Own your Twitter Followers?
There is much ado about who owns the Twitter following you may have and or may create over the course of a work stint. This story Lawsuit May Determine Who Owns a Twitter Account – NYTimes.com over at the NY times highlights a company that is taking the matter to court to determine the answer.
Whatever the outcome, I have always been of the firm opinion that apartment management company employees should never cede to the pressure of commingling their personal brand handle in joint with the company they work for or with. For example: @Mike_MyEmployer or @MyEmployer_Mike. In my head, there is no chance and no way I would ever do that. Not in the context of personal branding world. Neither would I ever ask anyone I work for or with to do as much.
Now I am sure there a several camps out that agree or disagree and all for reasons that apply to their various interests.
But who is right?
Or, is there a right answer? And, as a company that champions social media as part of their branding/marketing strategies, should you push the issue? Would you terminate someone who refused to comply with the request to co-brand? Is it in your social media rules, regs, do’s and don’ts? Do you refuse to hire a soon to be hot personal brand superstar because he or she says – “yeah – no, my social graph is not up for discussion even if it is in the early stages of development.” “Neither am I willing to segregate business from personal?” Bold? Yes – but, it is out there.
Do you sue the guy that leaves with the list?
