Facebook and social mediaThe 2012 British Medical Association guidelines on using social media [6] also highlight the following key points:

• doctors and medical students should not accept Facebook friend requests from current or former patients

• doctors and medical students who post online have an ethical obligation to declare any conflicts of interest

• doctors and medical students should be conscious of their online image and how it may impact on their professional standing

• defamation law can apply to any comments posted on the web made in either a personal or professional capacity
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