Cyber-Sabotage: Employee Malfeasance in the Social Media Age

• Author: Melany V Franklin
• Pages: 101-124



CyberSabotage

EMPLOYEEMALFEASANCE

INTHESOCIALMEDIAAGE

Melany V Franklin*

DisgruntledemployeescancomefromanywhereHoweverthereare

somecommonorfrequentlyobservedpaernsthatmaysignalelevatedvulner

abilityinfuturesituationsForexamplenineoutofofoursubjectswerein

theprocessofdealingwithanextremelyseriousemploymentproblemthathad

endedorthreatenedtheirjobs

Otherindicatorsofvulnerabilitythatmighthaveledtodetectionincluded

theoccurrenceofsignicantorganizationwidechangesorstressesaswellas

personalstressorsAnothermarkerofriskwastheuniquelevelofsystem

accessandorcontrolobtainedFinallytheseindividualswereconsistently

engagedinsocialorculturalworkplaceconicts

EricDShawLynnFFischer

Thetopicofthispapercybersabotagereferstotheuseoftechnology

includingsocialmediatodeliberatelyinictharmonanorganization

Thefocusisonthemisuseoftechnologybyemployeesandformerem-

ployeesFor our purposes t he term coversc yberbullying disc losure

 MelanyVFranklinisapartnerwithBordenLadnerGervaisLLPTorontopractis-

inglabouremploymentandhumanrightslawShehastakenpartinmisconduct

investigationsinvolvingsocialmediaSheisgratefulfortheresearchassistanceof

JacquelineStrandbergandRaquelKaplanGoldbergandtoSteveKahanskyforhis

insights

 EricDShawLynnFFischerTenTalesofBetrayalTheThreattoCorporateInfrastruc

turesbyInformationTechnologyInsidersAnalysisandObservationsMontereyDefense

PersonnelSecurityResearchandEducationCentreat

MVF

ofcondentialinformationdatatheftdatadestructionandcybordina-

tionwhichIwoulddeneasinsubordinatesociamediapostings

InPartAwedemonstratehowlegalprinciplesintheemployment

contexthavebeenappliedtoaddresscybersabotageInPartBweex-

ploreprivacyconsiderationsandquestionsoffairnessthatmaybearon

anemployersinvestigationintoallegationsofcybersabotageInPartC

weidentifypracticalstepsthatanemployermaytaketomitigatetherisk

ofharmassociatedwiththisnewkindofmisconduct

ACYBERSABOTAGEINANEMPLOYMENT

CONTEXT

AccordingtoYogiBerrathefutureaintwhatitusedtobeInternet

technologieshavetransformedourinteractionswitheachotherindivid-

uallyandonaglobalscale

Although the rewards associated with t he use of these technolo-

gies are potentially great so are t he risks At an organizationa l level

theInternetisagatewayforboththegoodandthebadForwouldbe

whistleblowersitisamegaphoneForthedisgruntleditsasoapbox

ForthievesitsanopportunityForhackersitsachallenge

Thelawhasrespondedtotheseproblemsasitusuallydoesbyap-

plyingtriedandtruelegalprinciplestonovelfactsituationsEventually

theleadingcaseswillgiveusaroadmapforassessingtheseriousness

ofcybersabotageinanygivencaseandfordeterminingwhetherthe

misconductinquestionwarrantsdismissalforjustcause

Butweareintheearlydays

 Sabotage

Employeesabotagehasbeendenedasanintentionalactcalculatedto

damageanindividualassociatedwiththecompanycompanyproperty

corporateassetsorthecorporateentityitself

CybersabotagelikeanywrongdoingissubjecttodisciplineSabotage

isconsideredaseriousbreachoftrustInRedirackLtdLtéevUnitedSteel

workersofAmericaLocalArbitratorHaeingwrites

 IPerrinWestonSabotageWorkplaceViolencePreventionAPracticalGuideto

SecurityontheJobNorthVancouverSpecialtyTechnicalPublisherstabFch

atonlinewwwstpubtrainingcomimagesDocumentsSABOTAGEpdf

 LACdHaeing