Should online shaming factor into sentencing?

There was a time when people's opinions were limited to letters to the editor or conversations around the dinner table. 

But in the age of social media, anyone and everyone gets to publicize their opinion on anything and everything. 

While most of it gets written off as trolling, a Vancouver lawyer says the impact of online shaming should be accounted for when people are convicted of a crime.  

Martin Peters asked a judge to consider online shaming while sentencing his client earlier this year. 

He says from the day his client was charged with sabotaging mountain bike trails on Vancouver's North Shore, the effect of media coverage and social media shaming had a profound impact on her.

"Public response to crimes has always probably been a part of our system, but what's unique here is how easily this information is spread and how serious it can get in terms of its impact on people." 

Click the play button above to hear Martin Peters's full interview with guest host Jason Proctor.