Tech

Should you message your boss on Facebook?

Published

10 months ago

August 17, 2022

A U.S. court has ruled it acceptable for employees to use social media messaging platforms to send workplace requests to employers.

A unanimous ruling at a Virginia Court found that a worker who used Facebook Messenger to seek emergency medical leave from their employer was well within their rights to do.

This is despite it contravening company policy.

The matter was escalated to court when the employer refused to accept this form of communication, and later fired to employee for job abandonment.

On appeal, the court found that the employee had used Facebook Messenger in the past to communicate with their employer about workplace matters.

This established a mode of communication as both acceptable and relevant on this platform.

The original policy denying the use of Facebook Messenger as an official form of communication was overturned.

The outcome of this case has set an interesting precedent in terms of internal communication policies and procedures within workplaces.

Some workplaces already use Facebook’s Workplace platform as an official internal collaborative space, where it is acceptable for employees and employers to communicate.

However, other organisations have what could be described as official and unofficial communication channels.

Official and unofficial channels

Organisational policies, procedures and processes may clearly state what the official channels are (e.g. email) when employees are communicating with employers.

This can be in relation to confidential matters and issues relating to their employment, such as applying for sick leave.

However, they can fail to capture the everyday ‘unofficial’ communication taking place on social media channels between employers and employees.

The outcome of this ruling sends a clear message to employers about responding to employees via ‘unofficial’ social media channels like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.

This recent decision has proven that social media can be considered as official in the eyes of the law. It’s most likely going to become a more common channel as the world of social media continues to grow.

Internal policies must be reflective of the communication channels being used within organisations or employers must adhere to their own policies to ensure they are also upheld by the entire workplace.

Report by Dr. Karen Sutherland, University of the Sunshine Coast and Dharana Digital

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Dr Karen Sutherland

Dr Karen Sutherland is a Senior Lecturer at the University of the Sunshine Coast where she designs and delivers social media education and research. Dr Sutherland is also the Co-Founder and Social Media Specialist at Dharana Digital marketing agency focused on helping people working in the health and wellness space.

Tech

Apple takes your eyes and your wallet with the Vision Pro

Published

2 hours ago

June 6, 2023

ticker NEWS

Welcome to the future of the world, or at least how Apple wants you watch, feel and communicate with it.

Apple describes the Vision Pro headset as “a revolutionary spatial computer that seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world.”

The device features a new operating system that features a 3D interface.

You can watch movies, scroll through apps, pretty much everything you can don on your phone, but this device doesn’t fit in your hands. You use your eyes.

The entire front of the headset is made of polished glass that flows into a lightweight aluminum frame. The top of the headset features a button and a Digital Crown that lets a user control how present or immersed they are in an environment.

But as usual with Apple, there’s a catch, and also, as usual, it’s the price.

The Vision Pro starts at $US3500 and is only available in US retail stores from next year.

Tech commentator Trevor Long told Ticker News the high price will be out of reach for most users.

It comes as Meta licks its wounds having spent billions trying to make the Meta world commercially viable. So why is Apple different? #featured #apple #vision pro #trevor long

Business

“TikTok represents two national risks to Australians”: should you delete the app?

Published

21 hours ago

June 5, 2023

ticker NEWS

Democracies continue to ban popular video-sharing app TikTok over national security concerns

Australia recently banned TikTok from all federal government owned devices over security concerns.

Canberra is the latest in a string of U.S.-backed allies to take action against the popular video-sharing app.

The ban centres around concerns China could use the app to trace users’ data, and undermine democratic values.

Senator James Paterson is the Australian Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security, who said TikTok poses a risk to Australians.

“They can get access to awful amount of information on your phone.

“Because it’s beholden to the Chinese Communist Party, there’s no guarantee it won’t fall into their hands,” he said.

Senator Paterson said there are “six or seven million Australians who use the app.”

Business

Cyber attacks are on the rise, so what is being done to combat them?

Published

21 hours ago

June 5, 2023

ticker NEWS

Australia experienced two of its worst cyber attacks on record last year, as the world braces for cyber warfare to rise

Ukraine has suffered a threefold growth in cyber-attacks over the past year.

Viktor Zhora is leading Ukraine’s State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection agency, who said cyber attacks are occurring at the same time as missile strikes at the hands of Russia.

Mr Zhora said in some cases, the cyber-attacks are “supportive to kinetic effects”.

On the other side of the planet, Russian hackers were responsible for Australia’s Medibank scandal.

“This is a crime that has the potential to impact on millions of Australians and damage a significant Australian business,” said Reece Kershaw, who is the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police.

Australian Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security is James Paterson, who said Australia can learn from cyber warfare in Ukraine.

“Ukraine is a lesson for the world.

“They are fighting a hybrid war, one on the ground and one online. If there is to be future conflict including in our own region, in the Indo-Pacific, it’s highly likely that the first shots in that war will occur cyber domain not in the physical world,” Senator Paterson said.