Friending Employees on Facebook Could Lead to Big Trouble: MediaBytes with Shelly Palmer October 26, 2009

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Lawyers are warning employers against friending employees on social networks. The National Law Journal wrote that friending or following employees on Facebook or Twitter could "trigger or exacerbate a host of legal claims, including harassment, discrimination or wrongful termination." While employers have been looking at social network profiles for years when hiring new employees, it is now believed that such personal information, like racial affiliation, could be used against the employer if a discrimination case came forth.

Netflix may be set to bring its Watch Instantly service to "a device already owned by a large number of consumers." Currently, Watch Instantly is only available on Microsoft's XBox 360 and Netflix's own Roku box, however, analysts believe the rental service is set to announce plans to make the popular service available on Sony's PS3 and Nintendo's Wii system. Netflix partnership with Microsoft is credited with increasing subscription rates by 2.4 million users.

Verizon Wireless is planning on selling a whole line of Google Android based phones. The line, dubbed Droid, will first launch the previously unveiled Sholes smart phone, which will probably be known as Droid, and may also release the HTC crafted Droid Eris as soon as November 6th. The Droid series may give Verizon Wireless a smart phone boost in its battle with AT&T, as Droid may prove good reason to stick with Verizon, instead of switching to AT&T just for the iPhone.

Shelly Palmer is a consultant and the host of MediaBytes with Shelly Palmer a daily show featuring news you can use about technology, media & entertainment. He is Managing Director of Advanced Media Ventures Group LLC and the author of Television Disrupted: The Transition from Network to Networked TV. Shelly is also President of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. You can join the MediaBytes mailing list here. Shelly can be reached at shelly@palmer.net For information about Get Digital Classes, visit www.shellypalmer.com/seminars