Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Group 3
Brandman University
Joseph, Alyssa, and Rico
AGENDA
Ethical Dimensions
Ethical Theories
Privacy
Employment Rights
Recommendations
Lessons Learned
ETHICAL DIMENSIONS
Although social media can be a useful tool to a company, it also has many disadvantages. Inappropriate use
of social media can have a negative effect on the reputation of a company. Also, social media plays a big role
in employment relationships.
Many employers speculate whether or not they are allowed to monitor information that is on their
employees social networking sites and how to deal with those who share company secrets or badmouth the
company or colleagues.
The Social Networking Online Protection Act (SNOPA), H.R. 5050, would prohibit employers from
requesting or requiring a job candidate or current employee to provide the passwords for personal email,
private accounts, or social networking sites. SNOPA seeks to prevent employers who demand such access to
discipline, discriminate, or deny employment to candidates or employees who refuse to provide such
passwords (Hayes, L. & Cooley, S.J., 2013).
Social media policies are different for every country and company. Each policy is personalized to fit the
image of the company, the sensitivity level of information, and safety aspects so that all employees know the
company's rules and the company can enforce them (Russell, R. & Stutz, M., 2014).
Moral and legal obligation to provide a safe workplace for employees (Boatright, 2012)
Alan F. Westin observed the ironic effect companies had on occupational health and safety and
discrimination encroached on employees right of privacy (Boatright, 2012, p.114)
Burden of Proof
Justifying purpose for employee information
Fringe-benefits
Medical records
Evaluation and promotion
Ownership
* A more satisfactory theory of privacy can be constructed by understanding the way in which individuals are socialized in our culture (Boatright, 2012, p.
121)
UNJUST DISMISSAL
In the digital age, it is becoming more common for managers and
organizations to watch employees social media accounts.
Gartner (2012) states, New technologies and services have made it
easier for organizations to monitor this activity, but there's increasing
concern about the ethics of doing so and the potential for it to infringe
on employee privacy
If an employer were to view an employees social media profile, and
from that information were able to see their sexual orientation,
religion, or that they were expecting. Than that could be in violation of
Equal Employment Opportunity and other privacy standards.
Employers are putting themselves at risk by viewing this content
regardless of what is public and private information.
JUST DISMISSAL
Spector et al. (2012), states Negative online posts about co-workers
affect the team environment. Such posts can be seen as bullying; when
made via the web, they are referred to as cyber-bullying.
If an employee was participating in an act of cyber-bullying, than the
organization has the right to take actions on the employee in order to
comply with Equal Employment Opportunity.
This also applies to employees that are slandering their employers
organization through social media. This defamation has lasting harmful
effects on the company.
Berstein (2012) states, An injurious communication preserved by
electronic means and distributed through social networking is more
likely than its spoken or paper-written counterpart to spread to reach
people whose disesteem the victim cares about, and to retain power to
inflict more harm after it has been adjudicated as unlawful.
RECOMMENDATIONS
What does your team recommend in terms of best practices in the
workplace consistent with best ethical principles, and to avoid legal
issues and social backlash?
Social media and public displays should adhere to company policies
and guidelines.
Any posts that are made on social media, should be considered public
and subject to discipline.
Wrong doing should be reported to managers if posts are seen on
social media that violates company policy.
What are your recommendations to those who must address this topic in
the workplace?
Develop social networking policies that emphasize the value of ethics rather
than compliance
Capitalize on company culture using social media
LESSONS LEARNED
Social media and technology continues to shape the workplace environment.
Ethical issues are on the rise as equal employment opportunity and privacy
concerns are on the rise with social media information disclosure.
The Social Networking Online Protection Act (SNOPA) protects prospective
employees from having employers demand passwords for social media sites.
Social media policies vary by company and country.
Social media allows for people to express themselves with a feeling of
anonymity. This means that people are more willing to speak out on
social media than if they were speaking in a group.
REFERENCES
Boatright, J.R. (2012) Ethics and the conduct of business (7th ed.). Upsaddle River, NJ: Pearson Education,
Inc.
Verschoor, C.C. (2013, December). Social networking at work is a major risk with large costs. Strategic
Finance, 95(6), 11+. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.id?id=GALE%7CA353323260&v=2.
1&u=cha_ main&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=203ccad249b794b8fe0ab2dbc9bf2bd1
Bernstein, A. (2012). Real remedies for virtual injuries. North Carolina Law Review, 90(5), 1457-1457. (2012,
June 1). Retrieved August 18, 2014, from Gale Academic OneFile.
Gartner. (2012). Snooping on staff social media use on rise. Information Management Journal, 46(5), 8-8.
(2012, September-October). Retrieved August 18, 2014, from Gale Academic OneFile.
Spector, N., & Kappel, D. (2012). Guidelines for using electronic and social media: The regulatory perspective.
OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 17(3). Retrieved from http://nursingworld.org.libproxy.
chapman.edu/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/ OJIN/TableofContentsA/ol-172012/No3-Sept-2012/Guidelinesfor-Electronic-and- Social-Media.html
REFERENCES
Hayes, L. & Cooley, S. J. (2013). Social media - striking the balance between employer interests and
employee rights. The Computer & Internet Lawyer. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
id=GALE%7CA335734867&v=2.
1&u=chap_main&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=15a1c59eb54930eaaabf37f46a0b231a
Russell, R. & Stutz, M. (2014). Social media: what employers need to know. Journal of Internet Law.
Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA360206569&v=2.
1&u=chap_main&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=bb4013acb60149e2318b0ec627416a25