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Social Media in the Workplace: Legal Challenges for Employers and Employees

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Social Media in the Workplace: Legal Challenges for Employers and Employees The University of Notre Dame Australia ResearchOnline@ND Theses 2017 Social media in the workplace: Legal challenges for employers and employees Jacques C. Duvenhage The University of Notre Dame Australia Follow this and additional works at: https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/theses Part of the Law Commons COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Copyright Regulations 1969 WARNING The material in this communication may be subject to copyright under the Act. Any further copying or communication of this material by you may be the subject of copyright protection under the Act. Do not remove this notice. Publication Details Duvenhage, J. C. (2017). Social media in the workplace: Legal challenges for employers and employees (Master of Laws (Thesis)). University of Notre Dame Australia. https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/theses/164 This dissertation/thesis is brought to you by ResearchOnline@ND. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses by an authorized administrator of ResearchOnline@ND. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The University of Notre Dame Australia School of Law SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE WORKPLACE: LEGAL CHALLENGES FOR EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES Jacques Clarence Duvenhage LLB, LLM (University of Pretoria) A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Laws by Research 2017 DECLARATION This thesis does not, to the best of my knowledge, contain previously published or written material by another person except where due reference is made in the text, or any material previously submitted for a degree in any higher degree institution. _________________________________ Jacques Duvenhage _________________________________ Date i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am forever grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to write this thesis. His goodness has been portrayed by Proverbs 3:5-6: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path’. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the University of Notre Dame for providing me with a Scholarship to undertake this thesis. This research degree would not have been possible without the continuous support from the Research Office. It is with immense gratitude that I acknowledge the support and help from my supervisor, Professor Joan Squelch. Her mentoring and guidance has been invaluable throughout this research degree. She has pushed me beyond my limits and even in very tough times encouraged me to not ever give up and to keep believing in oneself. Furthermore, this degree would not have been possible without the support and encouragement from my partner Chinelle van der Westhuizen and loving family members. Josephine Smith – Wordsmith WA provided copyediting services in accordance with the Guidelines for editing research theses produced by the Institute of Professional Editors Ltd. The editorial intervention has been restricted to copyediting and proofreading, as covered in Standards D and E of the Australian Standards for Editing Practice. Any and all errors remain my responsibility. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DECLARATION ...................................................................................... i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................... ii LIST OF ABBREVIATED TERMS ..................................................... v ABSTRACT ............................................................................................ vi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH PROBLEM ....................................................................... 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1 1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM ............................................................. 2 1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................................................................ 7 1.4 RESEARCH AIMS ............................................................................................ 7 1.5 RESEARCH CONTEXT .................................................................................... 8 1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ....................................................................... 9 1.7 STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS ....................................................................... 9 1.8 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................ 11 CHAPTER 2 SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE WORKPLACE ............ 12 2.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 12 2.2 DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ......................................................... 13 2.2.1 Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media in the Workplace ..... 17 2.3 SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE WORKPLACE ...................................................... 20 2.3.1 The Meaning of ‘Workplace’ ............................................................... 21 2.4 THE EMPLOYER–EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP ....................................... 25 2.4.1 The Development of the Employment Relationship ............................. 26 2.4.2 The Employment Contract .................................................................... 31 2.4.3 Employment Contract Duties ................................................................ 42 2.4.4 Employee Duties ................................................................................... 48 2.4.5 Employer Duties ................................................................................... 55 2.4.6 Discipline of Employees using Social Media Within and Beyond the Workplace ............................................................................................. 66 2.5 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................ 70 CHAPTER 3 LEGAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE WORKPLACE ........................................ 73 3.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 73 iii 3.2 PRIVACY AND SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE WORKPLACE .......................... 75 3.2.1 Defining Privacy ................................................................................... 76 3.2.2 Privacy Law in Australia ...................................................................... 77 3.2.3 Privacy, Social Media and Employment ............................................... 88 3.2.4 Privacy and Confidentiality .................................................................. 99 3.3 DEFAMATION .............................................................................................. 105 3.3.1 Defamation Action .............................................................................. 110 3.3.2 Defences .............................................................................................. 124 3.4 CYBERBULLYING....................................................................................... 130 3.4.1 What is Workplace Bullying? ............................................................. 131 3.4.2 Vicarious Liability of the Employer Through Cyberbullying Posts ... 139 3.5 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 141 CHAPTER 4 CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE WORKPLACE ...................................................... 145 4.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 145 4.2 WORKPLACE SURVEILLANCE ................................................................ 146 4.2.1 Legal Framework of Workplace Surveillance .................................... 150 4.2.2 Workplace Surveillance and Employment Contracts ......................... 157 4.2.3 Key Issues Concerning Workplace Surveillance ................................ 162 4.3 SOCIAL MEDIA AND WORKPLACE POLICIES ...................................... 176 4.3.1 Workplace Policies ............................................................................. 178 4.3.2 Relationship Between Workplace Policies and Employment Contracts ............................................................................................................ 182 4.4 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 190 CHAPTER 5 OVERVIEW, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................... 193 5.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 193 5.2 OVERVIEW OF THESIS AND SUMMARY OF KEY ISSUES ................. 193 5.3 KEY RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................... 200 5.4 FURTHER RESEARCH ................................................................................ 201 5.5 CONCLUDING REMARKS ......................................................................... 202 APPENDIX 1 MODEL WORKPLACE SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY 203 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................... 210 iv LIST OF ABBREVIATED TERMS ALRC Australian Law Reform Commission APP Australian Privacy Principles BOYD Bring Your Own Device FWA Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) FWC Fair Work Commission FWO Fair Work Ombudsman ILO International Labour Organisation v ABSTRACT Social media has become prevalent through platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and has essentially changed the way
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