What's Legal On-Line?

While researching topics about social media and law, I came across this great presentation on slide share.

The presentation titled 'Legal Implications of Social Media' really went into detail the rights and wrongs of what to write on your personal social media sites. Also it went into full detail the consequences people face when writing something bad.

They give an example of a high school girl who wrote a poem on MySpace about how she hates her home town, her principal saw it and published to her local paper. Her family was then ruined by the remarks she wrote about the town. The law court found no legal expectation of privacy since it was published on her public MySpace.

I agree with the law, these sites as personable as they may seem they are indeed public unless made other wise. If your settings aren't turned to as private as possible, then what you write is out there for all to see.

Even sites like ratemyprofessor.com are dangerous sites. These public sites allow students to go on and write what ever they want about specific professors. This can really ruin a professors image, and prevent students from signing up to their classes.

The presentation also goes into full detail, job hirings and how what you have on your social media might sway their decision to hire you or not. This again ties into your settings and how private your keep your social media.

People, especially young people just starting out in high school or even beginning their life in the work force, should really consider what they write on their sites. The world is becoming more and more like big brother and someone is always watching and reading up on what your doing.

KAYLA KAPLAN