A
female
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes:Okay, so where i work we all have a facebook ‘group chat’ in this group chat there is over 50 of us in this group so basically nearly everyone from work. We use this chat on facebook to organise nights out i work in a casino and the casino is a 24hr casino so we all don’t see each other all the time as the shifts are all different. So setting this up was much simpler. We also have people in this chat who have recently left the casino so we can still stay in contact.Our manager found out about this group chat and have ordered us to close it down as he thinks it is negativity (how he thinks this i don’t know) he says we should put posters up on the board in the staff room instead. But this is just effort every time we want to go out. I had a massive discussion with him about it as i am quite out spoken and a few people here are not and would rather just keep quiet. I said it isn’t negativity we chat and keep up to date with things and nights out etc. He was having none of it. So i told him ‘the only reason you do not like this is because you are not in the group chat and you can’t see what we are talking about’ he didn’t reply he changed the subject because i was obviously right. He likes to be in control that is his problem and he isn’t in control of this so he doesn’t like it.He has put a memo on our board in the staff room saying this isn’t allowed and that if we want to speak to other employers on social networking sites we have to ask for permission. And if this chat isn’t closed down in 4 weeks and finds out we are still in it he will sack each and every one of us. I’m pretty sure my facebook is my own private account and i can speak to whoever i want on my facebook. It is a private group chat so only the people in this chat can see it. Can he really order us to close it down and sack us? Because i find this quite pathetic to be honest!
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female
reader, Keeley345 +, writes (19 April 2016):
Facebook and employers has become a love hate relationship. What you do online (as long as its legal) is your business. Also as long as you're not insulting the company then so what? And as long as you're not going onto facebook i.e this group, during working hours then so what? As long as people aren't cyber bullying each other on there, so what?
Your manager has nothing to moan about. If any negative lines regarding work are crossed on there then he'd have reason to complain. I read in a newspaper a couple of years back that a well known airline had fired staff for creating a facebook group/page called 'I hate working for this airline' the staff had actually mentioned the airline by name on facebook!
Senior management felt it was unacceptable behaviour as well as a bad image for the company so fired the staff who created and used the page! Also a lot of them were going on there during work hours and writing sh*t about the airline so...they got fired! I think that was fair. After that there were strict rules regarding facebook use.
Are you doing anything similar? If not then don't let your manager give you grief over it. Tell him the story i mentioned about the airline staff. That may help him realise you could be doing worse. Get together with your colleagues and approach him about it as well. Hopefully he'll back down. Good luck!
A
female
reader, Ivyblue  +, writes (19 April 2016):
 Does he send messages via pigeon by any chance? How archaic in attitude is this dude. Threatening to sack the entire team over such a thing, in my opinion, grounds for lodging a group complaint of bullying. Provided no one is acting inappropriate I would find him hard pressed to exercise his power in this way. To be sure, check the company policy on social media.
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A
female
reader, YouWish  +, writes (18 April 2016):
 Your boss is a moron. If the group has your employer's name in it, then message each member with the name of the new group and then shut the first site down. If the group does NOT have the casino's name, go to HR and tell your boss to pound sand.
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A
female
reader, Honeypie +, writes (18 April 2016):
 I would check with your handbook and HR.
I could see if you all were ACTIVE on the group Facebook when you REALLY should be working, that it could be deemed inappropriate. And if some people are excluded for whatever reason creating friction and drama at work.. OVER a frigging Facebook page...
If it's a private group Facebook and doesn't have the NAME of the Casino it it, I'm not sure he can demand it, but I would still check handbook and HR.
I know while my husband served in the military, the units often had a Facebook group for the soldiers and their family member and it was very useful before, during and after a deployment, BUT that at least ONCE I have seen a commander shut a page down because people used it to bully other wives, give out sensitive information and spread malicious and at times scary rumors. It was DEFINITELY within the commanders scope to shut it down. Even though there was nothing written down ANYWHERE that a Facebook group could be shut down.
WHY not invite the dude so he can see for himself?
And are there employees who are not invites besides him? Who perhaps have been discussed in that page?
My guess is it's NOT because he isn't on there, it's because he has gotten complaints from workers over something in regards to this Facebook page. That makes the most sense of all.
So yes, I think there is more to it, then :"‘the only reason you do not like this is because you are not in the group chat and you can’t see what we are talking about". Which by the way is such a snotty attitude (of you). IF HR are OK with him shutting it down, he really doesn't HAVE to give you a reason.
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A
female
reader, Ciar  +, writes (18 April 2016):
 Short answer: no, he cannot.However, he might be assuming a responsibility (and therefore control) if the group name includes the name of your casino.For example if your company name is 'Sunshine Casino' and your Facebook page is 'Sunshine Casino Friends', then the behaviour of all group members could reflect negatively on Sunshine Casinos. Remember, image is very important and celebrities have lost corporate sponsorship and endorsement opportunities for conduct that could tarnish the image of the company paying them. Even the mere accusation can be enough for a contract to be cancelled. Like any big business, a casino is associated with wealth which means they can be targets for frivolous lawsuits. Your boss might just be hyper vigilant.
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