Social Networking and the Workplace...BE CAREFUL

There has been a big discussion on the topic of social networking at the workplace and there will be for years to come. Opinions vary by company and sometimes by region of the US, but there are some things to keep in mind.

People HAVE been canned or at least in trouble because of what has been done on social networking sites.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703701004575113792648753382.html

http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Companies+cracking+down+Facebook+Twitter+workplace/2934691/story.html

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/04/25/social-media-is-work-worry.html?sid=101

It's a touchy issue and no case has shot straight to the Supreme Court just yet, but technically, your employer can take a look at what you're doing online anytime, especially if you make it public. Certainly posting Facebook and Twitter updates during work hours spells disaster, especially if you're making those posts about something you shouldn't be doing at work. It may seem like your employer cannot hold your personal life against you, but then again in some states, they don't need a reason to get rid of you (e.g. New York). And applying to a new job? There's no laws saying that an employer can't look at your social networking profile to see what you're about.

Make sure your privacy settings are set to a maximum or keep a public and private profile. It may seem like more work, especially for something that you don't want to admit to checking constantly, but it's worth it in the long-run.

As time goes on, some companies have developed policies that restrict user access to social networking websites. Some companies are on their way to. On the opposite side, Microsoft's newest mobile phone development is integrating Facebook and Twitter into a phone they say will be used by many businesses. They say they did it because the companies' IT departments requested it; "mixing business with pleasure can increase productivity".

Just be careful!