Lifestyle

How to avoid trouble at work by being social media savvy

There’s no doubt social media can make a number of work tasks infinitely easier. But it can also be a land mine of potential snafus that at best cause professional embarrassment — and, at worst, cost you your job.

That’s what happened in December, when Justine Sacco, IAC’s former director of corporate communications, tweeted a tasteless AIDS joke before boarding a flight to South Africa. The post went viral while Sacco was in the air, and the p.r. exec was out of a job by the time her plane landed.

Earlier in 2013, former EMT worker Joseph Cassano — son of FDNY commissioner Sal Cassano — was forced to resign from his job after firing off a slew of racist tweets.

And then there’s Anthony Weiner.

So how to avoid the sort of digital blunder that can land you a pink slip? Start with a hefty dose of common sense — then follow these insider tips for online sharing with care:

Perform a back audit

Once upon a time, you funneled a beer in Cabo — which you forgot until the snapshot resurfaced in Facebook’s 10th anniversary photo montage.

“It’s just another example of why you need to understand this stuff is going to be with you forever,” notes Erik Qualman, author of “What Happens in Vegas Stays on YouTube.”

If you haven’t already, do a clean sweep of yesteryear’s forgotten-but-not-gone posts: Delete the ones you’re responsible for; un-tag those others posted. Then take it a step further by performing a Google image search for your name to pinpoint any cringe-worthy photos or videos others might have posted or reposted.

Unless you can prove to Google that you own the copyright for the image you want removed, you won’t have luck getting the company to take it down. Your best bet is to send your college roommate a text to erase that bikini shot, stat.

Good judgment trumps a disclaimer

If you think a disclaimer like “All tweets are my own” is akin to a “get out jail free” card, think again.

Financial District employment lawyer Alix Rubin says such disclaimers are really only intended as a safeguard for employers from landing in trouble for something their employees say. Further, the disclaimer is often stripped away when the post is shared, notes Qualman.

Todd William, CEO of Reputation Rhino, a Midtown East reputation management firm, warns that a post as controversial as Sacco’s can cause a firestorm, regardless of a disclaimer: “I don’t think you can disclaim your way out of using bad judgment.”

Use privacy settings — with caution

Facebook’s highly customizable privacy settings can be a great first line of defense against unprofessional over-sharing, allowing users to fire off a personal rant to their inner circles — and not the guy in the adjacent cubicle.

But the site’s privacy controls require vigilance for effective use.

“Privacy settings — where they’re located and what they do — change very frequently,” says William. He says it’s important to “check regularly to make sure the settings you have in place and your understanding of the privacy controls you set for yourself haven’t changed.”

And remember that even if you’ve just shared the glassy-eyed party pic with your closest pals, they can always repost it to their broader networks.

“[They] can take on a life of their own when they get reposted,” says William.

The only surefire way to prevent an inappropriate post from leaking to the public? Seems obvious, but it’s good, old-fashioned being careful what you post in the first place, says William — “and choosing your friends wisely.”

Don’t mix up accounts

If you have access to your business’ social media accounts, the risk for digital slip-ups can skyrocket. Some of the most notable gaffes have occurred when employees accidentally posted a personal message under their companies’ feeds.

Two recent examples: the young Red Cross employee who unwittingly tweeted about getting drunk, and the KitchenAid worker who posted an anti-Obama rant.

To avoid such missteps, social media consultant Lisa Parkin urges employees to use two separate browsers for posting — for example, Chrome for personal social media and Safari for business accounts — thus negating the risk for mistake that comes with signing in and out of two different accounts.

“Better yet, use your smartphone for all personal social media activity,” she says.

Read twice, post once

Qualman notes that social media mistakes often happen when we’re rushed, multitasking or distracted. So to safeguard yourself from firing off an embarrassing tweet — or accidentally uploading an inappropriate selfie — follow his “three second” test: If you have to think for more than three seconds about whether something’s appropriate, it’s not.