As reported by national and local media outlets, two Gretna, Louisiana, police officers were fired for social media activity that targeted Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In the case of one of the officers, he posted a message on his personal Facebook page regarding the Congresswoman that allegedly included threatening remarks directed toward her. The second officer then gave a “like” to the post. Media outlets quickly picked up the story. The Gretna Police Department then fired both officers for violating the Department’s social media policy. The situation is a vivid illustration of how social media activity can intersect with employment issues with serious consequences. For employees, it shows that employees can be held responsible for their social media activities. For employers, it shows the value of social media policies and how those policies can serve as reminders to employees to be mindful of their social media activities. For more about the story see the recent articles from NOLA.com and CBS news.
