An employment lawyer has warned Brits they could be sacked if they misuse BeReal at work.
BeReal is the latest trend taking social media by storm where users have a two-minute window to post a photograph showing whatever they are doing in that moment.
Although it may seem like a bit of fun with friends, Jayne Harrison, head of employment Law at Richard Nelson LLP has called on people to think twice before taking a photo at work.
Should workers share information or content from emails, zoom calls or designs, they could be in breach of confidentiality and face disciplinary action.
Jayne Harrison from the national law firm, said:
“BeReal has skyrocketed in popularity because of how unfiltered it is compared to other social media platforms but it’s important to consider the risks first before you send off a quick picture at work.
“For instance, you could be breaching your company’s rules by sharing information on your laptop screen, even if it’s just in the background of a photo. If confidential emails relating to your company or individuals at work are captured, other BeReal users are able to zoom in on the photos and see – not only breaching your company’s rules but data protection too.”
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She continued:
“Most companies will have set rules about breaching confidentiality either in their disciplinary policy or staff handbook. However, once confidentiality is lost, it can’t be recovered so companies will often regard any breach as serious and warrant a dismissal for gross misconduct as a result.”
To be clear on what could be classed as a breach in confidentiality, the employment lawyers at the firm have pulled together exactly what not to capture the next time your BeReal notification pops up during work:
- Personal names
- Home address
- Images
- Personal and work phone numbers
- Personal and work emails
- Company name and office address
- Financial information
- Commercially sensitive information such as new business opportunities
