Ethics Scenario #96: Pennsylvania Privacy Watch

96. Bertha is a 60-something executive director of Pennsylvania Privacy Watch,  a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization that seeks to improve state privacy laws. The organization has 20 staff members, including lobbyists, attorneys, and support staff. She recently has developed a fascination with Facebook, having set up a new account. Being unmarried, she has no family of her own, and spends much of her time either in the office or on her computer, entertaining herself by looking up old friends from high school on social networking sites, and Googling names from her past to see what she can find of interest. She has just sent Facebook friend requests to the 15 staff members she manages, and is delighted that three immediately accepted her friend request within a few minutes--although she wonders why they are on Facebook when they should be working.

a. Is Bertha’s behavior ethical?

b. Would this situation be different if it was the staff member who is asking her to accept a friend request?

c. Regardless of who initiated the request, is it ethical for those who supervise employees to be Facebook friends with those they supervise?