Twitter: How Not to Get Sued, Fired or Both

While Linda debunks rules other than Twitter's standard regulations, you might abide by certain personal guidelines so you don't open yourself to a lawsuit. Additionally, people already have been fired over their Twitter comments. Do you really want to lose everything you own and a job to boot over one 140-character comment? In this article, Linda shows you how you can possibly avoid those problems.

Twitter Boundaries and Guidelines

While I don't like rules, I do like boundaries. But, your idea of boundaries may be different than mine, thanks to variances in personal and professional experiences. For instance, if you attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, you may have learned far different boundaries than I did at graphic design school. While I learned about colour theory and composition, you learned about military leadership and strategies. But, we both learned discipline in varying degrees.

It is this discipline that recognizes team efforts. So, if you work for a company and you Twitter, you really do need to think of yourself as a cog within a wheel. What you say on Twitter may, in your employer's eyes, reflect on that employer.

If you use your Twitter account to allow others to recognize that you are part of a team when you state your business affiliation through your profile, then you might follow the guidelines below. Even if you work for yourself only, you might consider the following:

·         Do not cuss (or swear or use expletives)

·         Be kind to others

·         Don't share company secrets

·         Ignore attacks on your comments for the most part (more about this later)

·         If you must debate, then debate as a knowledgeable person rather than someone who is a hothead

·         Don't retweet anything until you've read the linked article or until you've verified the information

All of the above guidelines are about building trust. You do want people to trust you, correct? This is building a trust that people feel safe with – a trust that people can count on when they need your services or skills as a graphic designer or a programmer – or even as a friend.

Others have defined boundaries and guidelines for their Twitter use, too, and they've shared these on the Web. Take what you need and leave the rest when you visit these links:

·         My 11 Twitter Guidelines: Sean Bohan shares a quick read on what he considers important in his Twitter life.

·         101 Twitter Guidelines: Although a bit tedious, there are some gems in this piece. Pick the ones that make sense to you, and perhaps you may revisit it later to find a few more items that make more sense.

·         Social Networking Q&A [PDF]: The AP (Associated Press) developed these guidelines after an AP reporter was reprimanded for posting a comment to his Facebook profile that criticized a newspaper chain. (sometimes idiocy is used to establish boundaries).

·         Guidelines For Brands Using Twitter: Some interesting advice for large corporations...and I believe that small companies can learn some things from those larger entities without losing self esteem.

·         My Twitter Guidelines: A writer offers proof that people's boundaries may differ. If you want to cuss, fine – just know that people will know you as a person who cusses. It's that simple.