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Facebook tagging violates protection order

Manny Pham
January 18, 2016

Physical touching and proximity invasion isn’t the only way to violate a protective order anymore.

Acting Westchester County Supreme Court Justice Susan Capeci, ruled that Maria Gonzalez violated  a protection order by tagging a victim in a Facebook status. The victim, Maribel Calderon was labelled “stupid,” and the other status allegedly read: “You and your family are sad…You guys have to come stronger than that!! I’m way over you guys but I guess not in ya agenda.”

A protective order is separate from a restraining order, but elements of a restraining order are used in a protective order. Protective orders are used to give maximum protection to those suffering at the hands of family violence.

Gonzalez has been charged with second-degree criminal contempt and could face a prison sentence. Her defence argued that she was not explicitly ordered to not use Facebook to contact Calderon, but the judge referred back to  the order of not contacting Calderon via “electronic or any other means.”

Judge Capeci said: “The allegations that she contacted the victim by tagging her in a Facebook posting which the victim was notified of is thus sufficient for pleading purposes to establish a violation of the order of protection.”

This goes to show how much social media can get you in trouble and how we don’t really realise it, considering how much it is a part of our lives.

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Via Engadget.

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