Boss trying to control my social media AIBU?

[Neomldn]

Started a new job and was immediately told that I must like, share, comment on and re-post all of the companies frequent posts on social media (mostly LinkedIn and Twitter), as well regularly messaging any of my contacts that might be interested in the companies services or events.

I don’t work in Marketing/Business Development or similar, most of the services don’t relate to my field and the requirement to do these things was never mentioned at interview. This is a small company and prior to this I’ve always worked for large firms, so perhaps that’s the difference?

Up until now, I’ve duly “liked” all of the posts, but I’ve refrained from sharing them or messaging my contacts, as I feel this is way too intrusive. I have a great connection base that I’ve built up over time through working in my specialism for years and I don’t feel comfortable to bombard them/their feeds and my personal profiles with company related posts. I’ve now received an email from the company MD (my boss), challenging my lack of support and requesting a meeting to discuss further. AIBU in thinking that this is completely inappropriate?

Completely unreasonable. Especially if we are talking about your private social media accounts. I would not be agreeing to this and would want HR involved at the meeting, as what is being asked is really not reasonable at all

Where I work is like this. I just don’t do it and don’t even have a Twitter account. Been there 4 years so far.

That’s exactly what I’d been hoping to get away with, but it appears not 🙄

come off social media... or for all appearances come off - high privacy settings and remove people from work

Can you block your new company and staff and tell them you have deactivated your sm for a while due to a stalker. This is what the police advised you to do.

Your sm is for you, its not a company marketing tool.

I run a Social Media agency and we encourage all the people who work at our clients' business to support the company's efforts on social by liking, sharing etc but it is certainly not compulsory or monitored officially or the subject of meetings with bosses. So, in my professional opinion I'd say YANBU. You can tell your boss that and if he wants a great social media agency to help him out without making his staff feel uncomfortable, I'd be happy to talk to him 😁

I would not be doing this. No discussion necessary and they can not force you to.

It's out of order, although, I can see their point too to some extent, especially if they're a small company.

Could you open up new, dedicated accounts and use them at work? Make it part of your role?

I dont know about twitter or other SM but on FB you can share but without sharing it to anyone else. not that you should have to!

I have a twitter and instagram for work, and a personal one. they two don't mix.

I have a real thing about never appearing on work websites or people knowing where I work. This would be my idea of hell, I’ve had stalkers and abusive boyfriends so there’s no way I’d want any links like that.

Change your name on social media accounts and say you have to come off for a mental detox. Or tell them you were not employed to market the company and it isn't in your contract so he can bugger off.

This is akin to all that pyramid scheme MLM techniques, I find the more a company posts I'm more likely to mute/block etc.

Up until now, I’ve duly “liked” all of the posts, but I’ve refrained from sharing them or messaging my contacts, as I feel this is way too intrusive

Liking on LinkedIn is actually better than sharing, you can tell your boss that.

You can also say that overzealous sharing can be seen as spam, it affects the LI algorithm and therefore you are not doing it.

Suggest he does a digital marketing course, Futurelearn has free ones.

I wouldn't be happy with that. If you genuinely think something is of interest to your friends then fair enough but social media is your private life and nothing to do with work. If they insist then you may have to create new accounts

For Twitter, I'd create a new account on the platform for liking and sharing the posts from work and it would be completely separate to my own personal account. I'd stop 'following' work mates on my personal account and start following them on the work account.

Then I'd make my personal account very locked down and only allow people that I wanted any further than absolutely necessary.

Have you inadvertently signed something in your contract that said you will?
Can you take a union rep in with you? X

Set up duplicate accounts away from your personal. Use a work email.
Do it during work time.

The only way for it to add value then is to spend more time on social media at work. Ask how much time they'd like you to spend on social media.

My aunt works for a charity where she had to do this. She just set up duplicate accounts and they were fine with that. It's mostly about getting any account to share it so the platform's algorithms perpetuate its reach - they don't actually care about your friends in particular seeing it.

Tell them your personal social media is not for work use.

Agree with others. Set up duplicate accounts and only post on them IN WORK TIME. Ask how much time they feel you should be devoting to this.
Don't tell them you have duplicate accounts and keep all your hard-earned contacts separate. They're basically trying to use you for free marketing

If they really are enforcing this, just make yourself another account (during work time), and use that to like all their pages.

You don't have to use your personal account or your personal time to do this.

Hmm this is interesting. We’ve been told explicitly that the reason we’re being asked to share and interact with the posts through our personal accounts is so that they can reach our own networks and beyond, so I can’t see they’d be happy with me making up a new account for this purpose which would have no/few connections. I will certainly raise that as an option though!

I can’t see they’d be happy with me making up a new account for this purpose which would have no/few connections. I will certainly raise that as an option though!

Why would you raise anything as an option? You don't have to comply, end of. They can't force you to use your personal sm to promote their business. I wouldn't discuss this with them again.

Absolutely not, all employees have the right to a private life they cannot demand you use your personal life for work purposes.