Companies sue employees over LinkedIn, Twitter accounts
Suits raise the issue of ownership of social media profiles for company purposes
February 29, 2012 at 07:00 PM
19 minute read
The scenarios may be quite different, but claims in two lawsuits have now survived the motion-to-dismiss phase and are grabbing employers' attention as they raise the issue of ownership of social media accounts used for company purposes.
Ninety percent of chief marketing officers now participate in three or more social media activities, a 2011 survey by Bazaarvoice, a software company, and the CMO Club found. And as more and more businesses rely on social media for marketing and managing their public personae, experts say similar lawsuits will become more common.
One case deals with an allegedly company-controlled LinkedIn account. Linda Eagle co-founded Edcomm, a communication consulting and bank training firm, in 1987, and a Saudi Arabia-based IT services firm bought it in October 2010. Eagle remained an Edcomm executive for a while, but the new owners eventually terminated her and also changed the password on her LinkedIn account to block her access. Eagle regained control of the account three weeks later.
NOT FOR REPRINT
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
Trending Stories
- 1The Law Firm Disrupted: For Big Law Names, Shorter is Sweeter
- 2Wine, Dine and Grind (Through the Weekend): Summer Associates Thirst For Experience in 'Real Matters'
- 3The 'Biden Effect' on Senior Attorneys: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
- 4BD Settles Thousands of Bard Hernia Mesh Lawsuits
- 5First Lawsuit Filed Alleging Contraceptive Depo-Provera Caused Brain Tumor
Featured Firms
Law Offices of Gary Martin Hays & Associates, P.C.
(470) 294-1674
Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone
(857) 444-6468
Smith & Hassler
(713) 739-1250