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Original poster

Accused of posting on someone's LinkedIn...

958 replies

Bearyhumcrack · 14/05/2021 06:58

I work in a public sector organisation and have been called in by my line manager to say that I have posted something offensive on someone's LinkedIn page and of causing offensive comments on twitter. Confused

I have a LinkedIn account but don't use it much, I do remember following and unfollowing this person a few months ago but no recollection of posting on their page. Is there a way I can check whether I commented without looking at their profile? I know they can see if I have looked at them and I don't want them to make any more allegations about me.

OP posts:
Turkishangora · 14/05/2021 07:49

It sounds odd but if you've done nothing wrong will be ok in the end but do get hr and the Union involved.

Do you need to be on LinkedIn? I closed my account down due to privacy concerns, too much of a risk in my profession that if someone was upset by something I did they could try and ruin my reputation. I've not missed it!

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep · 14/05/2021 07:49

They have to show you the screenshots. They can't expect you to explain something they haven't actually accused you of. When people are arrested they are told immediately what they are being arrested for. This is absurd.

Original poster
Bearyhumcrack · 14/05/2021 07:54

I'm mildly heartened by people saying this is weird because I feel like I have entered a third dimension. I specifically asked what they were accusing me of and they couldn't give a reasonable answer that aligned with any of our HR policy.

OP posts:
InTheNightWeWillWish · 14/05/2021 07:56

So they have nothing but are clearly looking for something. I think you need to speak to ACAS and possibly consider a initial chat with a solicitor to understand what evidence they actually need and when it becomes unfair. Even if your union rep isn’t great, I’d start involving them in all discussions or having HR present.

Could your manager dislike you and be trying to manage you out?

ICECream821 · 14/05/2021 08:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

UCOinanOCG · 14/05/2021 08:02

I agree that you need to find out exactly what you are being accused of. It sounds like this other women is playing a very dangerous game.

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 14/05/2021 08:06

In that case I would actually leave the meeting. There is no point getting into a discussion when they

  1. cant tell you which HR policy youve broken
  2. Cannot or will not provide evidence of you 'wrong doing'
  3. Seem to have a very poor grasp of how social media works

Is it laid out in an HR handbook what should happen at each stage of an investigation?

You say the rep isnt very good. Why not ring acas and see what they advise?

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 14/05/2021 08:07

Scrap my last comment the other mners' suggestions are better.

Yay4spring · 14/05/2021 08:13

I agree. I would get a solicitor involved if your rep isn’t great. What you’ve written here sounds very strange & I would be astonished if they’ve acted in line with their company’s investigation procedure. There feels an underlying assumption you’ve definitely done something without giving you the opportunity to prove you haven’t.

stayathomegardener · 14/05/2021 08:18

It sounds like someone is trying to tarnish both your name and professional reputation.

I'd probably get a solicitor involved and fight back hard.

H2OConnoisseur · 14/05/2021 08:23

Ok so they're accusing you of posting something and are refusing to tell you what exactly it is that they have fault with? How utterly bizarre! Is it possible that you were hacked sometime in the past? Perhaps a spam bot used your account to post some spammy stuff which was then retweeted by that Twitter account, and in discovering and deleting that spam bot, the post they posted on your account was deleted too which could explain why you can't find anything offensive?

BelleBlueBell · 14/05/2021 08:25

This is indeed very odd

Don't they realize that unless they show you the comments in question the process can't possibly go any further

Is it in any possible that someone with a grudge against you has set up accounts in your name? The twitter element is easy for you to set your mind at rest as you can see everything you've ever tweeted

What profile photo do you use? Have you image searched it to see if there's another account with the same one, if they have screenshots of tweets appearing to come from your account the profile pic would need to be the same

The Linkedin is more tricky unless you ask someone else to look for you so she won't know it's you

All very strange

Jongleurterre · 14/05/2021 08:31

Just to clarify, you know her LinedIn profile but have searched and can’t find her twitter profile?

MisContrued · 14/05/2021 08:46

Do you have Google and is your password saved there? Have a look and see whether you had a data breach where your password was compromised. Change your password.

