Social Media

[drawoh]

I continue to be involved in my local chapter of a technology association in Ontario, Canada. The association has expressed concern about its members posting on social media. I am trying to wrap my head around the issue. I may have to explain this to members.

Basically, I should be very careful about posting things to Facebook (or LinkedIn) along the lines of "I, Drawoh, CET (Certified Engineering Technologist) speak thus...", followed by pontifications on subjects I may or may not be qualified to discuss. I am fascinated with ancient history. My kitty is cuter than yours. This may be little more than being careful where I post my credentials. There is no need for my CET on Facebook.

There could be some history here, although I am not aware of anybody displaying credentials while making stupid posts.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[RenHen]

Different locale/credential but I definitely see people do this. On my feeds, it most often comes up when an infrastructure failure is in the news; suddenly tons people on LinkedIn with their credentials displayed as part of their name, or people on Facebook starting off with "as a professional engineer" are spitballing about the code compliance of some system they're entirely unfamiliar with based on some grainy news images or whatever. I occasionally also see it around local infrastructure politics (ie. "as a traffic engineer, I don't support xyz change to this local intersection")

 

[SWComposites]

As long as you are not implying that you are speaking on behalf of the technology association, or criticizing the association, then there should be no issue.

 

[RVAmeche]

Assuming you're not spreading some crazy tinfoil hat theory, I don't think there's any real concerns as long as its clear you're not actually involved like SWC says. Easiest way to avoid it is to not include your qualifications if you're just spitballing like everyone else

 

[RenHen]

Does this association have a code of ethics that includes a committment along the lines of [members will] "express professional opinions truthfully and only when founded on adequate knowledge and honest conviction". That example is from the ASCE & I see similar reminders from them about social media commentary. If not, other commentors may be correct that it's primarily a PR concern on behalf of the association itself, but in the ASCE & some other professional associations, it can be unrelated to whether you're commenting about or on behalf of the association itself.

 

[MintJulep]

The association has expressed concern about its members posting on social media.

It's there an actual clearly articulated concern, or just a vague hand wavey type?

 

[drawoh]

Does this association have a code of ethics that includes a committment along the lines of [members will] "express professional opinions truthfully and only when founded on adequate knowledge and honest conviction". That example is from the ASCE & I see similar reminders from them about social media commentary. If not, other commentors may be correct that it's primarily a PR concern on behalf of the association itself, but in the ASCE & some other professional associations, it can be unrelated to whether you're commenting about or on behalf of the association itself.

I think we are headed there. I am still not aware of a triggering incident.

 

[drawoh]

It's there an actual clearly articulated concern, or just a vague hand wavey type?

It was brought up by a higher level executive at my chapter meeting. We discussed it at length. I brought up Don Andrews, a Toronto area white supremacist and perennial mayor candidate. He was a public health worker, not an engineering technologist. His supervisor stated that he was a good worker. This is messy. On one hand, he is a capable public health worker. On the other hand, he would be an embarrassment to any professional organisation he belongs to.

 

[Sparweb]

Recently, APEGA failed to carve out a definition of software engineer in such a way to mandate an influx of >1,000 new members to its revenue roster.

In 2023, The Government of Alberta introduced legislation that changed the province’s Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act to...

That may be related to the triggering incident for your society's executive.

Otherwise, I think any professional organization's code of conduct should cover the member's responsibility to communicate truthfully and sincerely, regardless of the medium, but only when they're communicating in their professional capacity. As mentioned earlier, people like to whip out their credentials to get attention and recognition, but on social media, very little professional information is ever communicated.

Notice how none of our favorite correspondents on this forum put their 'P.ENG' in their signature line. That's wise.

 

[drawoh]

Recently, APEGA failed to carve out a definition of software engineer in such a way to mandate an influx of >1,000 new members to its revenue roster.

In 2023, The Government of Alberta introduced legislation that changed the province’s Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act to...

That may be related to the triggering incident for your society's executive.

I am reading your link. Is the title "engineer" restricted, or is this a fantasy of Engineers Canada? By the sound of it, it is possible to use the title "engineer" in a matter that implies you are licensed, and that is illegal. You are okay if you don't indicate or imply that you hold a license.

 

[CWB1]

One problem with the thought-police is that they attach value to the wrong things. Your value isnt in education/licenses/certifications/etc, its in your ability to solve the customer's problem - engineering! The former is a box-checking activity for hiring and regulatory purposes, and useless/valueless without the later. As such, claims that something "diminishes" the value of certs is petty bc they have no real value. Even amongst the poorly-informed general public, a quick way to make yourself look foolish is to support an argument with "in 40 years of..." "I have a Phd in..." "I am a...." or other irrelevant nonsense. In research and engineering depts that's typically the death of your reputation bc it shows that you're more interested in being correct than good engineering.

