Phone hacking jury members are warned off Facebook, Google and Twitter Phone hacking jury warned to 'stay offline' until Easter The first day of the trial against two former News of the World editors saw the jury told not to seek out information about proceedings online, according to Europe correspondent Nick Miller. PT1M37S http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/action/externalEmbeddedPlayer?id=d-2weud 620 349 October 30, 2013 - 10:30AM The jury sworn in for Fleet Street's first phone hacking trial have been warned to steer clear of Facebook, Google, Twitter - and satire. Nine women and three men were chosen to judge the guilt of eight defendants, including former News of the World editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson, in a trial that will hear scores of witnesses and is predicted to last until next Easter. The eight defendants, who face various charges of phone hacking, bribing public officials and attempting to conceal evidence, have denied all charges. Former newspaper editor Rebekah Brooks is among eight individuals facing charges of hacking phones and bribing officials while at New Corporation's now-closed tabloid News of the World. They stood for five minutes in the Old Bailey court to hear the swearing in of the jury and to hear the clerk read the charges. Justice John Saunders told the jurors they should not seek out information about the trial, or the accused, online, on Google, Twitter or Facebook. He warned them that some comments online about the defendants in social media would be abusive and ill-informed - and may even be illegal - and should be ignored. Former News of the World editor and Downing Street communications chief Andy Coulson arrives for the first day of the phone-hacking trial at the Old Bailey in London. They should try the case only on the evidence they get to hear. He also instructed them to ignore the current edition of satirical magazine Private Eye, which hit the news-stands that day. He said the magazine's "Halloween special" featuring Mrs Brooks on the cover was "meant to be satire" but was "a joke ... in particularly bad taste." Blogger Guido Fawkes reported that a plain clothes policeman had asked a magazine vendor at Farringdon Station - a five-minute walk from the Old Bailey - to remove the magazine. The police told the vendor it was at the request of Crown prosecutors. However, the vendor told the police he would keep selling the magazines unless he was shown a court order, Fawkes reported. The prosecution will begin its opening statement on Wednesday afternoon, London time.