ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida’s Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee has ruled that judges and lawyers can no longer “friend” each other on Facebook and other popular networking sites.

At least one South Florida judge warned her pals with a Facebook status update that they could be “unfriended,” and the ruling has prompted others to do the same. The committee ruled Nov. 17 that online “friendships” could create the impression that lawyers are in a special position to influence their judge friends.