Along a similar vein, your employer's value is in the company's collective ability to solve customer problems, not in the individual employees' reputations. What employees do/say after-hours is irrelevant bc nobody cares other than those few who lack both logic and empathy for folks caught in the crossfire of their nonsense.

If somebody posed the OP's "concern" to me in-person, I'd prob dismiss it as a joke and walk away laughing.

 

[Sparweb]

walk away laughing

logic and empathy

Power distorts all logic. We all agree the matter is trivial, EXCEPT for the fact that the issue is repeatedly raised by people who have the power to wipe out a professional person's ability to earn a living. People who aren't easily held accountable for reckless use of words, or irrational decision-making. Somehow, the leadership of the professional regulators in some provinces are more "touchy" than others.

 

[drawoh]

One problem with the thought-police is that they attach value to the wrong things. Your value isnt in education/licenses/certifications/etc, its in your ability to solve the customer's problem - engineering! The former is a box-checking activity for hiring and regulatory purposes, and useless/valueless without the later. As such, claims that something "diminishes" the value of certs is petty bc they have no real value. Even amongst the poorly-informed general public, a quick way to make yourself look foolish is to support an argument with "in 40 years of..." "I have a Phd in..." "I am a...." or other irrelevant nonsense. In research and engineering depts that's typically the death of your reputation bc it shows that you're more interested in being correct than good engineering.

Along a similar vein, your employer's value is in the company's collective ability to solve customer problems, not in the individual employees' reputations. What employees do/say after-hours is irrelevant bc nobody cares other than those few who lack both logic and empathy for folks caught in the crossfire of their nonsense.

If somebody posed the OP's "concern" to me in-person, I'd prob dismiss it as a joke and walk away laughing.

If I have seen you work for fifteen years, your credentials should not matter. If I don't know you, I have limited information, hopefully including your credentials.

 

[jmec87]

APEGA addresses social media specifically in a few places in their "Ethical Practice" guideline. The first three restrictions seem reasonable. The last one (allowing them to punish you for off-duty conduct that does not involve the practice of engineering or use of title) could be abused.

https://www.apega.ca/docs/default-source/pdfs/standards-guidelines/ethical-practice.pdf?sfvrsn=78261e0b_14

4.2.3 Presentation of Qualifications
- "Permit holders, licensed professionals, and members-in-training should present their qualifications and competence factually, without exaggeration. This includes ensuring correct and appropriate use of reserved titles and designations in all correspondence and representation, including on social media."

4.2.4 Providing Advice
- "Permit holders, licensed professionals, and members-in-training should advise on engineering and geoscience matters only on the basis of adequate skill, knowledge, training, experience, and honest conviction. They should not use their title or designation to bolster their views in areas in which they do not have competence, including in areas not related to engineering or geoscience. Using designations in social media posts, for example, should be carefully considered."

4.3.4 Expressing Opinions in Public
- "Licensed professionals and members-in-training should clearly distinguish between facts, assumptions, and opinions in their professional work and also in public discussion or published articles and comments (including social media) with respect to their professional work. When expressing opinions or taking part in public discussion, licensed professionals and members-in-training should disclose on whose behalf they are giving opinions or statements and use their professional titles and designations appropriately."
- "Licensed professionals and members-in-training can hold personal or political interests, but they should separate their personal views from their professional activities and be impartial and factual when expressing professional opinions."

4.5.5 Off-Duty Conduct
- "Licensed professionals and members-in-training are expected to respect the law in their personal conduct and should not engage in activities in their personal lives that may compromise their professional or personal reputations or discredit the professions. This includes behaviour on social media and in public settings."

I am reading your link. Is the title "engineer" restricted, or is this a fantasy of Engineers Canada? By the sound of it, it is possible to use the title "engineer" in a matter that implies you are licensed, and that is illegal. You are okay if you don't indicate or imply that you hold a license.

The use of the title "engineer" is restricted in Alberta. APEGA was probably interpreting the law correctly in its attack on software engineers until the Alberta government changed the law to explicitly give software engineers an exemption.

 

[Overvoltage]

Ugh....yes that's just ripe for misuse/abuse. It should have said "...and should not engage in activities that are criminal that may compromise..." and forget that second sentence altogether.