Social Networks and Workplace Risk : Classroom Scenarios from a U.S. and EU Perspective

This paper builds on our classroom experiences and provides social media scenarios and projects that allow students to analyze and critically compare the workplace boundaries of social network use. Part I includes a description of an out-of-class assignment that assesses what types of social media comments students deem inappropriate in the workplace, completed by students before the professor actually discusses applicable legal principles. Then, Part II provides classroom scenarios which reinforce what students learn about the evolving law of social networks and privacy in the U.S. and the EU workplace. Part III looks at other legal considerations of social media use including sexual harassment and anonymous speech, and offers additional classroom scenarios. Part IV outlines a class project in which students collaborate in groups to develop social media policies for the U.S. workplace, and compare and contrast the impact of similar policies on EU employees. This project gives students an opportunity to synthesize their knowledge of social networks and workplace privacy and to incorporate their understanding of the legal risks posed by social media