It's Complicated

Abstract

Social media has become an intricate part of daily life. Posting, tweeting, and chatting have become common practices since the birth of the social network. This technological revolution has altered the way we interact and communicate in fundamental ways. Consequently, a cultural shift has accompanied this change, with notions such as etiquette and personal boundaries undergoing dramatic transformation. In the virtual world, the lines that separate individuals' personal and professional lives often become blurred resulting in some confusion about what constitutes appropriate social media behavior. With that in mind, the purpose of this chapter is to discuss key issues associated with the impact of social media has on individuals' professional lives. This task will employ a multipronged approach in describing the growth, use, and potential problems of social media in the workplace. In addition, policies and legal statutes regarding social media use by academic and human service professionals will be discussed at length.