How Social Media Can Hurt Your Brand and Conflict With Bar Advertising Rules

In just half a year, the number of businesses using Facebook Pages rose from 40 million in April 2015 to 50 million in December 2015. Today, that number continues to climb. More than 72 percent of internet users regularly access social networking sites, and in the United States, people spend an average of 16 minutes per hour using social media. By 2017, the global social network audience is expected to reach 2.55 billion.

Such a widespread attraction of social media for individuals as well as firms has the potential to both enhance and disrupt the ways people interact and firms grow. While social media can provide spaces for lawyers to participate in conversations with peers and industry leaders, as well as generate leads through engaging with prospects and clients, it can also present significant risks if the platforms are not used carefully.

The biggest issue that arises from the increased popularity of social media usage for law firms is that traditional risk management policies and procedures were not made with social media in mind, and do not necessarily address issues that arise with the ever-expanding advances of social media sites.