If you work for the government, you’re about to be hit with a whole new set of stringent rules surrounding your freedom of speech on social media.
The new APSC guidelines continue to diminish faith in the Commonwealth Public Service, warning that messaging your friends about anything government-related could result in them reporting your behaviour.
According to the Australian Public Service Commission’s new guidelines, you could end up losing your job over minor social media related activities. If you ‘like’ an anti-government post, don’t delete someone else’s anti-government comments on your posts, or use an emoji to express your distaste with the government, you could kiss your career goodbye.
And it doesn’t stop there. As Junkee note, basically having an opinion about anything government-related, including expressing thoughts on the Prime Minister, could result in receiving a severe warning or getting the sack.
Here’s what the APSC policy says, “Criticising your Minister, or the Prime Minister, is just as risky as criticising your agency. Equally, criticising your shadow Minister, the leader of the Opposition, or the relevant spokesperson from minor parties, is also likely to raise concerns about your impartiality and to undermine the integrity and reputation of your agency.”
The guidelines have naturally created a whirlwind of controversy over the obstruction of free expression. With a large number of public service organisations out there, switching your social media accounts on private or seeking a new place of employ may seem like a good idea.
[via Junkee]
