Photo on Social Networking Site Leads to Jail Time!

I'm always telling my students that putting questionable pictures on social networking sites and blogs might cause them problems in the future. Despite repeated warnings of employers (22% based on a recent survey) reviewing social networking sites to check on prospective and current employees, many students just don't seem to get the message. Perhaps this chilling tale of woe might just do the trick.

Joshua Lipton was in court for charges stemming from a drunken driving accident in which another person was seriously injured. I'm guessing that his defense attorney was planning on painting a picture of his client as a young man who made a terrible mistake but was sorry for his reckless actions. Then the prosecutor whipped out a photo of Lipton (shown at the left) that was taken two weeks after the accident. Lipton was attending a Halloween party dressed in an orange jumpsuit labeled ‘Jail bird’. Using the photo as evidence, the prosecutor described Lipton as an unrepentant individual joking and partying while his victim was recovering from injuries. The judge obviously agreed with the prosecutor's view and Lipton received a two year jail sentence.

So where did the prosecutor find such a damaging photo of Mr. Lipton? It was on a Facebook page from someone who attended the party! Maybe your students aren't involved in court cases, but I doubt that prospective employers would be impressed by this photo. There is a simple message here - think before you post...or before you let friends take ill-advised photos of you doing something stupid!

Discussion Questions for Students:
1. Have you (or your friends) ever posted photos of you online that you feel a potential employer should not see? Do you think these photos would affect you landing employment?
2. Should employers check the Internet for information before hiring potential employees? Why or why not?
3. Do you think that you should have a right to privacy regarding information you place on a MySpace or Facebook page? How would you ensure that your privacy was protected?