Should social media get you fired? [View all]

[tabbycat31]

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/02/being-shamed-on-social-media-should-not-get-people-fired/385597/

Interesting discussion here.

As someone who has to keep a very watchful eye on social media (I've not interviewed people due to social media and came close to firing someone due to social media), I'm mixed. I think your private life is private (and you should set your privacy settings accordingly) but you have to know who you are friends with (you take a risk being friends with your boss on social media).

However there are a few things that you should not do no matter what your occupation is (most are common sense)

1) Make your profile pic something that depicts you as irresponsible (ie one where you are drunk)
2) Take a sick day and then prove that you were not sick on social media (Real life example of why I almost fired someone for it-- took a sick day and checked into a party and posted dozens of pics from said party. Other examples would be talking about the bargains you got at the mall that day, working on your tan, etc). If you tell your employer you are sick, don't post evidence on social media that you are not. (Note, this is not for a pre planned/approved vacation day in which you can do whatever you want).
3) Post anything that would violate the terms of your employment--- ie private information about clients, confidential information, pics of clients/customers/students/patients, etc
4) Post that you are deliberately harming someone that your job involves serving (ie "This guy at table #6 is being a jackass to me, I'm going to spit in his food.&quot