Corporate trolling on employees’ Facebook pages
By now, I’m sure that many of you have heard the unfortunate story of Natalie Blanchard. The 29 year-old IBM employee from Bromont, Quebec, who had taken sick leave from her post more than a year ago because of severe depression, had her monthly health benefits cut by Manulife, after the insurance company saw some rather playful pictures of her on Facebook and deemed that she was fit to work.
On her profile, there were (or still are?) pictures of Blanchard frolicking about on a tropical beach, soaking in the sun, and getting all spruced up to take in a strip-tease at a Chippendale’s bar. She claims her doctor ordered this strict and Spartan regimen for her as a way to curtail her severe depression. Right.
Much of the discourse I’ve read describes how Blanchard could have gotten around the snoops at Manulife by applying more stringent privacy settings to her Facebook profile. Though because the Facebook privacy controls have four categories, each of which contains multiple privacy parameters, it’s easy to see how Blanchard could have missed checking off one or two important boxes.
But I come at all this from a different angle. When you read stories about corporate trolling on employees’ Facebook pages, it invariably involves someone getting nailed as a result of embarrassingly revealing photos. Drunk girls showing too much skin, beer-guzzling inebriates, etc. The truth is that we are in a post-privacy society, and if you choose to post, and not restrict access to, compromising pictures, then you sort of deserve the crap that comes down on you.
But I challenge companies to think more creatively about the way in which they surveil their employees’ Facebook pages. Not all of the stuff that goes up there is scandalous; there are those who use their profiles to broadcast more wholesome things—fundraisers, food drives, art gallery openings, humanitarian causes. If companies are going to censure shameful self-expression on Facebook, then they should equally affirm and promote the more altruistic forms of self-expression that also exist in the social media realm. Linking to, promoting, or retweeting causes espoused by their employees—any of these actions would be a healthy exercise in balance, and would also help erase the fear that your boss is lurking on your Facebook page, waiting for you to slip up.
Jonathan Levitt
comment by Conrad Buck
This raises a good point. Corporations look towards social networks like Facebook for a way to find the dirt on current and potential employees. Are there any corporations that actively monitor employees web presences to discover perhaps hidden talents? If I found out that one of my staff members had started up their own business or perhaps they had a website or blog which demonstrated that they are a lot more creative or business savvy than they let on in the workplace then this would be great opportunity to discuss and leverage such skills.
comment by Jonathan Levitt
Conrad: Completely agreed, although I doubt it. Most companies unfortunately are more interested in what employees may be doing that’s counter corporate culture and governance, but I think it would be a great way for companies to better connect with their employees and discover what makes them tick outside the office.
comment by j3r3my
I agree with your point. However, if a company takes action upon a person based upon their FB status, photos or otherwise – doesn’t that have a direct bearing upon the effectiveness of said company’s HR dept.?
If HR doesn’t possess the skills necessary to interview someone and discern whether or not that person’s work-ethic matches (the assumed profile of) what they post on FB – they shouldn’t be making the decision to terminate that person’s work…
Alternately – if you post photos of your weekend that included the drunken lapdance and don’t lock it down….you get what you deserve!
comment by Jonathan Levitt
Jeremy – Fully agreed. Although Facebook profiles change, as do people and employees.