“Anonymous” Nintendo employee fired over personal blog

A Nintendo employee was sacked on 31st August as a direct result of personal blogging activities at Inexcusable Behavior.

The blog, written semi-anonymously under a pen name, was apparently discovered by bosses at Nintendo, who took a dim view over some of its contents.

Though the employee claims that she was never informed of any formal policy about personal blogs, a spokeswoman for Nintendo, Perrin Kaplin, said that she “was expressly discouraged from doing what she did. I’ve seen everything that she’s written and it’s really not work appropriate.”

It’s not clear from reports whether she blogged during work hours, or maintained her blog outside the workplace. Either way, it does raise the question of what exactly is appropriate to share on a personal blog about work issues.

“We get a lot of calls from people who have been accused of defamation when they’re blogging anonymously,” says Rebecca Jeschke, a spokesperson for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. “In most cases, these charges of defamation are pretty weak. There’s a very strong tradition of anonymous speech in America and it’s protected in the First Amendment.”

Arguing for free speech isn’t always enough to save a job, though companies like Nintendo need to put policies in place specifically covering blogging, rather than relying on statements such as “we generally don’t encourage them,” particularly as they’re not banned outright.

See Also
"Goff's Influence"

If you want to keep your job, be very careful what you blog.

(Via The Stranger)

Picture of Andy Merrett

Andy Merrett

Andy Merrett is a London-based full-time blogger writing for several Shiny Media technology blogs and various other projects. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

RECENT ARTICLES

TRENDING AROUND THE WEB

People who wave at cars that stop to let them pass usually display these 7 unique strengths

People who wave at cars that stop to let them pass usually display these 7 unique strengths

Global English Editing

If you want to feel attractive without changing how you look, focus on these 7 behaviors

If you want to feel attractive without changing how you look, focus on these 7 behaviors

Global English Editing

Women who genuinely enjoy their own company usually display these 7 unique traits, says psychology

Women who genuinely enjoy their own company usually display these 7 unique traits, says psychology

Global English Editing

Men who get annoyed when someone else adjusts the thermostat usually display these 7 qualities

Men who get annoyed when someone else adjusts the thermostat usually display these 7 qualities

Global English Editing

If you instinctively stay calm when others panic, psychology suggests you’ve developed these 8 internal traits as a child

If you instinctively stay calm when others panic, psychology suggests you’ve developed these 8 internal traits as a child

Global English Editing

People who keep their phone on vibrate mode usually display these 7 behaviors, says a psychologist

People who keep their phone on vibrate mode usually display these 7 behaviors, says a psychologist

Global English Editing