Filed under: Internet, Social Software, web 2.0
Warning: Facebook can get you fired and make a cop kick your ass
We've warned you before about the risks associated with social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. There's that nasty Koobface thing floating around infecting people left and right. There are the myriad privacy concerns. But what about some more tangible, real-life risks?
Little things, like getting fired from your new job like the poor sod who forgot she friended her boss. There's a good lesson here for all of us.
If you're still working off your probationary period and can be let go without warning you should probably 1) try not to screw up all the time and 2) not badmouth your employer on Facebook when he/she can see your updates.
It would probably be a tad humiliating to have your termination notice posted right where all your friends can see it, dontcha think?Little things, like getting fired from your new job like the poor sod who forgot she friended her boss. There's a good lesson here for all of us.
If you're still working off your probationary period and can be let go without warning you should probably 1) try not to screw up all the time and 2) not badmouth your employer on Facebook when he/she can see your updates.
Moving on, it's probably also a good idea watch what you post to someone's spouse. Lieutenant John Sherman of the Martinsburg, PA police has been suspended with pay for his...er...reply to the messages a man sent his wife on Facebook. Unlike the firing incident, we don't have an incriminating-but-hilarious screencap to clarify.
But hey, for all we know the messages could have been along the lines of "I really hope your husband punches me in the face outside the old church," or "I'd pay John $5,000 to beat me silly in a field." Whatever the posts said, they clearly rubbed Sherman the wrong way.
There's still no Facebook App that will coldcock someone through their monitor, so I suppose kicking the guy's ass in a field near a church was the best way officer Sherman could think to say "back off."
Moral of the story: just as in real life, it's a good idea to watch your mouth on social networking sites.
Photo credits: Crime stopper via Flickr user kolix. FB fail via Reddit.
I don't know if this is a labor of love or merely the brainchild of four very gifted games designers, but Level Up is a really weird mash-up of gaming elements that you have probably never seen in a Flash game before.
Let's start with the premise itself: Groundhog Day meets Memento. The game experience revolves around 'days': you explore the world and the clock slowly ticks towards the evening. You bounce around picking up gems and talking to the denizens of 'Level Upland'. Eventually you feel tired and head back to ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
bill cant fart said 2:21PM on 8-11-2009
Ha! She had it coming!
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Superman said 8:24PM on 8-20-2009
http://www.switched.com/2009/08/18/facebook-on-its-way-to-owning-you/1
The Faceless One said 4:12PM on 8-20-2009
"Nobody knows me. Nobody owns me. I'm not a member of any social networking site. I'm not a member of anything. I don't even have a freakin' library card. Not even will you find me by googling my name. I've no intention of selling myself or my soul to any cyberspace entity. Sure, you can find me by hacking back via the address from which this comment was sent, but then what? You got nuthin'!"
@bozo that has "NO FACE!!!" I say, you got "NOTHING"!!! you should hide your face, "bill gates" much better than 'this'!!! you "HYPOCRITE"!!! -- "you R the World's BIGGEST CROOK", I mean "crim"...TO EVER WALK THE FACE OF THE EARTH!!! FUK FACE!!! LMFAO!!! ...I can pick you out of a crowd of billions of people like I'm playing -- Where's "Slick as ICE-Willie"!?!!?? ...and I "KNOW" you R an "EVIL HACKER"...and you "LIE" ALL the time, like "The Joker!!!"...I'm NOT referencing OUR "AWESOME" President either!!!!!!! you, bill, R the "BIGGEST Joke" to ever come to this WORLD!!!
Brian said 3:08PM on 8-11-2009
This article pleases me.
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Saint Seminole said 3:53PM on 8-11-2009
This makes me want to *encourage* people to use Facebook, so they'll get what's coming to them.
Look, if you're the kind of person who adds your boss as a friend on Facebook, there's already something wrong in my opinion. And on top of that, if you're the kind of person who forgets who your "friends" are and posts something like that, then firing is too good for you.
I got a big smile out of this.
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Norm said 4:48PM on 8-11-2009
Wow stuff like this is scary. I got fired in 2007 from a large cellular service provider because of a video I posted on youtube. I was so humiliating.
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leo said 6:17PM on 8-11-2009
Only in the UK
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Clay Gunter said 5:06PM on 8-18-2009
Try to be a good employee instead of gossiping. You're there to work to begin with anyway. If you can't say anything good about someone, don't speak!
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General Tucker said 3:23PM on 8-20-2009
How come they didn't censor the pictures too. Those are private too.
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Lisa said 12:48PM on 8-25-2009
Tell me that after a decade, people still need to be told that the Web isn't private?
God almighty...POOR JUDGMENT with a chaser of stupid.
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John said 9:59AM on 9-03-2009
I am glad she got fired. First - how stupid can you be to befriend anyone right and left and then forget about it? Second - if you don't like your job, just quit and don't talk shit behind somebody's back.
I bet her boss was right that she fucks up even simple tasks.
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