To think that staff can't be expected to appear on work social media

[Sansan18]

I'm a very private person who was recently widowed and I live in a very rural, isolated moorland location. It's a beautiful area but I am quite mindful of my personal safety due to living alone.
I work in the public sector and feel under increasing pressure regarding social media.My own social media footprint is very small and I'm particularly careful about what I post, there are very few photos of me online.I run a small business with an online presence and has an issue a few years back where I was sent pornographic texts, indecent phone calls etc so that has made me very cautious.
My workplace expects us to post videos of our day to day work on FB and Instagram and I'm extremely uncomfortable with this. Comments from the public will typically lambast us for being employees of our organization, ask why we're doing nothing about waiting lists or comment that we're looking good/bad, tag friends and relatives etc.There's nothing in my job description saying I need to participate in social media and the content is driven by a colleague who's been on a half day course with an influencer so he's hardly an expert.His recent idea was that we should show the world what we were having for lunch and promptly videoed our entire table.
I'm thinking of opting out completely although I never gave permission to opt in.

I hate this. There’s an organisation I work closely with and they are forever taking photos & videos for social media. They’re all meant to be candid too so you really can’t focus on what you’re doing because at any moment someone will appear and start snapping away, and saying I don’t want to be photographed would interrupt the activity that’s going on in a really inappropriate way. Sorry I don’t have a solution but I feel your pain.

There is no way I would accept that.

This is a big bugbear of mine. I agree it's not on so please stand your ground. Is there a social media strategy/policy (I'm guessing not) but if so how is it worded? If you're NHS then corporate comms could maybe advise.

There are some people whose religious beliefs prevent them from being photographed, so that's problematic.

This is completely out of order of them to ask you to do this.

I run my organisation's social media and website and I would never make that request of staff.

I would simply ignore any request. Many people have very good reasons as to why they limit their social media presence and this should be respected.

I have had toxic family members that I have gone no contact with trying to 'stalk' me on social media so I am very careful not to post my location or give anyone too much details about my life or where I work.

I’ve always refused to have my photograph taken or be filmed at work for any reason, and I don’t explain why. Not in a million years. I am increasingly pissed off at having to be aware of bloody phone cameras wherever I go.

I'm going to ask my trade union for advice although I think there's been no issues raised with it. Any policies tend to be around photos/videos of the public and their rights rather than the staff.

I would just tell them that you have personal safety concerns for your identity appearing on social media, in writing, and the company would be liable if you were injured as a result of being located via social media.

Seeking support from your trade union I think is appropriate. Many people will have good reasons for wanting their work to be a private matter.

Under those circumstances I'd be stating that you are permanently opting out and that you don't consent to your image being used on social media. End of.

Ask to see the organisation's social media policy and also ask to speak to the Data Protection Officer about your concerns.

The fact that this is being led day to day by someone with limited Comms/Marketing experience is not a good thing. It is opening the organisation and individuals up to considerable risk and you have every right to be concerned, and to your privacy.

Most of my friends and colleagues have a "work" social media.. and a private one.

See it as an extension of work, and have NOTHING private on there.

I'm appearing on the social media posts of an organisation employing thousands of people.If I was involved in sales or promotional work I'd feel differently.

I refused to have a photo taken for a board in the school foyer of all the staff, it had been introduced since I started so I argued we hadn't signed up to do it. Hy on earth should an organisation expect their staff to be performed donkeys to be watched by the wasters with too much time on their hands?

You need to expressly consent to this - totally different if it was a pic taken in a public setting. Comes under GDPR - you can contact the ICO Commissioners for more information.

It raises such interesting points around your right to a private life. In my case a post saying I'm at a work event also highlights that my house is unoccupied and I'm 6 miles from the nearest village so that's an added concern.

i complained to a past employer who put my full name, photo and then job title on social media .
I had colleagues from my current employer ( different career now) contacting me and telling me about it.
When the photo was taken social media for busuinesses wasn't common so I knew I hadnt agreed to it .
The photo was removed and I received an apology.

but why would complete strangers know your address from a group photos on some work post?

It's the same as being on someone's photo at the airport. Who's going to recognise you and your home address?

As another poster said, this comes under GDPR and you need to give express permission. ICO would take a dim view of an employer putting pressure on anyone to participate in social media or to share a photo of themselves. How big is the company? Is there an info sec policy? Can you speak to the person responsible? Alternatively speak to ICO.

@Epicaricacy good question

Its a very small rural area and everyone knows everyone.

I never understand why people (managers, etc.) don't understand that there are folks who have very important reasons to avoid social media as a result of domestic violence, stalking, or potential child abduction. And, as far as I'm concerned, just not wanting to do it is reason enough. There should be no pressure from employers whatsoever.

It doesn't matter what your reasons are, if you don't want to appear on their social media, then you don't have to. Unless it was made clear at the point you accepted the job, it's unreasonable of them.

I remember, many years ago, I worked for a company involved in the privatisation of the water companies. One water company ran some local advertising - including those massive billboards - which showed various members of staff at work. The first thing one member of staff knew about it was when she was sitting on a bus going to work and suddenly saw a 20ft high version of herself sitting at her desk. She was livid and caused such a fuss they had to pull the entire advertising campaign.

It’s completely inappropriate. The ‘course’ obviously didn’t cover the legal implications of exposing employees to harm by sharing their image (personal data) without their express consent. What if you had a stalker? What about the effects of those comments on the staff’s well-being? I think there’s a GDPR breach in there somewhere too. Unless you gave consent when you accepted the job but this seems unlikely if they suddenly started doing it now.

Speak to a union, ACAS, the Information Commissioner’s Office or a solicitor.

This sort of thing is what gives digital marketing a bad name. This is exactly how it shouldn’t be done.

It doesn’t matter as to why you don’t want to do this.

I would just say no. I have a separate facebook account that I use for work. I have no photos of anyone on there and just use it to follow various groups etc.

You have the right to say no to being in social media. Hope it all works out for you..🙂

I work for a headteacher who has fully embraced social media and we're encouraged upload photos and videos of our day. No staff or student is ever recognisable in any of them though.