Social media is a great way to speak your mind, share your opinion, learn more about other people and stay connected. Social media allows you to create status updates, post pictures and post videos for all of your friends or followers to see.
While this doesn’t seem like such a bad thing, many people have not completely thought about their actions before uploading videos or photos os sharing updates via social media. Some people don’t realize that what they say through these channels can have a negative effect on their lives— The following are five people who have been fired from their jobs for something they posted online.
1. Chrysler
Like many big companies, Chrysler outsourced their social media to an outside company. An employee for New Media Strategies, the company Chrysler outsourced, was sitting in traffic when his frustration with the jam made him turn to Twitter to express his frustration. Unfortunately, this employee forgot to make sure he was logged into his own personal account before indulging in an expletive tweet. Instead, he was logged in to Chrysler’s account, so this tweet ended up being shared to Chrysler’s following.
Though Chrysler was able to explain the situation to their following, the damage had already been done. Not only did Chrysler not renew their contract with New Media Strategies, but the employee that caused the fiasco was fired.
2. Great Western Hospital
Planking started all the way back in 1997, but was then known as the Lying Down Game. It has gained much more popularity in recent years, and though started in England, has traveled throughout the world. Planking refers to finding strange places to lie face down and have someone else take a picture to post online.
In 2009, seven night-staff nurses and doctors from Great Western Hospital in Swindon, England were suspended for planking on the job.
3. Anthony Weiner
In 2011, Democratic US Congressman Anthony Weiner started sending adult and sexually suggestive pictures of himself to a 21-year-old woman through Twitter. Along with this, he had also sent links of the picture to other women before and during his marriage. Though he denied having any type of relationship with these women, Weiner resigned from his job on June 16, 2011.
4. Larry Johnson
Larry Johnson was a running back for the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2009, acting losing to the San Diego Chargers, Johnson turned to Twitter and sent inappropriate and hateful messages about the Chargers’ coach. His employer was not happy, so they suspended him for one game.
Frustrated with the situation, Johnson turned back to Twitter and sent derogatory remarks about his coach as well as a hateful gay slur aimed at a specific fan heckling him for his recent outrage.
Disgusted by his actions, 32,000 Chiefs fans sent in a petition asking the team to get rid of him. The team listened, and released Johnson from his contract.
5. Gilbert Gottfried
Though he has never been known to keep his mouth shut, there are certain things that even insult comics should stay away from.
Shortly after the Japanese tsunami, Gottfried turned to Twitter and created jokes about the situation. At the time, he was the voice of the Aflac duck in the company’s commercials. Not pleased with his “jokes”, the company fired him.
Use these examples before posting anything derogatory on social media sites. If you’re not careful, you could end up losing your job over it.
