Presentation from Jenna Mäkinen from the N2 Social Media Hub #9.

1. Rights and obliga.ons in
Cyberspace – Can Facebook give
you the sack?
Jenna Mäkinen
Social Media Legal Consult
8.12.2011

2. 2

3. Sta.s.cs
• 48 % of Finnish B2B and B2C companies have a social media strategy
• 52 % of the companies have a responsibility person responsible for the
SoMe
• 67 % of the companies s.ll find that they lack resources to manage the
development of the SoMe properly
• 75 % of the companies have an Facebook account
(Source: Whitevector‐Kaiqu sta4s4cs 2011: h8p://www.slideshare.net/WhitevectorTL/tutkimus‐sosiaalisen‐median‐hydyntmisest‐whitevector‐kaiqu)

4. Sta.s.cs
– ”Pelisääntöjen puu8uminen aiheu8aa epävarmuu8a koko
organisaa4ossa”
– ”Onko sosiaalisesta mediasta meille oikeas4 hyötyä? Onko
tykkääjä parempi kuin 200 kommentoijaa – onko se paljon
ja mihin verra8una?”
– ”Organisaa4on sitoutuminen ja tuki. Asia ei ole ylimmän
johdon agendalla”
(Source: Whitevector‐Kaiqu sta4s4cs 2011: h8p://www.slideshare.net/WhitevectorTL/tutkimus‐sosiaalisen‐median‐hydyntmisest‐whitevector‐kaiqu

5. Legisla.on
• European Conven.on on Human Rights (ECHR)
• Interna.onal Covenant on Civil and Poli.cal Rights (ICCPR)
• Interna.onal Labour Organiza.on (ILO)
• Na.onal law
– The Cons)tu)on of Finland (731/1999)
– Act on the Exercise of Freedom of Expression in Mass Media (460/2003)
– Personal Data Act (523/1999)
– Act on the Protec)on of Privacy in Working Life (759/2004)
– The Criminal Code

6. Employment Law
• The employer’s direc.on right (ECA 1:1)
– The employer’s preferen.al right of interpreta.on
• The employee’s loyalty obliga.on (ECA 3:1)
– The employee’s posi.on in the organiza.on
– The line of business
– The publicity factor
– The line between working hours and spare .me

7. The line between working hours and spare .me, employee’s
posi.on, loyalty obliga.on

8. And on discussion forums…
…And so on

9. The line of business, employee’s posi.on in
the organiza.on

11. Other interes.ng cases
• Admissibility decision Pay v United Kingdom16.9.2008. (line of
work and free .me)
• Case Bodil Lindqvist (C‐101/01)
• Case Bijou Brigi8e (L 09/36752)

12. Consequences of blameworthy
statements in the mediaPublica.on of
false informa.on
Warning ECA
7:2.3.
Infringement of Consequenses
Termina)on
the employment according to the
ECA7:2.1.
contract ECA
Publica)on of Infringement of
Cancella)on ECA
false the Contracts
8:1.
informa)on Act
Compe))on Criminal Code
Other grounds offence 30:2
Criminal Code
Defama)on
24:9

13. Publica.on of correct informa.on
Warning ECA
7:2.3.
Infringement of Consequenses
the employment according to the Termina)on
contract ECA ECA7:2.1.
Cancella)on ECA
Publica)on of 8:1.
correct
informa)on Private life Criminal Code
offence 24:8.
Infringement of
Other grounds secrecy Fine or damages
agreement
Viola)on of a Criminal
business secret Code30:5.

14. SoMe as the employer’s tool
– Approx. 50 % of Finnish B2B and B2C companies use SoMe to get more
visibility on the Internet (Source: Whitevector‐Kaiqu sta4s4cs 2011: h8p://www.slideshare.net/WhitevectorTL/tutkimus‐
sosiaalisen‐median‐hydyntmisest‐whitevector‐kaiqu)
– The Case Google (Comment from the Dataombudsman hdp://
www..etosuoja.fi/48526.htm )
– 98/34/EC Direc.ve
– How does one become a register keeper?

15. The importance of direc.ons
• Why?
– Rela.onship betweed the par.es as well as CSR and PR
• What is allowed?
– Law, ECA
– Custom, image
• The effect
• Deterrent effect
• Later references e.g. the IBM Case

16. De lege ferenda

17. Thank you!
Jenna Mäkinen
Social Media Legal Consult
Tel. +358 40 542 5814
Jennasofia.makinen@gmail.com
Skype: Jenna‐Sofia
Facebook: hdps://www.facebook.com/jennamakinen