To post, or not to post – that is the question: Employee monitoring and employees’ right to data protection

Abstract

Nowadays social media have a growing importance in several areas of our lives. They are used for numerous objectives: self-expression, keeping in touch with acquaintances, communication or obtaining information about the latest events and news. During their use the individual shares a significant amount of personal data. This conduct can have serious implications for employment. The (prospective) employer is interested in the surveillance of these sites for several reasons, as he/she can easily gain insight into the individual’s private life and obtain, without costs, detailed information about him/her. The legal problem arising is that the employee’s fundamental rights – namely the right to privacy and the right to data protection – collide with the employer’s legitimate interests.The aim of the paper is to highlight the different rights and interests present on the two sides of the parties in the employment relationship; focusing on the employee’s right to data protection and on the employer’s legitimate interests in monitoring employees. As a result of the paper, I will draw attention to the legal problems lying behind social network background checks and monitoring. I will provide recommendations on how users and employers can continue using these sites while still preserving privacy.