Social media disclaimers don’t get you off the hook
Your Twitter disclaimer says your tweets and opinions are your own, so what you say won’t affect your employer, right? Wrong. It’s time to take responsibility.
I’ve noticed that some employees put disclaimers on their Twitter and Facebook profiles.
Some statements read along the lines of, “I am employed at A Place That Puts Food on the Table, but these are my opinions and my opinions alone. They do not reflect my employer.”
Two things:
1. Uh, yes they do.
2. Who cares about your employer? Employers are temporary. Everything you do—and tweet and opine—reflects you as a person. You may need employment in the future. Learn to protect you.
Your disclaimer pretty much declared you are not responsible for your own actions.
Hello. I am reality. Have we met?
Like it or not, you can’t control something just by declaring you have imaginary protection. That’s like saying, “I live in this imaginary bubble. Respect it.”
Just because you close your eyes during a game of hide-and-seek doesn’t mean people can’t see you. (Use of double negative means yes, one can find you even though your eyes are closed.)
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