In a world where smart phones and apps are evolving faster than you have time to update them, it's important to take a moment to reflect on the potential for inadvertent disclosure and self-sabotage in the workplace.
Here are some issues to consider:
Dating apps in the workplace
Dating apps like Tinder, Happn and Grindr have a GPS function, so if a person has logged into them at work or anywhere near work, any colleagues who also have the apps will see the profile and potentially be suggested as a 'match'. This can be not only embarrassing for employees who wish to keep their private life private, but may present discrimination risks if employers inadvertently come across personal information and it is perceived that the information influenced some action taken (or not taken) by the employer against an employee or potential employee.
To post or not to post, that is the question
It is much easier to find out when an employee who has called in sick is lying when their every move is recorded on social media. For example, each photo on Facebook can be assigned its own level of privacy and some people (consciously or unconsciously) allow their photos to have a public setting. This means that anyone can view the photos. Similarly, not everyone on Instagram has a private profile and most people assign a geotag to photos meaning that an employee may say they are in one place but a geotag on a photo will indicate another location.
Oversharing and privacy
'Liking' posts or adding friends on Facebook or LinkedIn where the settings allow a user's activity to be shared, means that people following a user will find out any new connections they make and other information based on the posts they are liking, such as their political persuasion. Employers following their employees on LinkedIn for example, will be able to tell if the employee is connecting with recruiters and liking job posts.
Spotting the fakes
Anyone can easily make fake accounts on Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat, masquerading as someone else either to collect information or troll with negative or abusive comments. It can be difficult to track down and prove who is behind these accounts without the expense of digital forensics providers.
Our Advice
- Employers may consider cautioning employees to exercise care when using dating apps that have a GPS function. There are no guarantees of remaining undetected given the popularity of dating apps and common social areas where people congregate, including work sites. But if a person is really wanting to keep their dating life private, they can make a point not to log in anywhere in the proximity of the workplace and consider not using an identifiable profile picture.
- Employers should be careful of what they do with personal or confidential information about employees that they inadvertently come across through social media or apps. It's a privacy and discrimination minefield out there depending on what an employer does, or is perceived to have done, with that information. If unsure, employers should seek advice before they act.
- Employers and employees should understand the privacy settings for every app they regularly use and be vigilant about the constant updates that can change the privacy settings. For example, WhatsApp recently shared users' contacts with Facebook by default unless individual settings were changed.
- Ensure employees are warned to be cautious about adding colleagues on social media and that they verify it is not a fake account or a troll before accepting requests.
- Employers should be clear in workplace policies about what is and isn't appropriate conduct 'at work', keeping in mind that 'at work' no longer just means physically at work. It's about what has an impact on the workplace.
This isn't an exhaustive list and as always, we would love to hear from you, so let us know if you have any cautionary tales or advice.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.