As the use of social media continues to grow, the line between professional and private has begun to blur out.  It has become very easy to bring out your phone and tweet about what just happened to you five seconds ago.  Most of the time, these tweets are done on impulse and without thinking.  Many of these times, these tweets are not appropriate and can get the Twitter user in trouble.

However, how are tweets defined as inappropriate and are companies paying more attention to the information their employees are posting to the internet?

There have been several incidents where employees get frustrated with their job and turn to social media to vent.  You may have even noticed your friends doing it.  The casual, “I’m so tired of this job” or “This customer is so rude and smells” tweets may seem harmless but once a customer links that tweet to a company, there are harsh societal repercussions.

Just this month, we saw as Applebees tried to keep their customer base under control, as the world forwarded a tweet from one of their employees.  Some began to defend his right to express what he was thinking while others deemed his behavior as immature and wrong.  Of course, Applebees fired the employee but the lesson that many took out of this experience is that they shouldn’t mix business with social media.

Now, various organizations are turning to their human resources department and asking them for a social media policy.  One that protects the organization and regulates what an employee can post on a social media site.

Many seem to think this is limiting our freedom of speech since there are certain regulations to follow.  However, others agree that if you are working for an organization, your salary comes with the regulations and standards that have been set for you.

Either way, people have to begun to realize that you are being watched at all times and if you don’t measure your actions you could find yourself out of a job.