The news of the last week has been a particularly interesting illustration of the promise and perils of technology, particularly related to social media. On the one hand, Facebook and other social media outlets continue to be used as tools to organize protests and spur on the cause of revolution in countries where citizens have long been oppressed and felt powerless. On the other hand, there are several stories from the last week about employees sharing confidential information (including pictures of medical patients), complaining about workplace conditions, or even Tweeting about labor disputes.
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to present with my colleague, Abigail Crouse, at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits annual technology and communications conference. The conference was packed with great sessions about the nuts and bolts of using social media and other technology effectively, which made me a little scared that the audience might not be interested in hearing us talk about risks and how to manage those risks. Much to my surprise, the audience was not only receptive but excited to hear about ways that they could address the risks that they knew lay beneath the surface of the exciting developments in technology.
The ability to disseminate information rapidly and with little cost is certainly a two-sided coin. But as a baseball fan, I cant help but think of the quote attributed to Frederick B. Wilcox: Progress always involves risks. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.
Technology in the Workplace
- Posting Patient Photos The Newest Example of Social Media Implications for the Workplace (Digital Workplace Blog)
- Do Employees Have a Statutory Right to Make Secret Audio Recordings in the Workplace? (Labor Relations Counsel)
- The end of the IT department (Signal vs. Noise)
- The March of Technology (Labor Related via Workplace Prof Blog)
- The Social At-Work (Fisher & Phillips)
- The Internet is a dangerous place for human resources (Ohio Employers Law Blog)
- N.F.L. Labor Dispute Plays Out on Twitter (NY Times)
- Employee Must Give Employer His Facebook Password, Says ACLU (Delaware Employment Law Blog, Shear on Social Media Law, Wisconsin Employment & Labor Law Blog)
- BranchOut Lets You manage Your Climb Up the Ladder From Within Facebook (Fast Company)
- E-Verify Self Check (LawMemo, Washington DC Employment Law Update)
- Is Twitter a hazard or an asset for doctors? (SmartBlog on Social Media)
- When Med Students Post Patient Pictures (NY Times)
Technology and the Law More Generally
- Judge Nixes Motion to Compel Witness in Drug Case, But OKs Unusual Alternative: Skype (ABA Journal)
- Facebook vs. FTC Round 2: Facebook Responds (Fast Company)
- London Court Grants Swedish Request to Extradite Assange (NY Times)
- European Network and Information Security Agency Publishes Report on Cookies (Privacy & Information Security Law Blog)
- Searching for Details Online, Lawyers Facebook the Jury (Wall Street Journal article and blog, Smooth Transitions blog)
- No Conviction in Cyber Harassment Trial (Courthouse News Service)
- Google Trying to Avoid Antitrust Fight in Europe (NY Times)
- Can You Frisk a Hard Drive? (NY Times)
- As Online Communications Stymie Wiretaps, Lawmakers Debate Solutions (NY Times)
Technology News
- Libya, YouTube, and the Internet (Fast Company)
- China Blocks Access to LinkedIn (Fast Company)
- Robot Skin Can Feel Touch, Sense Chemicals, and Soak Up Solar Power (Fast Company)
- Social Media Lure Academics Frustrated by Journals (Chronicle of Higher Education)
- Twitter Co-Founder Pushes New Effort to Use Technology for Social Good (Chronicle of Philanthropy)
- Cellphone Use Tied to Changes in Brain Activity (Well)
- What Did Watson the Computer Do? (NY Times Op-Ed by Stanley Fish)
- Friends Without a Personal Touch (NY Times review of Alone Together: Why we Expect More From Technology and Less From Each Other)
- Blogs Wane as the Young Drift to Sites Like Twitter (NY Times)
- Internet is next battle front, retired general says (Star Tribune)
- Cellphones Become the Worlds Eyes and Ears on Protests (NY Times)
- My Puny Human Brain: Jeopardy! genius Ken Jennings on what its like to play against a supercomputer (Slate)
- China Assails New U.S. Policy on Internet Freedom (NY Times)
- Internet Use in Bahrain Restricted, Data Shows (NY Times)
- Canada Hit by Cyberattack from China (NY Times)