We recently discussed issues employees sometimes face with defamation from former employers that could harm their career prospects. This could be considered defamation if a former employer is intentionally making untrue statements that harm that employee’s reputation.
To that end, it is important to consider the impact of social media defamation. This is typically treated as libel because it is a written statement that can be read by a wide audience. Social media has made it easier than ever for information—and misinformation—to spread to large groups of people, meaning it can have an even greater impact on a person’s career than other types of defamation.
How does social media defamation happen?
In some cases, it could happen on professional types of social media, such as LinkedIn. A person may quit their job and pursue future employment, when a former employer begins commenting on their LinkedIn posts. That employer could make inaccurate statements about the employee that are visible to other prospective employers, making it harder for them to get another job.
The same thing could also happen on other public types of social media, such as Facebook. Many businesses have profiles, even if this is not an exclusively professional setting. But defamation on Facebook could spread to hundreds or even thousands of viewers within a person’s network, some of whom could be other professionals, business owners or executives.
Your legal options
Do you believe that you have been defamed by a former employer who has done significant damage to your reputation and your career? Whether this happened in person, on the phone or on social media, you need to know exactly what legal options you have.