Recently, a magazine at my company folded. We had an internal meeting at which we were given the news, told that a majority of the staff would soon be informed that they were losing thier jobs and told that a press release would go out that afternoon. To most of us, that meant not to say anything to anyone yet.
Moments after the meeting my coworker, Promo Girl, went on her computer and, out of boredom, checked Facebook. First thing on her Facebook news feed:
Business Boy can't believe that Magazine folded...thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their jobs. 2 minutes ago.
Seriously?! I should mention that Business Boy is Facebook friends with a overwhelming number of people throughout the company. People who had not yet heard the news, people who were possibly losing their jobs. Promo Girl called him immediately and told him to take it down. He protested for a moment before taking down the status.
Business Boy is very protected of his Facebook. After the crazy after-party during our business trip, Business Boy posted inappropriate photos of Michael Scott and the rest of us drinking and looking wasteface. Some were just flat out unflattering photos of yours truly and others, as one of my coworkers put it "the kind of pictures that could get someone fired."
Any rational employee would not have posted photos like this of their boss and coworkers. A rational employee would not have put the magazine's name in each photo caption and photo album title.
I told Business Boy that they was a lot of discussion going on about the album and that maybe he should edit them down. I didn't want to tell him what to do with his photos on his Facebook profile but someone had to tell him. He replied by telling me that, yes, they were his photos and htat he didn't tag anyone so it didn't matter.
Didn't matter? This is the internet we're talking about. It took several more conversations from several more coworkers to convince Business Boy that they pictures were not ok to post on the internet.
Two other coworkers changed their Facebook status to a comment about the folding Magazine. With social networking sites, like Facebook and Twitter, personal information the line between personal life and work life are thing. Work is a huge part of our lives. I spend more time at work than I do at home and more time with my coworkers than with my family or friends. But there is a line that just shouldn't be crossed when it comes to business information entering your personal life.
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23 comments:
Wow that sucks. When I was in law school all of us were careful about the pictures that we posted. Even if everyone's status is set to "private" you still have to be careful.
Maybe find a story on the internet about companies firing people over their FB or Myspace pages? Then maybe he would figure it out?e
Regardless of whether or not he tagged anyone in the pictures, anyone should be able to ask someone not to put their picture online and that be respected. People just don't all have the same level of online privacy and you can totally tell him what to do with his Facebook if it involves your picture, and he should respect that.
Seriously? I cannot believe someone would post those photos and then refuse to take them down when someone asked. It's redic.
As for the status updates... What part of "IT'S NOT PUBLIC KNOWLDGE!" don't they understand? Someone should fire them by Twitter if you ask me... they deserve it. haha
And yet, I am still suuuuper jealous that you are allowed onto FB at work. Where I work, all social networking sites are banned. I can't read blogs at work because all blogs are banned. I can't even go on to the NY Times to see how Monday Night football turned out because all sports are banned. I couldn't even get access to a news article about Obama during the election because it was filed under Entertainment, and all entertainment is banned. Banned, banned, banned! Do they seriously not ban websites in the States?
xx
Some people don't realise how much damage Facebook can do. It is the ultimate evil of our time.
People have a tendancy to believe that the images and words on their Facebook page are immune from consequences in the "real world".
Wow. I just can't believe someone would be so rude/stupid! There's a definite line with work/social networking, and he should be careful.
A dude in Australia was fired for not having a medical certificate when he was off sick. He said it was only one day, so he didn't need one.
His boss came back with a screen shot of his facebook status saying "I'm having a sick day today. Totally still drunk!!" (or words to that effect...)
Just goes to show that you should be careful with what you say.
GRRRRR!! This makes me so mad!
How some people just totally disregard others privacy - before i put one pic up on my facebook - i make sure that every1 in the pic approves of it!
And the status update well that is just down right stupid! Business Boy will soon be out of business if your bosses get wise to him!
Crazy! I just did a post about facebook yesterday =)
I agree. Your coworker sounds like a real "pal". Why on earth would this idiot post pix of his coworkers that not so flattering?
Plus he is really great at keeping things discreet with his status.
Be sure not to tell him state secrets.
Oh, I HATE that. Which is why my Facebook and MySpace profiles are set to private, why my place of employment is nowhere to be found, and why I always keep my default photo church-like. :-)
Wow. He sounds like a real winner. People with no sense of social boundaries should be banned from facebook.
Seriously? He really doesn't see the big picture -- Can someone say *immature*?!
What a small minded co-worker -- I feel really badly for you... well, him actually --
this is just supporting evidence as to why i 'limited profile' accept work friends. i don't want them seeing me wearing my drunk face and slutty halloween costume. or taking shots at the white trash party. its just TMI.
also, my boss happens to be a big fan of updating his fbook status with to-the-minute details of his adventures. this was especially fun for me when he changed his status to 'ice skating in central park' when he and i were on a business trip in NYC last week. way to feed the rumors that we are romantically involved. i'm sure your wife appreciates it, too.
I can't believe how often people don't think about what they are posting online. Last week, a Texas football player was kicked off the team for an extremely inappropriate comment he made on facebook that insinuated harming President-elect Obama. The player took the comment down, but it was too late...it spread like wildfire throughout the school & the team really had no choice but to let him go. He's now dropped out of school & moved back home with his parents. You have to be careful what you say...it can truly come back to haunt you.
ODIO QUE ULTIMAMENTE ESTE TIPO DE ESTUPIDECES SE HAYA COMO PUESTO DE MODA. PUNTO APARTE; MI FACEBBOOK ES TEFI MELOCOTON
People feel the need to post EVERYTHING, even things that could severely damage someone. I say if you are teetering on the line of appropriate or not, just say no.
Really?! How awful. Sounds like a wonderful person to work with...
How hard is it to understand "not public knowledge?!"
I feel ya girlfriend...
What an IDIOT! Seriously, who does that??
So dumb. His Facebook status update would actually be grounds for workplace discipline or dismissal or some sort of legal repercussion. He revealed sensitive information before it was publicly available.
I agree he should have never posted that!! And pics of work events??!!! Is the boy just plain dumb?! lol
Business Boy doesn't sound very business like at all. In fact, he sounds like a total douche bag.
do you work at Conde Nast or somewhere in Hearst?
People are idiots.
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