"At present, there is no specific law governing the use of social media in South Africa, making it difficult for people to identify the parameters within which they need to operate," says Davey.

Davey adds, "The book looks at identifying the risks – what are the bounds in which we can and should use social media and where should we be careful when using it? It also looks at the interplay between constitutional rights such as our freedom of expression versus other people’s rights to privacy, equality, and dignity."

Dahms-Jansen says, "A lot of corporates are grappling with the careful balancing act between needing to protect their business while needing to act against employees, particularly when there is a public outcry. Very often employers don’t understand social media."

She adds, "This book is there to help them understand that you can manage it responsibly, while for employees it can help them to understand that what they say on social media should be something they’re happy for their boss to read."

Speaking at the book’s launch recently, Gareth Cliff says he believes the publication is well-timed and should be prescribed reading for all companies. 

In Social Media in the Workplace, Davey and Dahms-Jansen deliver knowledge on the impact of social media on human rights and business considerations, such as ownership of social media, liability, and contractual law. They also include their experience in providing legal advice on social media issues, and in training companies on the proper use of social media.

In addition to examining South African case law, Social Media in the Workplace focusses on international case law from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

There is a focus on South African constitutional rights, specifically the rights to dignity, privacy, equality, freedom of expression, religion, and opinion. The book also covers the law of defamation, principles of vicarious liability, and employment laws.

Social Media in the Workplace is available for purchase from LexisNexis at +27(0)31 268 3007; +27(0)860 765 432 or by contacting [email protected]. It can also be ordered via the LexisNexis online bookstore.

 For more information, visit www.lexisnexis.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.