Wednesday, February 28, 2007

blog-pinions

My friend is doing a speech and wants our help. Her speech is about blogging.
Here's how you can help:
Leave a comment telling how you feel about employers monitoring blogs (if it should be done or not) and what you think about people being fired for what they post on their blogs.

Feel free to ask your readers, too - just let me know in the comments that you're talking about this on your blog.


Here's how I feel:
I don't think employers should monitor blogs, unless they have reason to believe something is being said that will jeopardize the company. But, since blogs are public there's no way to stop employers from monitoring. (I bet mine is reading this right now. waving "hi employer.")

Unfortunately, GA is an employment at will state. You can be fired for anything. If you wear a green shirt to work and your boss doesn't like green, you can be fired. So, based on GA law, you can be fired for your blog. That doesn't mean I think it is right. Blogs are online diaries and I don't think you should be fired for what you write in your diary. But, blogs are also public, so you do need to watch what you write. If you write something the company feels can jeopardize them, they should tell you what they found and give you chance to remove it.

I think the whole blog thing is something companies need to address. I don't think they should patrol blogs or tell you what you can or can't write. I do think they need a policy about blogs.

Edited: This is how I feel about blogging at home on your own time. Blogging at work is a completely different issue. I feel when it comes to blogging at work, you should follow the same standards as all other personal things - like personal phone calls, checking you personal email, reading a book, etc. Your employer does have the right to know what you are doing on company time with company property.


Hope this sparks some conversation for Friend's speech.




On to Nolan things:
Nolan learned how to blow raspberries. He does it all the time now, even when he's eating.



He's rolling everywhere and he's trying to crawl! (poor cats have no idea what's about to happen.)
We put him in the crib at night on his back with his head to the door. We when get him up in the morning, he will be on his stomach with his feet towards the door!

He is going to be dangerous!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I don't know if it's too late to help your friend...sorry, I've been meaning to post this. I don't really know how I feel about getting fired for a blog. Here's the thing though, if you boil it down to basics, it's like you're talking about a good friend behind their back and then you're angry when they finally find out. I mean, if you're going to spill your guts and talk about something (particularly in a public forum), then how can you possibly be upset later when the person (or company in this example) finds out later? You reap what you sew I suppose.

Plus, if you're unhappy enough at your job to be venting about it on a blog, then perhaps it's not the best fit for you or your employer. Look at it this way, they probably did her a favor by giving her that push that she needed all along to pursue something else that would truly make her happy.