacted all SOs on FB, or simply deleted them?
I have had acounts on facebook deleted by admin due to being a sex offender. I just made a new page.
The state sends Facebook a list of all registered email addresses and Facebook scrubs the accounts reported to them. It usually happens within a few days of reporting a new email address to the FDLE system. After 3 in a week I gave up. Instagram, VK, Tumblr, and others don’t seem to care.
I asked this very question to FDLE, they said they do not. They claim to have nothing to do with that, those are 3rd party watchdogs that send your info.
No,I had my Facebook for 6 years and always had it registered.
Then somebody went and sent them my so flyer,I just didn’t get banned,they wiped my account from existence.
But never had a problem registering it and was never told.i was in violation of any law.
I understand Facebook says no sex offenders allowed.. But I haven’t seen any laws that state a RSO can’t have a Facebook?
Correct. In FL there are no laws prohibiting sex offenders from being on social media.
Facebook (the business entity) has a policy prohibiting them.
Bit since they are now hosting a government service wouldnt banning us be a refusal of our rights to equal access? If the content is mandated for all tonuave access and they took upon themselves to use their platform then arent they denying us our rights directly? Its like the landlord of the building not letting offenders enter to register in the probation office in that same building.
What is more interesting is that California law prohibits denial of business services based on being registered and Facebook is not only a California corporation but also requires that all users submit to California law for dispute resolution.
Offenders cant use Facebook?I didn’t know that You know what if you want stand up every single right you have is gonna be taken watch new laws every month.when I
plead in 1991 this wasnt out I even went to a different state for college.Now everj New law will drag you back
No way in hell would I plead to this had it been in effect in 91.Is there someone to fight this?
Yes – there is. We’re filing an Ex Post Facto suit.
Fill out a case consideration (from our homepage) or contact [email protected] for more details.
The problem that we have in Florida is that the state technically has not prohibited registrants from using social media. What they have done is essentially facilitated the exclusion of registrants from social media by the companies. To the average person that might seem like a distinction without a difference but anyone who has been around the law knows that is not the case
Correct, in part. The FDLE is authorized to share “internet identifier” information in an unbridled fashion and then has no liability for any damages that may come from the disclosure.
As I mentioned in the post, however, it’s national fight against a corporation (albeit a publicly traded company).
there is no housing for sexual offenders in Collier County or Lee County! the website that lists two is out of date and inaccurate. I’m told there are people with the money that would invest in housing if I post this on this website for all to see. So please if there is anyone interested in investing in a business that is needed in this area please help out the sex offenders and their families! I am 68 years old and I have been on the phone and online all day trying to find some help without any luck.
Thanks
@ Victoria
As per our phone call I am working on finding housing I will be back in touch with you today. It will work out!
Victoria, feel free to email me [email protected]
I might be able to help
Just checked. The FSC has a live feed through their website:
http://wfsu.org/gavel2gavel/live-hd.php
I would anticipate any complaints would be told that FSC proceedings are available at the site above. Suggest any complaints also ask if that link will be dicontinued in favor of Facebook broadcasting. Haven’t found a link for formal complaints. May just email the clerk after work tonight.
Stands to reason that the FSC specifically uses Facebook knowing full well that most RSOs are precluded from viewing their proceedings. Going to try to complain of that directly to their clerk. Encourage everyone else to do the same.