Being on Facebook is like running for President. No privacy.

[beachmom]

A little OT here, but what does everyone think about Facebook? I never have joined it, and when those pictures of Kerry with those college girls ended up on tmz.com because Facebook sold the pics to them, I decided to continue to resist. I remain under pressure from friends to join. Sometimes I think ... maybe. Then I read a story like this:

http://www.ajc.com/news/facebook-can-mean-face-202238.html

Facebook can mean face time with school principals
By Gracie Bonds Staples


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Seventh-grade teacher Ruth Keenan has a Facebook page. So does Jennifer McGovern, who teaches kindergarten. And so do the school districts they work for.

Ashley Payne, a teacher at Apalachee High School in Winder, said she was forced to resign after photos and a comment posted on her Facebook page were forwarded to the Barrow superintendent. School officials acknowledge discussing consequences with Payne, but deny asking her to resign.

The photos in question showed Payne in pubs and beer gardens while on summer vacation. In a comment on her Facebook page, Payne announced was headed out to play a game called "Crazy Bitch Bingo."

For young teachers like Payne for whom technology is second nature, what may seem like innocent fun is leading them into a world of trouble.

Now go here and see the "scandalous" photo"

http://thelaughingstork.com/2009/11/teacher-fired-for-facebook-photos-showing-alcohol-good-thing-i-never-pursued-a-career-in-education/

She's holding a beer at a beer garden. Here is the money quote from the AJC, which should send a chill down everyone's neck:

The bottom line, said Tim Callahan, spokesman for the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, is teachers have to be careful.

Be more careful. Uh huh. Like a presidential candidate. Everything you type, every photo posted can be used against you ... forever. And we are not just talking teachers. This means anyone seeking a job or wishing to keep their job.

I had held out hope that with social media and other on line websites becoming so ubiquitous, that with everyone in the same boat, this would eventually be ignored by employers. I was wrong. It's going to get worse. It's even risky to blog anonymously as I have read of countless firings when people have been outed (Mudflats up in Alaska is the latest who was fired from her job, after a GOP state legislator outed her).

The above example is an outright violation of privacy rights, first amendment rights, and labor rights. The teacher is now suing the school, but even if she wins, look at all the trouble she is now going through, and the legal fees she will have to pay!! Her life is ruined.

I will stay off Facebook, but the truth is, the only way to be truly "safe" is to never type anything anywhere. It is patently unfair. Employers can do basically whatever they want and there is nothing the people can do about it. How about a law to protect employees? Because I am sick and tired of hearing about people being fired for what they write on line. Short of pornography or violence, most of it has no bearing whatsoever on their ability to do a job.

Edit: to be clear, the teacher had private settings ON. So contrary to whatever is being said on Facebook or articles about Facebook, there is no such thing as privacy on line. None. Zero.