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In the first case of its kind, a juror has admitted contempt of court after being found to have contacted a defendant via Facebook.

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani says the case sets a legal precedent and anecdotal stories about jurors looking up defendants online and academic findings that as many as 12% of jurors do so in big trials, paint a worrying picture of the pitfalls of web research during a trial.

The maximum penalty for contempt of court is a hefty two year sentence, and while 'googling' a new acquaintance in everyday life won't get you thrown in prison, it's still advisable to be mindful of the influence it can have on your professional and private lives.

It may be tempting to think that anything online is fair game for viewing and scrutiny, but with the lines between virtual reality and real life becoming increasingly blurred, this week's case is a good reminder of the need to be responsible when faced with the freedom the web provides.

Just as one wouldn't deem it acceptable to go through a stranger's belongings or press their nose against a neighbour's window to see what books were on the coffee table, web users may wish to apply similar personal guidelines to the virtual world, no matter how harmless and anonymous it might seem.

Read the full ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News report here. Check out the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ WebWise guides for more on internet safety and netiquette.

Or take the WebWise social media basics course and get yourself set for safe social networking.