BeReal could spell big trouble
16 Dec 2022
How many of you are using the BeReal app?
For those who don’t know, this is a relatively new social media platform developed in France and which has started to soar in popularity in the last 12 months.
Once a user has the BeReal app downloaded and they have logged in, it asks them at a different time every day to take a photo of what they are doing. The emphasis is on unfiltered ‘real-life’ pictures without any adornment, and the picture will also automatically include a picture of the person taking it.
They are given just two minutes to submit the picture so that fellow BeReal members can view it.
Users are given the chance to say who the audience should be for their snap – either their friends or everyone – and can also share their location with the image.
It all sounds like harmless fun doesn’t it? But there are real issues for those using the app in the workplace which are far from light-hearted.
For example, if a user gets an alert while they are at work, they have little option but to take a picture there and then.
This raises all sorts of issues under GDPR legislation, privacy rules and workplace confidentiality.
It’s all too easy, for example, to share a picture which shows a computer screen full of confidential information. Even if the data on the screen is relatively bland – a name and address of a client for example – the user and their company could still fall foul of GDPR rules.
If the information is altogether more confidential – some details of a new company initiative or product, personal files about an employee or banking details – the situation can be even more serious.
And, of course, there is also a reputational risk for the employer associated with such candid imagery. Do you really want clients to see your offices or corridors, or staff caught in unguarded moments at their desks?
If a letter on a desk or a note on a screen about a customer complaint is legible, what impact will this have on the company’s reputation, let alone the confidentiality and privacy issues it raises?
In one recent example, a picture taken in a hospital revealed a patient’s notes on a screen which were clear for all to read. There are GDPR, privacy and reputational issues all associated with such an image.
Our advice on all social media platforms is for both users and employers to have clear guidelines about what is and is not acceptable. By setting clear, understandable parameters for when apps can be used and what they can be used for, employers are left in no doubt about what they should or should not be doing.
Make sure you dedicate a section of your company handbook to the issue – and give examples to illustrate what is permissible. And make sure that all staff know that that your existing policies still apply when using social media platforms – so that anything which may be perceived as discriminatory, bullying or invasive is well and truly out of bounds.
Remind staff how they can raise a complaint if social media in the workplace is causing a problem and tell them that confidentiality applies to images as much as it does to speech.
One thing is certain. Social media is not going away and employees will be using it whether you like it or not. By setting out some clear policies around it in the workplace you will help keep yourself out of unnecessary trouble.
HR Solutions Shropshire offers unrivalled HR advice to both employers and employees. If you have an issue you want to discuss press the button now to get in touch for a free consultation. We are always happy to help.
