Does Social Media Have a Place in the Hedge Fund Industry?

While social media has captivated society and propelled it deeper into the communication age, the hedge fund industry has not yet embraced it on a meaningful scale.  See “Legal Considerations for Hedge Fund Managers that Use Social Media,” Hedge Fund Law Report, Vol. 4, No. 14 (Apr. 29, 2011).  In fact, a recent survey of hedge fund managers found that the vast majority of hedge fund managers are simply not using social media.  On the one hand, it is surprising that hedge fund managers have been slow to explore social media given the otherwise cutting edge nature of the hedge fund industry.  On the other hand, many compliance professionals are simply stretched too thin by the introduction of new regulatory challenges arising from the Dodd-Frank Act, and thus are unable to devote resources to exploring this new frontier.  In reality, there appears to be very little dialogue regarding whether social media could be used effectively in the hedge fund industry, and if so, how to do so in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.  Therefore, in a guest article, John Herbert Roth, Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Venor Capital Management LP, initiates that dialogue by asking whether social media can have a place in the hedge fund industry, and then proposing a comprehensive framework within which hedge fund managers may think about social media and its compliance implications.  See also “SEC Enforcement Action and Bulletins Shine Spotlight on Use of Social Media by Investment Advisers,” Hedge Fund Law Report, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Jan. 12, 2012).

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