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Social Media in the Practice of Forensic Psychiatry Evaluation andManagementTracy D. Gunter, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (tdgunter@iupui.edu)By providing a self-documenting platform for the instantaneous exchange of user generatedcontent, social media encourages sharing of information and opinions in a relatively unregulatedspace without traditional geographic barriers. When used responsibly, social media outletsprovide opportunities for delivering health information and psychosocial support. However, thebroad scope and relative anonymity of virtual communities provide opportunities for nefariousand self-destructive activities such as bullying, harassment, fraud, collusion, and prosuicidecommunications. The forensic mental health practitioner is frequently involved in the evaluation,treatment and supervision of individuals who have exhibited problematic behavior. While themajority of this risky and disruptive behavior will be terrestrial in nature, Dr. Gunter will arguethat it is incumbent upon forensic mental health practitioners to consider the examination ofInternet and social media data as part of both evaluation and treatment. In the area of evaluation,daily time on line, content of online communications, and nature of online activities may provideimportant information. Access to these resources may be gained in collaboration with theevaluee, through an online search of the evaluee’s name or e-mail address, through an employer,or by warrant or subpoena (depending upon issue and jurisdiction). In the area of supervision,best practices are being developed and implemented worldwide. For example, the New SouthWales Chief Psychiatrist recently issued an opinion that improved supervision of Internetresources and regular auditing of Internet capable devices used by forensic patients should beimplemented after an insanity acquittee used these technologies to abscond from a facility. Thissession will review and propose best practices in this evolving area.Social Media and the Physician-Patient RelationshipNicolas Terry, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (npterry@iupui.edu)As people spend more time in social media, they will have more of their health-relatedexperiences there as they gather and disseminate information (and misinformation). And, aspatients turn towards social media, healthcare providers seem happy to provide an expandingnumber of destinations. In the US well over 1000 hospitals now have social networking sites,including Facebook pages and Twitter feeds. A complex and not always cohesive set of rulesregulates patient and provider behavior in the social media space; domain-specific privacyregulations are joined by computer crime and privacy statutes, labor law, ethics and professionalcodes and an increasing number of policies included in healthcare employment contracts. Thispresentation deals with the reality of medically relevant information about patients increasinglymoving online. It deals primarily with two practical questions. First, it asks whether there arecircumstances when physicians should explore the social media lives of their patients,particularly if therapeutically beneficial or even life-saving information is available online.257