Vague social network behavioral expectations

On a recent trip with girlfriends, a discussion regarding appropriate social network behavior arose. One friend said she's reluctant to post pictures of herself with alcoholic beverages fearing its effect on work prospects. Another argued that bosses, execs drink too. The discussion ended abruptly, with no consensus.

Four Kansas nursing students must have not come to a consensus either. They were temporarily dismissed from their program at Johnson County Community College after posting a picture with a placenta to Facebook. One of the students has filed a lawsuit claiming she didn't violate any school policy and wasn't notified by the instructor that such practices were prohibited.

I'm reluctant to side with either party in this story as I'm unaware of JCCC 's mission statement or privacy and behavioral policies. What I do know is that for the most part, social network etiquette has thrived on one rule: use common sense. Would an employer want to hire me if they saw me chugging a beer? Or, scantily dressed? Probably not.

But, what about a placenta? The answer isn't too cut and dry. Most know what too far looks like, but what about the realm between too far and appropriate? Cases like this will continue to pop up if businesses, educational institutions do not begin to provide concrete social network behavioral expectations.