Facebook .....and work

[HeeBeeJeeBee]

I have a Facebook account, and up until yesterday, it was open for any and all to read, and I had about 170 friends. 

Last week, I posted on my work friend's Facebook wall a comment about something that happened at work, involving another co-worker, kind of a 'can you believe that happened' sort of comment.  I did not use anyone's name, nor did I name the organization I work for.  In the same week, I also posted a couple of funny remarks about work, one involving my boss, one basically stating I was very glad it was Friday, since I was sick of working that week.

The second two posts were not meant in any way to be malicious, merely amusing, kind of venting-type remarks, the sort I thought people would commiserate with.  Also, please note, my sense of humor can be mildly sarcastic, but most people tell me how much they enjoy reading my statuses.  The first remark, the one on my friend's wall, was mean-spirited, I will admit, but again - no names, and no one but my friend would have really known what I was talking about.

Yesterday, my boss came to me with printed out pages of Facebook remarks, the above-mentioned posts.  She said someone had given the printed out pages to her anonymously.  I was not in any kind of trouble, but she wanted me to be aware that things on Facebook can travel, and she did not want my professional image to be compromised.  So, my boss was cool about it, but I am left with the question .....who punked me on Facebook?  Who ratted me out to my boss?  And why, since nothing said was a big deal, IMHO?

I went through and deleted a ton of "friends", especially people from work who might have read those remarks, and found them unprofessional.  I also changed all my settings to private, with only friends being able to view my wall and profile.

Is there anything else I can or should do to rectify this situation?  Was my boss wrong for coming to me?  Should she have just ignored the situation, since it wasn't anything major?  Was the person - whoever that is - who gave this to my boss wrong for doing so?   

TIA!! 

[jimithing]

Rather than asking yourself who ratted you out, you should probably ask yourself why you thought that posting a mean spirited on the Internet, when anyone can see it, is a good idea.

I absolutely think your boss should have come to you. And frankly, she probably did you a favor giving you a heads up so you are more aware in the future, and don't say anything that could cost you your job.

[C0mputerGeek]

Rather than asking yourself who ratted you out, you should probably ask yourself why you thought that posting a mean spirited on the Internet, when anyone can see it, is a good idea.

I absolutely think your boss should have come to you. And frankly, she probably did you a favor giving you a heads up so you are more aware in the future, and don't say anything that could cost you your job.

I gotta park my POD here.

There is *no one* from my job on my friend's list and there never will be. I also won't be commenting on my job on my Facebook page. Ever. It's just not worth it.

[ch1pch0p]

Some people just feel the need to "tell" on other people, and I don't think it was cool to turn on you, but maybe that person did you a favor.

I think your boss was very kind in the way she approached it with you.  Even though nothing was seriously mean or "wrong," it's probably better professionally to be overly cautious.

[HeeBeeJeeBee]

OP here ...Thanks, everyone ....I appreciate the advice, and I will definitely be better about this type of thing in the future.  I have to agree, my boss was really cool about it, she always is, and I am lucky to have her!

[JadeAngel]

No matter how bad a day you've had or how exasperated you feel, it's never a good idea to post about work in your Facebook status. It can come off as unprofessional to be moaning and complaining about someone 'behind their back' as it were, or PA if you intended them to see it rather than having to confront them directly.

Not to mention that these days prospective employers will Google a person to find out about them and if your Facebook page comes up with a series of gripes and whines about work, your co-workers, your boss and so on, they may conclude from this that you aren't a team player or will cause personal problems in the office that they just don't need.

If you must complain (and we've all had those days) do it in a PM to a trusted friend outside work hours.

[ch1pch0p]

Not to mention that these days prospective employers will Google a person to find out about them and if your Facebook page comes up with a series of gripes and whines about work, your co-workers, your boss and so on, they may conclude from this that you aren't a team player or will cause personal problems in the office that they just don't need.

And this is why you click the box that says "do not allow my page to be found by search engines"!

[JadeAngel]

Not to mention that these days prospective employers will Google a person to find out about them and if your Facebook page comes up with a series of gripes and whines about work, your co-workers, your boss and so on, they may conclude from this that you aren't a team player or will cause personal problems in the office that they just don't need.

And this is why you click the box that says "do not allow my page to be found by search engines"!

Well it's better to behave in a professional manner, but when all else fails I suppose there's that too...

[Wavicle]

It obviously bothered someone, so I don't think they were wrong to "rat" you out. You may have meant it a certain way, but you wrote it in a way that could be interpreted as offensive. Now is the time to evaluate what you said and how you feel about possible consequences. If you feel that it truly was not offensive and you don't mind dealing with t he consequences if people take it wrong, then you can continue posting like this at your own risk. However, people that may not understand your sarcasm have access to your posts and I would seriously consider taking steps to prevent this from happening again. I would try to not post about work and change your security settings.

[Solanna Dryden]

Isn't there a topic open now about another poster who was on the opposite side? Someone wrote nasty things about her on Facebook, and they are being counseled about it?

In short, it's never appropriate to write anything even *remotely* negative about work-colleagues. I don't mean to be harsh, OP, truly, but the only person I see here in the wrong was you.

[MandiC76]

I know that my boss is on Facebook, so I am VERY careful not to vent about work on my page, beyond maybe a mention about how crazy busy things have been. I don't want to take any chances of causing any harm to my career.

[Hushabye]

People have gotten fired over what they've written on their Facebook pages.  I do have work friends on my account, but I don't post negatives about work.  It's just not smart.  I'm glad your boss was cool about it.

[ydpubs]

POD with the above. I have never shared my FB info with any employer or co-worker and I don't think I ever will. Even so, I don't post anything about my work or what went on during the day other than generic things like Glad it's the weekend!

[Perfect Circle]

I don't vent at Facebook, I don't use my business name on my profile and never friend any colleagues. But I also ensure I don't write anything about work just in case. Same applies to Twitter where someone I know got into a bit of trouble recently by moaning about a work situation.

I just don't think you can ever be too careful. I'm glad the OPs boss was understanding and kind about it, it could have gone the opposite way.

[siamesecat2965]

Unfortunatley I think your boss was right, and handled things well.  While you may not think posting work stuff is a problem, there may always be someone who will, and rat you out.  Sad, but true.

I am friends who two people from my main job on FB, and several from my part time job, but that being said, I never mention anything about either job on there ever.  I may respond to an invitation or something with sorry, I have to work, but that's it.  And your situation is exactly why I don't.  I don't trust anyone in that regard not to say or show someone something I may have written about work - good or bad!

I also have my privacy settings set very high; only my friends can view my stuff, and I don't come up in any google or other searches, I know, because I've checked. You are lucky your boss was ok about it, some may not have been so nice!