Have you vented on social media? And wondered whether your employer, if it discovered your current/former posts, might fire you?
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today concerning venting and free speech. The specific case was brought by a high school cheerleader who argued that her public school unfairly punished her when she posted a profanity-laced caption on Snapchat when off school grounds.
The Supreme Court issued an 8-1 ruling in her favor, despite her F—k school f—k softball f—k cheer f—k everything vent. Crucial to the ruling was that the student’s post appeared outside of school hours and didn’t target any member of the school community.
Although this case was brought by a student against her former school, it has implications for other social media posts and situations.
Subscribing to the blog is easy
If you’d like to get 3 to 5 posts a week delivered to your inbox (and NO spam), just add your email address below. (I’ll never sell it.) I’m glad you’ve joined this vibrant blog. Thank you!
I’m wondering about this one. first, good for the ex-cheerleader and getting some support or freedom from vilification, at least. But for adults, especially with respect to their online comments about people in their workplaces or their political comments that can somehow be connected with their job, the outcome is less clear, less supportive. There are a number of cases about emails, for example, where a worker’s email, whether from the workplace email or from their personal email (perhaps posted from their work computer, during working hours, but also perhaps not) are not protected and firings have been upheld. I don’t know why the news media haven’t been able to remember or comment on the contrast.
Very true, however, I see this as a precedent of what’s to come as social media become fully mainstream.