A Facebook Invitation for Trouble: Legal Issues of Internet Sleuthing and Employee Posts

摘要

Social media is inescapable, whether it's your aunt's posts on Facebook, a political argument erupting on Twitter, or an Instagram picture of your friend's pancakes. Many people share their daily movements, thoughts, and habits on their personal social media accounts. These accounts can be a wealth of information for a prospective employer, but using the information learned from these sources during the hiring process can create problems. Additionally, employees often use their own social media accounts to make comments about working conditions, fellow employees, or their supervisors. While employers may want to discourage this type of behavior, taking action against an employee who posts such information could violate federal or state laws.