Do You Know Who Your (Facebook) Friends Are? Before you hit “accept” on a friend request, consider this recent legal case: After an injured plaintiff set their Facebook profile to private, the opposing defense attorney’s paralegal tried to “friend” the plaintiff in order to view their profile. The plaintiff accepted, and the paralegal was able to discover a wrestling video that showed the plaintiff wasn’t as injured as they previously argued. Although the plaintiff’s attorney tried to get the defense disciplined for using their Facebook profile against them, they failed and the wrestling video remained as evidence for the case. It’s scary to have your social media used against you, especially in a court of law. Here are some ways you can protect yourself on social media so it won’t impact you negatively and be used against you. HIGHLIGHT YOUR BEST SELF. Turn all of your social media platforms into a portfolio with a twist. Social media can be used as a resume to showcase your character. Normal resumes highlight your experience and skills but oftentimes do not show your personality. Post items that make you authentically you — showcase what you are passionate about. Using your platform to showcase your interests and how you are helping the community is wonderful. Just be aware that others will use your posts and potentially use them for their legal interests. THINK TWICE BEFORE HITTING ‘POST.’ Even if you delete a post, it still leaves a digital footprint behind. Someone could screenshot it before you delete it. What you post online will never really go away. If you have any doubts about your post, then you shouldn’t hit submit. This extra step can go a long way to help you protect your privacy on social media. USE SOCIAL MEDIA AS A TOOL TO GIVE INSTEAD OF GET. Social media is a resource, but how you use it is up to you. Are you trying to enrich others’ lives and help them? Or are you trying to promote yourself or your business? Whatever it may be, keep in mind that others may try and twist the purpose of your post.
Katy Perry’s Legal Battle With Nuns Fighting for Convent Real Estate
Katy Perry is known around the globe for having multiple No. 1 hits, including “I Kissed A Girl,” “Teenage Dream,” and “Firework,” but two nuns in Los Angeles know Perry for a completely different reason. They were in a multiyear legal battle with Perry and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles over the purchase of a convent. In 1972, the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary pooled their money and purchased an 8-acre, French-style chateau in Los Angeles. Sisters Rita Callanan and Catherine Rose Holzman lived in the chateau-turned-convent until 2011, when the Archdiocese of Los Angeles reportedly forced them to relocate. Two years later, Archbishop José Gomez sold the property to Perry without any input from the sisters, but the nuns felt that the archdiocese did not have the right to do this. Gomez accepted a $14.5 million cash offer from Perry, but the nuns refused to sell to her. Believing they had sole ownership of the convent, they instead sold it to restaurateur and developer Dana Hollister. The archdiocese and Perry both sued Hollister for her involvement, claiming she took advantage of the nuns, and a judge invalidated her purchase months after it was made. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the archdiocese, creating an opportunity for Perry to buy the estate due to the fact that the nuns did not have the approval of the pope, the Holy See, or the archbishop to sell the property. In 2017, a jury found that Hollister intentionally interfered with Perry’s legal purchase. She was ordered to pay both Perry and the archdiocese millions of dollars. The sisters continued to support Hollister, and they both accompanied her to bankruptcy court, where Sister Holzman collapsed and died during the court proceeding. Sister Callanan blamed Perry for the death of Holzman.
Navigating social media can be overwhelming. Follow these tips, and we’re positive you’ll make the right impression, even in a court of law.
The convent is back on the market, and it does not appear that Perry will move forward with the purchase.
2 REARDONANDERSON.COM
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