There have been matters before the courts where employees have been subject to termination of their employment due to statements they have made on their Facebook account, including employees who have posted that they have “chucked a sickie”, as well as employees who have made defamatory remarks which could be taken as a representation of their employer. Our professional and personal lives can become blurred and it is important to remember this when making statements online. Many workplaces now have a social media policy providing strict guidelines about employee conduct on social media websites. Failure to comply with these policies can result in termination of employment. 

Using online platforms to sell products has also become very common, however it is important to ensure that the products are given an accurate description which is not misleading. Most of these websites, such as Gumtree and eBay, contain terms and conditions which provide that you must not post false or misleading information. Doing so can be a breach of the terms and conditions and can lead to financial ramifications. 

Another example of where the law can impact you online is the mis-use of intellectual property, including where you post photographs or graphics which have been copied from another website without authority. These types of infringements are commonly pursued and can lead to fines and monetary damages being payable.

Social media is having a very big impact upon our lives, both socially and in the workplace. Be conscious of these legal pitfalls when you are posting online.