To think if you run a business, you ought not to be contentious about politics on social media?

[ThisTurkeysNot4Christmas]

I don't use social media much, but I do use Twitter mainly as PR and research for my small business (I'm freelance.) I'm always shocked how some of my contacts are very open about their political leanings, mainly through Twitter posts, seemingly unaware of how their clients or customers might not agree with their views (and damage their business.)

AIBU to think that if you are self-employed and reliant on certain core clients, you ought to be more careful about voicing strong political opinions? I say nothing about who I vote(d) for simply because I don't want to alienate clients I work with if they have different views.

burritofan
knowing that labour would have happily destroyed the economy of this country and ruin the NHS, you might find that there are a lot less people dying without them.

Be grateful.

I think it’s perfectly valid for a self employed person to be clear what they believe in. As they say in business “people buy from people”. They’ll attract more people who relate to them as rounded humans they can relate to than they’ll loose.
Unless of course they are out of sync with their core business but that’s unlikely.

I think it’s fine to tell people what you believe in. What’s not fine is to vilify others because they don’t have the same opinion as you. I’ve ended a friendship of many years because of vile comments, based on nothing but prejudice.

It’s too simplistic and stereotypical most of the time, as if saying it will make it true. Not everything is black and white.

People should have 2 accounts. Private and business. And keep them separate. I always had. Otherwise it looks pretty unprofessional imho

The most sensible advice is to have two accounts. A business one and a personal one.

I thought the premise of the OP was the tendency to link the two?

Over the past few years I've made a conscious effort to support small independent business' and retailers.

In the run up to this election I have unfollowed and made decisions to purchase elsewhere based on some social media commentary.

I don't mean simple, 'I support' type statements, because of course everyone has their own opinions and reasons for voting which are perfectly valid and none of my business. However where vitriol, abuse and the like has been posted I've simply unfollowed and taken my custom elsewhere.

I haven't used tradesmen in the past because their SM contained the usual moronic ', hate speech,' all immigrants take our resources and give nothing back/come here to rape our children' and the appalling anti refugee, even refugee children, posts.

Likewise rants against disabled people.

I don't want dealings with someone who holds those views.

Totally agree with you OP the two shouldn't be mixed in my opinion.

I guess it's up to the individual. The only one I know who does stuff like this is an ex bf who is a cunt, anyhow. You don't have to be on his SM to deduce this, either.

I'm buying a company's service or product, I couldn't give a shit about their political view.

If they try and ram it down my throat I'd certainly tell them to do one.

Depends on the business; depends on the political views.

I have made retail and service choices based on shit people have said. This has been stuff they have said in real life.

^So have I

Agree op. For any business you run a real risk if not just alienating those with opposing politics views, but also those who don’t care and find it distasteful for a business owner to be publicly talking politics.

A desire to aggressively broadcast ones political leanings, strikes me as rather juvenile, an inability to find common ground and ultimately not the person I'd want to do business with.

We have a business FB page which is separate from my personal page and never post anything contentious on the business page.

I don’t really post anything contentious on my personal page either to be honest

There is a local business owner I refuse to use who writes utter bollocks all over local FB groups and community pages. He uses his company logo as his profile picture on his personal page.

My daughter rides horses and she was out hacking one day with some others when she was hit by an impatient wanker in a car. It made the local press and he posted all sorts of vile stuff - horses shouldn’t be on roads/we’re all posh toffs/etc and called my (at the time 12 year old) daughter a stupid cunt

A few weeks later I posted asking for recommendations on one of the community pages and he used his business page to private message me. I politely declined his services and explained why

I try to support local businesses with an ethical stance that aligns with my own values (e.g. the local cafe that regularly holds events to raise money for the local food bank). Not every business has to be a social enterprise, but I'm more likely to support those that are. To me, politics is part of that. It's about how you see your business as part of the local (and beyond local) community.

If someone is a business owner who thinks there are "too many immigrants", then I'd prefer they say that in public, so that I, as an immigrant, can take my custom elsewhere.

Yeah I wasn't asking if people should have two accounts- that's clearly the way to do it as long as the person is not identifiable from both!

I've just been a bit shocked how some people with whom I have a professional connection (on a fairly close, personal level) are insensitive to their Tweets- just things like they were 'Delighted' at the election result, or conversely 'Gutted and in tears.' Whichever.
I just don't want to know really.

I'm also a bit shocked and saddened by the vitriol here and how some posters on this thread and so damned rude about anyone who doesn't agree with their own views.

Seems to confirm my point.

The most sensible advice is to have two accounts. A business one and a personal one.

But it wouldn't take much to put 2 and 2 together and know from the personal page that a person is linked to or owns the business.

I think it’s up to individuals how open they want to be. If it puts off customers then that’s their concern, not ours.

But it wouldn't take much to put 2 and 2 together and know from the personal page that a person is linked to or owns the business

There is categorically no way you could link my personal and business twitter accounts.

@ThisTurkeysNot4Christmas I don't want to work with Tories or take their money; I'm extraordinarily good at what I do and turn down work, so it wouldn't affect me at all.

However I'm aware that's a position of privilege and wouldn't blame anyone who had to keep their politics quiet in order to keep clients. But it is, very often, the right-wing who bang on about politics being private. Because they're ashamed of their greed and avarice.

OP “ I just don't want to know really”

Agree.

I’ve also noticed people posting their personal lives on LinkedIn. I came off that. I don’t understand why professional boundaries are disappearing.

PS that’s not the reason I came off LinkedIn, just an observation.

I’ve also noticed people posting their personal lives on LinkedIn

Yes I agree there’s been an upsurge. I’ve also been hit on twice in the last 4 months on LinkedIn 🙄