Trouble due to FB

alyth

I'm sure if you read throught the forums you will see many posts in relation to comments made on facebook - it's best not to use it in connection with work at all, that's the safest way. I don't even have my employers down on my facebook, and I'd never comment on a co-workers post even if it was something personal.

I work for a world-wide company and I know that they employ people specifically to sit and look at what is posted on facebook. Remember with the timeline every single comment you make on a post shows up - so a fellow co-worker could be sitting on facebook and see a comment you make even to a family member.

I use my facebook for news/animal stuff and language things - I never ever post anything personal on it, my settings are set so high you can't even search for me on facebook and any posts I make show only on my own timeline. With regards to employment it can be a dangerous tool, people at my work have been pulled up for comments made on it, that had nothing to do with work.

WasntMe_2

alyth wrote: »

so a fellow co-worker could be sitting on facebook and see a comment you make even to a family member.

not when they get deleted AND blocked they wont :beer: They will get blocked & then it'll be as though i'm not even on facebook.

any posts I make show only on my own timeline.

I like this one - how do you do it?

My brother's comments on other peoples statuses are constantly being shown on my news feed. This surely means my comments on other folks statuses are showing on other folks news feeds & i'd like to put a stop to that. How?

sniggings

banter always has the chance to get out of hand, not a good idea to leave evidence.

I can't see how your comment can go against you at all, if I have it right , you told the lad that was !!!!ed at his bosses !he better get his finger out at work" if anything you were saying as he now has slagged of his bosses he better try and make up for it tomorrow. I may have it wrong but you should be fine, if taken in the office, just say you were trying to change the subject.

marybelle01

One of the best pieces of advice on using facebook etc., that I have seen anywhere: http://www.redundancyforum.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions/5391-facebook-internet-use-mobile-phones-disciplinary-processes/

It seems overly cautious at first reading but having read quite a few posts on here and elsewhere, it's probably not cautious enough! After all, even if you have only friends (real friends!) and family accessing your pages, there are still plenty of ways for people to fall out. Nothing to stop your brother, your cousin, or the person you were best friends with last week from ratting you out.

I don't think the OP really seems to have said anything terrible, but it just goes to show how easy it is to get caught up in this sort of thing - or to get caught out. I think the whole "don't say anything you aren't prepared to say to someone's face" is really good advice. If only more people stopped to think that before they wrote something...

HurdyGurdy

WasntMe wrote: »

There's a bit of trouble at the moment due to the goings on on fb.

The basic jist is a co-worker was quite upset with his immediate superiors, so labelled them "*******". I'm sure you can think of something to submit in there, but you get the idea.

Anyway, this is a builders type of working environment - we're hairy sweaty blokes & as such don't give each other hugs & kisses in a morning & a bunch of flowers. As such, we wind each other up, call each other lazy, so on & so forth - it's all banter & we get along well enough & have known each other long enough where each of us knows that it's nothing personal, it's just banter (i'm not talking about the above insult here - as that one actually wasn't banter).

Anyway, so i respond with a winding up remark something on the lines of telling the lad he better pull his finger out & start doing a hard days work. He didn't get upset - because he knows it's just banter, we even laughed about it the next day at work. Please none of the "but he may be crying on the inside" replies - trust me, we all just take it in good crack.

Another lad responded telling him to get it off his chest & a 3rd said what a hero he was & how he was the best at his job etc.

Following day the superiors go running upstairs to report it (after previously slating this approach in the past to me when another lad runs off reporting - they like to pride themselves on sorting things out without involving management).

I've had a few days break, but during that time, the other 2 lads have told me they've been hauled in & given a right dressing down over it. For christs sake - one of them only told him to get it off his chest & that was the extent of his reply.


From what i've been told, the company are seeking legal advice as to whether they can sack this chap for insulting his superiors on facebook.

