New | Hong Kong courtrooms now permit tweeting, texting
Move to allow text-based messaging hailed as a step towards open justice by scholars, who want 'bizarre' ban on drawing and photography lifted next
Legal and media scholars have praised the judiciary’s decision to allow live text-based communication from court – paving the way for journalists and members of the public to tweet and send e-mail messages.
They hailed the move as a step towards open justice, and urged the government to go further and review its “bizarre” ban on sketching and photography in courts and even allow live broadcasting of court hearings.
The move reflects an international trend to allow text-based communication from courts.
More than three years after British courts made a similar move, Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma Tao-li, recently issued a practice direction on the use of information technology and live text-based communication in court.
“The reasonable use of text-based (as opposed to voice or image-based) communications in courtrooms, provided that this occurs without interfering with the proper administration of justice and without disturbing others in the courtroom is regarded as legitimate and permissible in promoting open justice,” it read.
But electronic devices used for communication, such as mobile phones or tablet computers, must be switched to “flight mode”, disconnecting them from 3G and 4G telecommunications networks, so they do not interfere with court recording systems.