L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Social Media Risks and You Center for Information Assurance College of Business

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS What do Companies Think about Social Media? A Recent Survey (Goodchild, 2010) 20 Percent investigated the exposure of confidential, sensitive or private information via a post to a social networking site. 20 Percent disciplined an employee for not following the companies social networking policy. 7 Percent terminated employees for not following the companies social networking policy.

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Which Social Media Sites were cited by Companies as Risks? (Goodchild, 2010) Facebook 53% Linkedin 53% Twitter 17%

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS What kind of posts can get YOU in TROUBLE? Negative Posts about the Company Accidental or Intentional Posts revealing information about the Company Private Risky or Politically Incorrect Posts that can reflect bad on the Company’s Image or You Posts made about the Company under an Alias Posting Questionable or Revealing Pictures Posting personal information about activities and recreational activities

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Negative Posts About the Company I hate my Job My Boss is a tyrant or joke The Company is clueless What a rotten place to work You never know who may be reading these posts

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Accidental or Intentional Posts revealing information about the Company I am working with Joe on the big Merger My team is going on Patrol tomorrow We are making the big Software changeover tomorrow The boss going away party is next week.

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Private Risky or Politically Incorrect Posts that can reflect bad on the Company’s Image or You Insensitive Comments Politically Incorrect Comments

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Insensitive Comment - Example Oklahoma Football Player was suspended for saying the following on Twitter after the news that a 19-year-old Texas student had committed suicide Tuesday: “Hey everyone in Austin, tx…….kill yourself #evillaugh.” and then “Everyone in austin, tx disregard that last tweet….y’all will mess around n do it lmao.” Once the comment is gone – it is gone.

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Politically Incorrect Comment - Example A University of Texas student was removed from the Longhorns football team and had his scholarship pulled following comments he made about Barack Obama after he won the presidential election. The comments were so incendiary that they were removed by Facebook (This is very hard to do). His profile was shut down by Facebook after numerous complaints.

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Posts made about the Company under an Online Alias People tend to believe that having a screen name provides ANONYMITY. There is no such guarantee!! Be Careful on this belief. Often the information reveals the source and in almost every case behind the alias is your identity. You don’t have CONTROL of who the third party site releases information to.

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Posting Questionable or Revealing Pictures Unfortunately, People draw can draw conclusions – (right or wrong) based upon pictures posted on the Internet or Social Media Sites. Any pictures risky behavior that places employees or potential employees can impact company status.

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Posting Questionable or Revealing Pictures You are a Senior and have worked hard with a 3.95 GPA and are in final stages of interviewing with three Fortune 500 Companies. On Friday night, you go to a final fraternity or sorority party and become very intoxicated. As the night goes, you shoot pictures with your phone and post on your Facebook Page. That very evening, the company recruiting teams are making final decisions and visit your Facebook Page. What is the impression created by the pictures that were posted?

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Posting Questionable or Revealing Pictures That very evening, the company recruiting teams are making final decisions and visit your Facebook Page. What is the impression created by the pictures that were posted? The point is that companies DO VISIT these sites when screen job candidates.

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Posting Questionable or Revealing Pictures You are on the rise in your company and are working hard. However, you spend a lot of off work time, having fun with recreational activities. You post these activities all over your Facebook Page. Everyone at work follows your page – unfortunately the pictures and the recreational activities become your mantra at work instead of the hard work you are putting in. Can this happen? Yes, and it can influence promotions and pay raises.

L OUISIANA T ECH U NIVERSITY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS Things to Remember Think before you post!!!! You never know who is watching!!!! Always remember that once you post something on a third party site (regardless of the company’s privacy declaration), you have lost control of that information forever!!! Know your company’s social media policy.