nGInsights: Safe practices for social media

I recently saw a story in the news about an EMT in Connecticut who was allegedly fired from her job for posting derogatory remarks about a supervisor on a social media site.  While it's not the first time the media has covered an employee terminated under these circumstances, this story got me thinking: in today's online world, what type of risk management, both personally and professionally, do we need to practice when using social media?

From marketing your business to fostering relationships and keeping in touch with friends, we can all attest to the benefits of social networking.  However, as with many things in life, there is often a downside. Whether it's uploading an inappropriate photo, sharing a negative comment about a coworker, or unknowingly leaking sensitive company information, what you post online is permanent.  As social media continues to grow its personal and professional base, it becomes increasingly important to keep in mind a few considerations:

• Think now, post later: It's easy to do the opposite and post now, think later, especially when emotions are involved. While it may feel refreshing to vent about a difficult day at work, it only takes a few seconds for the wrong person to view a comment you've posted and make a copy or screenshot. And there is no guarantee it won't come back to haunt you or impact your career down the road.
• Determine the right privacy settings: Do you want to share your content with just your friends, your networks, or the entire world? Establish settings that are appropriate for you and how you plan to utilize the social media site.  In addition to monitoring your own configuration, remember to be conscious of the notes you post on your friend's pages and what photos you're tagged in. While you may have a high level of privacy on your personal site, your friends may have something different. 
• Know your friends: How well do you really know your friends on social media sites? Can you trust them not to share what you post with others? While it might seem like a great idea to network with co-workers and managers online, it may not make for the best working relationship in the office, especially if you work with those who are the gossiping type.

Social media has quickly become an integral part of our society. As more users network online, it is likely we'll see an increase in the number of employees facing disciplinary measures for their online commentary, as well as the emergence of strong viewpoints on the subject. On the one hand, is what an employee does on his/her own time his/her business, and therefore is the prosecution of an employee's opinion a violation of free speech? On the other hand, can disparaging comments an employee makes about his/her company or coworker depict the business in a negative light and damage its reputation?

What do you think? Is it fair for an employee to be held accountable in the workplace for the content that he or she posts on a social networking site?