Cyber-Sabotage: Employee Malfeasance in the Social Media Age
Author | Melany V Franklin |
Pages | 101-124 |
CyberSabotage
EMPLOYEEMALFEASANCE
INTHESOCIALMEDIAAGE
Melany V Franklin*
DisgruntledemployeescancomefromanywhereHoweverthereare
somecommonorfrequentlyobservedpaernsthatmaysignalelevatedvulner
abilityinfuturesituationsForexamplenineoutofofoursubjectswerein
theprocessofdealingwithanextremelyseriousemploymentproblemthathad
endedorthreatenedtheirjobs
Otherindicatorsofvulnerabilitythatmighthaveledtodetectionincluded
theoccurrenceofsignicantorganizationwidechangesorstressesaswellas
personalstressorsAnothermarkerofriskwastheuniquelevelofsystem
accessandorcontrolobtainedFinallytheseindividualswereconsistently
engagedinsocialorculturalworkplaceconicts
EricDShawLynnFFischer
Thetopicofthispapercybersabotagereferstotheuseoftechnology
includingsocialmediatodeliberatelyinictharmonanorganization
Thefocusisonthemisuseoftechnologybyemployeesandformerem-
ployeesFor our purposes t he term coversc yberbullying disc losure
MelanyVFranklinisapartnerwithBordenLadnerGervaisLLPTorontopractis-
inglabouremploymentandhumanrightslawShehastakenpartinmisconduct
investigationsinvolvingsocialmediaSheisgratefulfortheresearchassistanceof
JacquelineStrandbergandRaquelKaplanGoldbergandtoSteveKahanskyforhis
insights
EricDShawLynnFFischerTenTalesofBetrayalTheThreattoCorporateInfrastruc
turesbyInformationTechnologyInsidersAnalysisandObservationsMontereyDefense
PersonnelSecurityResearchandEducationCentreat
MVF
ofcondentialinformationdatatheftdatadestructionandcybordina-
tionwhichIwoulddeneasinsubordinatesociamediapostings
InPartAwedemonstratehowlegalprinciplesintheemployment
contexthavebeenappliedtoaddresscybersabotageInPartBweex-
ploreprivacyconsiderationsandquestionsoffairnessthatmaybearon
anemployersinvestigationintoallegationsofcybersabotageInPartC
weidentifypracticalstepsthatanemployermaytaketomitigatetherisk
ofharmassociatedwiththisnewkindofmisconduct
ACYBERSABOTAGEINANEMPLOYMENT
CONTEXT
AccordingtoYogiBerrathefutureaintwhatitusedtobeInternet
technologieshavetransformedourinteractionswitheachotherindivid-
uallyandonaglobalscale
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
theInternetisagatewayforboththegoodandthebadForwouldbe
whistleblowersitisamegaphoneForthedisgruntleditsasoapbox
ForthievesitsanopportunityForhackersitsachallenge
Thelawhasrespondedtotheseproblemsasitusuallydoesbyap-
plyingtriedandtruelegalprinciplestonovelfactsituationsEventually
theleadingcaseswillgiveusaroadmapforassessingtheseriousness
ofcybersabotageinanygivencaseandfordeterminingwhetherthe
misconductinquestionwarrantsdismissalforjustcause
Butweareintheearlydays
Sabotage
Employeesabotagehasbeendenedasanintentionalactcalculatedto
damageanindividualassociatedwiththecompanycompanyproperty
corporateassetsorthecorporateentityitself
CybersabotagelikeanywrongdoingissubjecttodisciplineSabotage
isconsideredaseriousbreachoftrustInRedirackLtdLtéevUnitedSteel
workersofAmericaLocalArbitratorHaeingwrites
IPerrinWestonSabotageWorkplaceViolencePreventionAPracticalGuideto
SecurityontheJobNorthVancouverSpecialtyTechnicalPublisherstabFch
atonlinewwwstpubtrainingcomimagesDocumentsSABOTAGEpdf
LACdHaeing
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