How your sexy Facebook pics can get you fired
Social media is no longer just fun and games, but it has become a networking community that will stand together when needs be, but will also swallow you up and spit you out should you not put your best foot forward.
Scary to think that in a world where we are encouraged to connect with people and communicate our thoughts and feelings on the platform of your choice could ultimately abolish your reputation as you know it… Something that you would consider to be completely ordinary in the space that you’re in might actually cost you your job and carelessness could ruin your life.
Social media law is still a new-born in the legal playground, especially in South Africa, and should you find yourself in a pickle because of something you have shared, or something that was shared on your behalf without your consent, do you know what your legal rights are and what are the implications of your/others actions?
This morning leading social media lawyers and authors of “Don’t Film Yourself Having Sex” joined The Complimentary Breakfast in studio to inform the team and the listeners about the severity of posting in the heat of the moment and openly expressing your opinion on the available digital platforms.
Listen to the full interview here:
Think before posting / sexting
Did you know that your Facebook postings could get you fired? Your posting could lead to some serious legal consequences that could be considered to be slander and/or defamation and this could land you in the High Court.
What people don’t realise is that what’s said online has huge real-world implications to both reputational damage and financial damage of any company or person, and at the end of the day, as soon any content exists in a digital format, it has to go somewhere…
So think before sexting and protect yourself from reality that what’s personal now could belong to the public domain tomorrow…
Is it an option in this day and age to stay away from social media?
Emma Sadleir and Tamsyn de Beer touch on the topic of social media in the Oscar Pistorius trial, what happens to your social media accounts after you die and emphasises the importance of making sure that you take control of the privacy rights on your profiles.
Online naming and shaming – is this allowed?
Callers to The Complimentary Breakfast ask the social media law experts 3 important questions:
- If you are sure that you have your facts correct, you are allowed to name and shame abuse culprits?
- Small businesses seem to become easy targets on social media - is there recourse for small businesses for damage to reputation?
- Is it okay to check clients or new employees’ profiles before meeting with them?
Victims of online sexual distortion
What is the reality of being a victim of online sexual harassment? If you unknowingly had photos and/or videos taken of you without your consent and these are placed online with malicious intent, where do you go from there?
About the book:
In the digital age you can get into serious legal trouble at the click of a button.
The shift from passive Internet user to active digital citizen has brought about unprecedented levels of online interaction, creation and connecting. But as people begin to share more and more about themselves and their lives on social media, they are finding themselves getting into trouble for what they say and do online.
Emma Sadleir and Tamsyn de Beer, who together run one of South Africa’s leading social media law consultancies, point out the social traps and legal tangles that you could find yourself facing as you navigate the murky waters of the digital age. In a fun, witty and easily accessible way, this ground-breaking book details the legal, disciplinary and reputational risks that you, your company and your children face online.
By outlining the laws and rules applicable to what you do and say on social media, and providing practical and common sense advice, Don’t Film Yourself Having Sex ultimately shows you that in order to reap the extraordinary benefits of digital technology without succumbing to its risks, you need to start practising responsible digital citizenship.