This week we’ve seen some quite high profile incidents that have been covered endlessly all over the Media, including Social Media.

First of all, we’ve seen Paris Brown vilified in the media for making what could be considered homophobic and racist tweets. This has been such a high profile case due to her becoming the Youth Crime Commissioner for Kent. The Kent Police Crime Commissioner has also added that Paris’ tweets weren’t checked before she was awarded the £15,000 a year job.

So this raises a question. Should Social Media accounts be taken into account when employees are interviewed?

Some who would say no point towards the privacy of your Social Life and the right you have to enjoy yourself when not at work. After all, does your social life affect your ability to do a certain job?

Those who say yes point towards your social media accounts as indicative of your true character. Especially for such sensitive jobs as childcare, social workers and other such professions.

If so, then the second Social Media fracas this week could land some people in hot water. The passing yesterday of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher split opinion in a highly bi-polar way.

Some greeted the news with enthusiasm, posting their delight at such tidings. Others were less disrespectful and merely mentioned they had no remorse but also no happiness.

Then you had the opposite end of the spectrum, where people mourned Thatcher’s passing and were critical of people who were openly in a state of delirium.

So following the first incident are there now hundreds, maybe even thousands of jobs at stake due to the fact their social media accounts contain posts mocking and insulting the a recently deceased human being?

My own personal advice would be to find a balance between what you post and how your privacy settings are configured on your Social Media accounts.

What do you think?

Posted by Greg McVey.