Posting Political Opinions In Social Media And Forums

I have a friend of Indian origin who's lived in the U.S. for more than four decades, went to MIT, has hobnobbed with politicians at the senator level. She kind of thinks of herself as a life-long guardian of those who came to the U.S. after her. I often pull her leg that she studied nondescript majors and at a time when to get into MIT one pretty much had to just apply in time.

She had some words of caution about posting political opinions in social media and online forums. Especially for the younger lot still not sure where their career will take them or those who might one day apply for government jobs or positions that require security clearance. Applicants can be asked for passwords to social media accounts.

Does she have a point? Is it better to avoid posting strong political opinions in social media and forums, with real name or with an anonymous username? In an unimaginable world could such things end up being a criteria for revoking green card or citizenship? Could it come back to haunt people when they apply for certain high security government jobs?

 

Thank you for the first response. That was my concern too - average person with less power and money. Do you think it is better to totally eschew political discussion in social media or in some amounts it is fine? Like, if there is a Woman's March to protest something, or a rally to protest separation of families of those crossing border illegally? What if one posts a "hey come out and join the rally" post on FB?

I was actually typing text asking how can regular IT jobs be impacted by some medium political opinion one posts. Then, I suddenly remembered just yesterday I was reading about Amazon going ahead with working with the U.S. Department of Defense, while Google stopped partly due to employee protests, and Microsoft also facing protests from employees if it wants to bid for some govt. contracts. Politics and the workplace, at least the IT workplace, have become too intertwined. A hiring manager could very well reject an applicant for political views without explicitly having to give that as the reason.

 

: ) That job description reminds me of Harry from the book Harry's Trees, in which a little girl named Oriana brings lots of adventure to him and finally deliverance. Yes, Oriana. Once we know an Oriana, the ones that follow are in a way shadows of that. : ) In this case, it came close to a mirror image. : )

True.

Sigh. True again. Wish it weren't.

: ) I remember the shock of my life when something rare I wrote about in a gmail was recommended on my FB feed to me to buy.

 

I agree. There is no telling how and when what we write now can come back to haunt us years later. Or even worse, impact our family.