Invasion of privacy by employer on Facebook?

[Gratefulgirlie]

I have worked for my employer for four years & recently went out on maternity leave. One of my managers asked me to add her as a friend on Facebook years ago; she wanted to see if people were on Facebook during company time. During my maternity leave I removed several people, including her, as friends. I returned to work a few weeks ago & my manager mentioned that she noticed I removed her as a friend. She also mentioned that during my leave she search for my husbands' wall (they are not friends) to found out what was going on with me; she also found out I had given birth to my son.

Did she cross a legal line or just a personal line? I live & work in California. Thank you for your help!
Thank you for the clarification about the privacy setting I will make sure we change them. Also Artemis Agrotera - I did call once I was released from the hospital, three days later.

[ingsoc1]

What line? Facebook is public unless you make it otherwise

[Tony]

anything on the internet can be viewed by anyone anytime

[davidmi711]

No laws broken, Facebook is a public website. You can changes the settings to allow only friends to see your posts, however the default is everyone can.

[Sorry Charlie]

There is nothing illegal about an employer checking Facebook. I wouldn't even consider it an invasion of privacy, since most posts made on a public internet forum or social media outlet would be considered FOR the public.

If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at your husband for posting things online that you apparently didn't want anyone to know.

[a p f]

What you or friends post, is public. Don't post what you view private.

[Artemis Agrotera]

She crossed neither.

When you post your personal business online, you are inviting the world to view it. Just because you haven't specifically included people to give them open access does NOT mean they have acted improperly by using Facebook to try to find out what is happening with you. And if you and/or your husband do not have the appropriate privacy settings to prevent random strangers, or even friends of friends from viewing your Walls then this is the reasonably foreseeable result.

If you have worked for this company for four years and recently went on maternity leave, it is nothing short of bizarre that your manager would have to resort to going on Facebook in a round about manner to find out that you'd delivered your son. It would have been much more normal for you or your husband to give them a courtesy call to let them know.

But there is not a darn thing wrong with what your manager did.

[ponderer]

look this is why I have deleted my Facebook A/C ppl understand it turning out to be a Frankenstein. ppl you care about will always stay in your touch whats the point digging out old graves and saying hi to a frnd lost for 20 yrs.

NOW she has crossed the line, please tell her that it was your personal decision to exclude you as she always had your phone number for communication.

Some company mentions it in their contract that you will allow an HR personal or your manager to be in your "Friends list" on social network of your choice.

I have fought a case in NY and won it, my strong argument was that "your honor this is equivalent to a spy permission".

FB will be down and gone in some time don't let them collect your personal data and index it.

[Mutt]

What "invasion of privacy" are you talking about? Things posted on a PUBLIC website (like Facebook or even Y!A) are not private.

"she also found out I had given birth to my son. " - Since you were on MATERNITY leave, did you think she was not going to know that you gave birth to your son? You go to work one day with a baby in your tummy, go out for several weeks, and come back with no baby in your tummy. What did you think she was going to think happened while you were gone?

And no, she did not cross a legal line, nor a personal line. Again, IF YOU DO NOT WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE, DO NOT POST IT FOR THE WORLD TO SEE!!!!!!

[Sans Deity]

What legal line did she cross? She viewed public information on a public site. You and your husband obviously fail at privacy settings.