Top 10 social media slip ups

Back in 2008, Virgin took a strong position on 13 cabin crew members who had used Facebook to make fun of passengers.

Some posts on the social network referred to passengers as "chavs," whilst others joked the planes were full of cockroaches.

The crew members certainly weren't laughing when Virgin launched disciplinary action and then let them go, claiming they had brought the company into disrepute.

6. Juror joker

This week a juror overstepped the mark on Facebook (we'll come to that later), but it wasn't the first time.

In late 2008, a juror couldn't make up their mind about whether defendants in a child abduction and assault case were guilty or not. So what better way to make a decision than ask everyone on Facebook? Well, it turned out to be a poor choice for that particular lady... she was dismissed from the trial.

5. The spy who Facebooked me

If you're a spy, it's best to remain incognito. That's a given. If you're the wife of the head of MI6, it's also wise to not post details about your spouse.

Anyway, that's what happened in the summer of 2009, as personal data about incoming MI6 head Sir John Sawers was revealed on his wife's Facebook page. The exposed information included personal photographs of them on holiday, the location of their flat, as well as identities of friends and associates.

The moral of the story? Make sure you're privacy settings are strict if you've got something to hide... or just leave the site altogether. It seems like others have, although Facebook denies it.

4. Super injunctions

If there's one phrase that will be referred back to in more end of year lists than any other, it'll be super injunctions.

One Twitter member decided to break all the rules and start posting messages about certain footballers and love affairs. Oh we can say it now? Very well, Ryan Giggs.

Anyway, the case may rumble on, as the Manchester United footballer has threatened to go after people who broke the super injunction via Twitter. He'll have an awful lot of people to take to court if it comes to that.

It all goes to show companies don't just have to worry about what their employees are doing, they've got to look out for how external sources can cause damage via social networks too.

Tom Brewster

Tom Brewster is currently an associate editor at Forbes and an award-winning journalist who covers cyber security, surveillance, and privacy. Starting his career at ITPro as a staff writer and working up to a senior staff writer role, Tom has been covering the tech industry for more than ten years and is considered one of the leading journalists in his specialism.

He is a proud alum of the University of Sheffield where he secured an undergraduate degree in English Literature before undertaking a certification from General Assembly in web development.