Australian couple sued via Facebook message

Sidin Vadukut — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:56:00 GMT

So what is common to both Hotel California and Facebook? Answer: You can check out any time you like. But you can never, ever leave.

A couple in Australia who hoped that absconding from home and refusing to check email would prevent them being served legal papers were thwarted by the eponymous social networking site. The BBC explains:

Mark McCormack, a lawyer in Canberra, persuaded a court to allow him to use the unusual method after other attempts to reach them failed. The couple's home is being repossessed after they reportedly missed payments on a loan of over A$100,000 ($67,000; £44,000).

The lawyer used her personal details on Facebook to prove that it was, indeed, her. Her partner was found amongst her friends list.

The court agreed provided:

In granting permission to use the social networking site, the judge stipulated that the papers be sent via a private email so that other people visiting the page could not read their contents.

What's the point of the "social" in the social network if you can't observe legal proceedings is what I am thinking...

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Australian couple sued via Facebook message