ElphabaTWitch · 14/05/2021 08:51

Public sector so go to the union. Don’t attend that meeting without union rep.
It is for your employer to prove not you to disprove but they will put the onus on you
Failing the union ( because they are rubbish and incompetent) go to ACAS.
Try not to worry. You didn’t do anything so you’ve nothing to fear.

frumpety · 14/05/2021 09:00

So they say you have posted something offensive on someone's Linkedin page, but can't or won't divulge what that is or whose page it was on.
They say you 'caused' someone else to post something on Twitter, but again can't or won't divulge what was posted and by whom.

So no evidence ? or they won't show you their evidence, which begs the question, why not ?

Original poster
Bearyhumcrack · 14/05/2021 09:02

Thank you so much. It's making me so paranoid which is so annoying as I already have anxiety!. I haven't been hacked and have 2 factor authentication so fairly confident on that front.

OP posts:
frumpety · 14/05/2021 09:08

I am intrigued how you 'caused' someone else to post offensive things on Twitter , are they suggesting you coerced another adult into doing it ?

NamingChanging · 14/05/2021 09:33

If they won't show you the screenshots, can you go through a formal subject access request process to get details of the investigation?
I was investigated for a malicious allegation made against me while I was off work with stress, and wasn't allowed to know the detail, just that the allegation was upheld and I was removed from my post. Although the allegations were easily disproved, I was told the investigation had concluded and I had no right to reply.
Be very careful because something that seems too weird to be actually happening, where you think common sense will prevail, can end up being really serious. The false allegation (that I couldn't read or write so had obtained my job my deception with fake qualification certificates and references) ended my career and is so off the wall that people think you couldn't make it up, so it must be true.

NamingChanging · 14/05/2021 09:35

*by deception
And best of luck, hopefully your situation will turn out a lot better than mine.

BelleBlueBell · 14/05/2021 09:41

@NamingChanging

If they won't show you the screenshots, can you go through a formal subject access request process to get details of the investigation? I was investigated for a malicious allegation made against me while I was off work with stress, and wasn't allowed to know the detail, just that the allegation was upheld and I was removed from my post. Although the allegations were easily disproved, I was told the investigation had concluded and I had no right to reply. Be very careful because something that seems too weird to be actually happening, where you think common sense will prevail, can end up being really serious. The false allegation (that I couldn't read or write so had obtained my job my deception with fake qualification certificates and references) ended my career and is so off the wall that people think you couldn't make it up, so it must be true.
That's awful, was there no way for you to challenge the decision afterwards, surely a false allegation can't be allowed to ruin a career
Loubiemoo · 14/05/2021 09:56

@NamingChanging

If they won't show you the screenshots, can you go through a formal subject access request process to get details of the investigation? I was investigated for a malicious allegation made against me while I was off work with stress, and wasn't allowed to know the detail, just that the allegation was upheld and I was removed from my post. Although the allegations were easily disproved, I was told the investigation had concluded and I had no right to reply. Be very careful because something that seems too weird to be actually happening, where you think common sense will prevail, can end up being really serious. The false allegation (that I couldn't read or write so had obtained my job my deception with fake qualification certificates and references) ended my career and is so off the wall that people think you couldn't make it up, so it must be true.
I hope you sued their arses to the moon and back?!
NamingChanging · 14/05/2021 09:57

Thanks @BelleBlueBell - I don't want to derail the thread but although I had a strong case for unfair dismissal my union rep told me I wouldn't have been entitled to compensation because I'd already received sick pay greater than the value of the potential award, and I decided I couldn't face more stress and the embarrassment of going to court and contesting it in public.

mindutopia · 14/05/2021 10:04

Has someone cloned your account? It's very common to get people stealing photos and information and creating a new account posing as them to post weird stuff (often it's bots).

IliveonCoffee · 14/05/2021 10:04

I don't have any real advice I'm afraid. But within your LinkedIn settings you can view profiles in private.

There's a visibility setting options, and within it it has a selection: like - view as 'Iliveoncoffee', view as 'someone from coffeeaddicts' view as 'anon LinkedIn member'