Orange County deputy suspended over TikTok posts, sheriff's office says
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - An Orange County deputy has been suspended for his conduct on social media, according to officials.
The sheriff's office said Sha Quan Smith-Ramsay’s posts on TikTok violated the department’s code of conduct.
There were 10 posts, in particular, on Deputy Ramsay’s TikTok account that caught the department’s eye.
Officials say each of the videos on Ramsay’s personal account show him in uniform with songs that the department says used inappropriate lyrics.
"The moment you start putting things out for public consumption, it’s no longer personal anymore. You’ve made it public," said David Sprinkle, an expert in human resources and owner of the Veritas Recruiting Group.
FOX 35 News learned that Ramsay was suspended for 100 hours after he admitted the videos were inappropriate.
His punishment is a reminder that everything anyone posts online is a reflection of your personal brand and your employer.
"So, you want to be careful, especially if you are professional, especially if you’re someone who is out there serving the public. You’re going to be under more scrutiny, so really be thinking about how could this be taken if it was completely devoid of context," said online business coach Leslie Samuel.
To avoid similar consequences, experts say to make your social media accounts private. They also say to really think about everything you post and its reflection on you even if you are just following a seemingly harmless trend.
"Sometimes you do things as if you’re acting like you’re someone else. In your mimicking the words that they’re saying, what are they actually saying? Is that something that you are willing to stand by," Samuel said.
Another good practice is to check your employer’s personal conduct agreement. Even if your company doesn’t have one, they warn a future employer might and your posts now could affect you then.