Your initial post should be 2-3 paragraphs in length. Include one peer reviewed journal article to support your post. You can search for a journal article from Welder Library EResources. (Ex: Risk of social media or social media polices, etc.). Your initial post is due by Thursday . This allows you and your classmates time to read and reply. Make sure to demonstrate critical thinking and analysis by using research and personal work experiences. For full credit, you are required to respond to a minimum of two classmates . Please begin your reply by addressing the student by name. Your responses must be completed by Sunday at midnight . Please refer to the rubric for the grading requirements. You can view the rubric by clicking on the wheel in the upper right corner and selecting "show rubric." Scott Lefor, The release of information to the public – including through social media – can impact everything from a company’s image before the public to an individual’s image before a company. Jackson et al. (2020) note that while “strategic HR use of social media can build the employer’s reputation in the labor market and help HR professionals to reach candidates and current employees,” the use of social media can also “lead to the disclosure of trade secrets” or present a negative image of the company (p. 21). While companies place substantial hours and dollars into cultivating a favorable brand image before the public, a careless comment or complaint by an employee or contractor on social media can go viral and counteract such marketing efforts. In such cases, companies may find themselves forced to address such comments or complaints before the public in an attempt to save the brand image they have worked so hard to build. In addition to impacting the image of a company, careless social media posts can also impact potential and current employees before the company. According to Melton and Miller (2015), while “most students appear to know that the content they post” on social media could be viewed negatively by “potential employers,” many students continue to do so (p. 678). Through social media, what would have been a careless comment if spoken aloud becomes a permanent statement viewable by countless individuals. Furthermore, comments and images referencing illegal activities or poor decision-making and communicating abilities become enshrined for potential and current employers to reference and base hiring and firing decisions upon. It is worth noting that careless comments via social media can go beyond “negative,” and can sometimes involve trade secrets (as noted). While negative comments can cast a shadow over a company’s brand, comments revealing trade secrets can jeopardize long-term strategies, losing hard-won competitive edges. As referenced above, Melton and Miller (2015) assert that even though individuals know of such risks, many continue to post comments that can be understood to be “careless.” In short, informa.