NBA prohibits use of Twitter, Facebook during games

The National Basketball Association is initiating new social media guidelines for its players, banning the use of web sites like Twitter and Facebook during games.

League officials sent a memo to all 30 teams on Wednesday announcing the guidelines for the proper use of social media sites by the players, coaches and front office workers.

"During games, the use of cell phones, PDAs, other electronic communication devices, and social media or networking sites (including Twitter, Facebook and other sites and services) by coaches, players and other team basketball operations personnel is prohibited," said a portion of the memo obtained by AFP.

The memo states that the ban will be in place 45 minutes before the start of each game and last until the post-game media interviews are finished.

The announcement also stated teams "are free to adopt their own rules relating to the use of electronic communication devices and social media sites and services during practices, meetings and other team events."

(c) 2009 AFP