Recently, my boss said he saw a photo of me on Instagram. It was a shot taken while having fun with friends on vacation. He threw shade at me saying something about a “professional image” and all that. He’s literally mixing my personal life with my work life. What should I do, should I make my profile private or just show that I don’t care?
I’ve experienced something similar. After I shared a story during my vacation, my manager threw a jab, saying “the company’s reputation”. I directly messaged them, saying, “This is my personal account.” I set the boundary clearly, and they didn’t interfere again. My advice to you is the same: the more concessions you make, the further they will push.
I think you should hide your direct profile. If you have accounts like LinkedIn, you can already show your professional stance from there. If you don’t want work-related people to see you on private accounts, this will cut all that confusion.
To be honest, you need to be a bit careful here as well. The business world requires professionalism; after all, you are creating an image related to your work. Your boss might not be interfering maliciously; they could be trying to maintain their own prestige. However, being more selective on social media is up to you.
Social media is now seen as a part of business life, which is why such situations occur frequently. There are companies in human resources that pay attention to these kinds of sensitivities. But in law, the privacy of personal life is fundamental, meaning it cannot interfere with business life. Politely drawing the line is the most sensible approach.
Let me say this, I’m thinking about whether I should talk directly face to face with my boss. I’ve heard that he got mixed up like this with someone else before; that’s just his nature. But that photo was completely a friend environment, it had nothing to do with work. That’s why I felt uncomfortable.
Using the power imbalance created by your boss to your advantage. Just because they pay your salary, do they think they have the right to interfere in your personal life? This is a clear overstep. They have no right to meddle in your private life; who you have fun with and what you do is your business. You have to put a stop to it.