One of the things one needs to keep in mind when one writes a blog, is the fact that it is a PUBLIC journal. Anyone can stop by to see what you've had to say. It's common to see a blogger comment on their standing at Google for a specific word or subject.
Yet, a number of people have forgotten that blogs are public, and have lost their jobs.
My first response, when I heard the promo on ABC nightly news, was "What about the right to free speech?" I waited to hear the story.
I had to concede that the employers had cause to let the bloggers go. One had divulged private corporation information. Another was writing a sexual blog. She worked for a political candidate who felt her image reflected badly on his campaign. Another political insider blogged negatively about her candidate's opponent, and that could have been misconstrued as her candidate's opinion. A flight attendant posted cheesecake pictures of herself taken in uniform, in an airplane...not porn, but a lot of leg, and the airline sacked her for failing to project the appropriate image for their company.
As these cases have gone to court there has been little compassion for the blogger. If the judge felt the blogger's comments harmed the company in any way, they upheld the firing.
So, we have the right to say what we please, but it behooves us to keep in mind that our blog is a very public forum.
Bloggers, Beware!
UPDATE:
I was talking with Dear Husband about this situation, and it's his perception that a blog is similar to the Op/Ed page of a newspaper. He feels that you need to be as discrete on a blog as you would be if you were writing for a newspaper. If each of these people had used his analogy as they wrote their blogs, they'd still be employed.
I'm sure there will continue to be a hue and cry over the right to free speech. Blogging is comparatively new and ungoverned. It will take time for guidelines to be established.
Comments (6)
...heh heh heh heh heh :^)...which is why I project such a positive attitude to my job and the company I work for :^)...what? you mean you *infer* something different when I *imply* the opposite :^)...
Posted by billy | February 10, 2005 8:48 AM
Posted on February 10, 2005 08:48
From what I heard on the radio, people are being sued (and losing) even though they did not name their place of employment in their postings. (They'll probably call me back from retirement, just so they can fire me! Or attach my retirement pay.)
Posted by Cop Car | February 10, 2005 3:28 PM
Posted on February 10, 2005 15:28
There does seem to be people that lose track of the fact that others, and that means ANYONE can read what they publish on the web. More thought need be applied before clicking on 'Publish'.
Posted by Desiree | February 11, 2005 6:34 PM
Posted on February 11, 2005 18:34
Des, our blogs become such a part of us that we are tempted to write what's happening within our lives. There are times when I am tempted to give more detail about my family, and then I realize that it's inappropriate to post about private situations, expecially without my family's permission. If you talk about your employer, or print something that could harm their business, you need to be prepared for them to retaliate.
Posted by Buffy | February 12, 2005 6:53 PM
Posted on February 12, 2005 18:53
Although I take issue with a number of the firings of bloggers (there have been others that never mentioned their place of employment, were not porn, etc. - the company just didn't like their employee blogging), there is a general rule of thumb about email and blogging:
Don't every publish or send anything you wouldn't want to see on the front page of The New York Times.
Posted by Ronni Bennett | February 12, 2005 7:54 PM
Posted on February 12, 2005 19:54
Ronni, I take issue with the firings that are "just because you blog," without cause. If we have not caused the company harm in any way, what business is it of theirs that we blog?
Still...I think the general rule of thumb is well worth keeping in mind.
Posted by Buffy | February 13, 2005 4:45 PM
Posted on February 13, 2005 16:45