A Poorly Managed Online Reputation Leads to Firing a Television Reporter Because of Personal Blog Posts 

Shea Allen, a Huntsville, Alabama, special investigations reporter at WAAY-TV, became the story instead of reporting it when she wrote that she claimed to have “gone bra-less.”

According to an interview posted on The Huntsville Times/al.com website, Allen was called into a meeting about the blog by station management and was terminated four days after she published “Confessions of a Red-headed Reporter.”

From an online management perspective, there are many problems here, such as the main one: don’t post personal information online.

For example, under the headline, “Hope it makes you laugh,” were: “My best sources are the ones who secretly have a crush on me,” and “I’ve gone bra-less during a live broadcast, and no one was the wiser,” among other comments.

One quote from the article is particularly interesting and brings up an important question: “‘ On the one hand, management wants you to exploit every social media site you possibly can… And then, on the other hand, I’ve done something in my time on the web, a personally designated space and I’ve been terminated for it.'”

Businesses often do want or demand employees to generate online content to help build their brand. But this quote seems to indicate the main problem: “‘ I fight for people’s rights to have freedom of expression.

That’s supposed to be what a journalist does. Now, my rights I feel like have been compromised a little bit.'” Well, I’m not sure about that. This brings up an important question, though: can someone be fired for a personal blog?

Until this question is worked out, it’s best to be very mindful of what you write online. Keep these ideas in mind when blogging:

Links Stay Online Forever

Be aware that everything published online probably will stay online for a long time.

While it might be possible to erase some embarrassing comments or negative posts occasionally, assume that what you write will be available for everyone.

Things written years ago could come online in the future, such as an old newspaper article or video clip added to YouTube.

If You Are in a Public Field, Keep Personal Comments Private

If you are in the public eye, such as a journalist, celebrity, business executive, or anyone with a high profile, be especially careful about what you post online.

One wrong Tweet or blog could ruin a reputation, spoil a deal, or get you fired. When in doubt, don’t post. If something seems even slightly off-color or controversial, think twice about writing about it.

Even if You Are Right, Lawyers Are Expensive

Although you might have the right to say anything, defending yourself in a court of law is expensive and takes a long time. It also can be a significant emotional drain. As Shea is quoted as saying in the article, ‘”People ask if I’m going to sue. I couldn’t afford a lawyer even if I wanted to.'”

The Bottom Line

A poorly managed online reputation can get you fired, even when writing a personal blog post these days, so be careful.