Navigating the social media minefield

The teaching union NASUWT seems very upset by an attempt to keep teachers in line on social networking websites. The Welsh General Teaching Council’s new code, which encourages teachers to “conduct their relationships with pupils professionally” has, according to the union “shown contempt for the views of the profession.”

This reaction seems surprising. While the code may be flawed in its presentation and tone, the attempt to provide some guidance around an increasingly complex issue has to be welcomed.

Whether we like it or not, social networking, through the likes of Facebook and Twitter is blurring the boundaries between the personal and the public. What we say or do in private can all too easily end up in our professional or corporate domain.

Only last year education chiefs in Kent ordered teachers to delete their social networking profiles after unflattering pictures of a local headmistress, complete with captions boasting about her breast size were circulated on Facebook. And in Massachusetts recently, a teacher was forced to resign after parents spotted her descriptions of students as “germ bags.” On the flip side, Facebook provides a fertile environment for teacher harassment and slander, with the Association of Teachers and Lecturers complaining of “horrendous incidents of cyberbullying.”

In the commercial world, businesses face a real dilemma. While the marketing benefits of social media are tangible so are the dangers of employees acting or speaking in ways that damage the brand. Tesco launched an internal investigation after a Facebook staff group labelled customers “rude, smelly and stupid.” Likewise, Virgin Atlantic sacked 13 people after they’d derided customers as “chavs” and questioned the company’s safety standards.

With social networking now a simple fact of life, employers must consider its implications for their business. While bringing the company into disrepute may be covered in standard employment contracts, staff need to be alerted upfront to the company guidelines on social networking activity. This should help avoid some of the more glaring abuses and subsequent brand damage.

 
For further information please contact Paula Morris. T: 029 2047 4401 E: p.morris@capitallaw.co.uk

Click here to view our blog archive.