I've been pre-warned by the others that i'm to expect a big time dressing down when i return. My question here is what punishment could i realistically be met with? Would/could such comments result in disciplinary action or dismissal? I would assume ours wouldn't result in dismissal. I can't even see how they'd be bad enough to warrant disciplinary action either. My co worker who did the insulting on the other hand, i'm not so sure.



All sounds extremely childish to me, but what can you do. As a result my fbhas been heavily tweaked just in case sensitive souls take what i say the wrong way again.

And all the above is EXACTLY why I will not have a single work colleague on my Facebook! They are constantly sending friend requests. Why would I need to be Facebook friends with them? I see them 5 days a week, 8 hours a day. What would I say on FB that I don't say at work?

I have heard of cases where people have been dismissed due to comments made on FB, so I presume that this is an option to all employers. Do you have anything in your contract of employment which covers the use of social networking sites?

I think you should brace yourself for the dressing down, apologise (and don't try to justify it by "it was just banter") and either delete your colleagues as friends, or NEVER comment about work on FB again.

getmore4less

marybelle01 wrote: »

I don't think the OP really seems to have said anything terrible, but it just goes to show how easy it is to get caught up in this sort of thing - or to get caught out. I think the whole "don't say anything you aren't prepared to say to someone's face" is really good advice. If only more people stopped to think that before they wrote something...

That works for some things but workplace/pub banter is stuff you say face to face but you don't want to go further.

Asume any social media is fully public and that everyone, bosses, customers friends, family etc will see it.

The real issue with the likes of FB over say MSE is FB depends on people knowing who you are.

Even on anon sites be carefull you don't give up too musch info over time and make sure your identity across sites is limited so don't use the same ID in too many places, a good tactic is to get an ID from another site so searches mix up info from multiple real people.

Fire_Fox

By responding to an insult with banter, you made it look like you found the insult amusing and appropriate. Your work environment is irrelevant, you made comments about people from a different work environment where such comments are not acceptable. IMO delete ALL colleagues from your social networking sites, try to be more mature and more professional in print.

marybelle01

getmore4less wrote: »

That works for some things but workplace/pub banter is stuff you say face to face but you don't want to go further.

One persons "banter" is another persons discrimination, bullying and harassment. Just because you don't want it to go any further doesn't mean it won't go any further. It's just that most people actually do attempt to engage their brain before opening their mouth (I emphasise the "most") whereas I am constantly amazed by the inability of people to realise that just because they were alone with their computer when they wrote it, doesn't mean that it's between them and the computer!

antonic

I was accused (and cleared) of sexual harassment by a colleague, for communicating via MSN Messenger.

The whole investigation lasted a long time and wasnt pleasant for me, even though I was cleared.

Here endeth the lesson.

WasntMe_2

I find there often is a 50/50 split with fb.

Those who like it & use it, those who don't & hate it. Those who hate it will jump on any chance to slate it & say they can't understand why anyone would use it. That last statement is a bit silly IMO, as i have managed to get BACK IN touch with people i'd lost contact with years ago. Other people have been able to keep in touch better with relatives over the other side of the world, so it does have its uses.

Also, i mention the 50/50 split not as a rule. I'm not saying EVERYONE falls into that category, just a lot it seems.

But anyway...

I understand the "don't say online what you wouldn't say to their face" part, but the thing is i DO say this sort of stuff to peoples face & others say the same back to me. We all take it as banter (those involved). There are people at work who can't take banter & think that you're digging at them ... to these people i personally just don't bother, i don't joke with them at all (but then i'm classed as being moody - you can't win).
The only thing that has blown this out of proportion is that one of the line managers of this chap has OPENLY ADMITTED to myself that 1) he doesn't like him and 2) he wants him sacked. If it was myself who called line manager the same, then i would put money on it not being reported.


Anyway, with a bit of luck, i'll just be told to mind my own business. My fb account will be heavily chopped. Unfortunately it'll likely mean that i can no longer get along with said line managers as they can't be trusted to not go running telling teacher that little jimmy said they smell, but that must be the way they want it. No doubt they'll protest & say they didn't mean to land ME in trouble, but too late then - lesson learned.