Harvard Grad Claira Janover’s Dismissal Reinforces The Need To Be Cautious On Social Media

Claira Janover is learning a life lesson after receiving backlash from a video she posted on the social media platform TikTok. In the video, which was made to support the Black Lives Matter movement, the recent Harvard University graduate threatened to stab people who uttered the phrase, “All Lives Matter.” She then took things a step further and claimed she would watch the person bleed out while she told them her cut mattered, too.

Janover later claimed the video, which ended up going viral, was an “analogous joke” and noted that she was clarifying her rhetoric “for legal reasons.” She also suggested she was being reported for domestic terrorism and commented that she was probably going to be investigated by Homeland Security.

She claims she was fired from her dream job at Deloitte, a U.K.-based accounting firm. New reports have called into question the nature of her relationship with the company; she was scheduled to complete a summer internship that was terminated in keeping with the company’s policy against violent threats.

https://www.tiktok.com/@cjanover/video/6844619909612178693

Janover’s dismissal is just the latest example of why experts advise caution when it comes to what users put up on public social media channels.

“The old adage of ‘Views are my own’ no longer cuts it with employers, who see employees as an extension of their brand,” social media expert Sam Ravansari told The Inquisitr. “Claira Janover is the latest in a long line of social media users who have fallen foul to the belief that what we say and/or do will have no consequences if they can use the excuse of ‘it was my own social media account.'”

Entrepreneur Jase Rodley echoed the sentiment.

“The things you do on social media will come to bite you in a professional setting unfortunately. What you post online could cost you a job, so you always have to be careful and know exactly what you are doing,” Rodley told The Inquisitr.

Attorney David Reischer presented a more concrete perspective. The founder and CEO of legaladvice.com said that the most important tip for social media users is that they not post “anything that is evidence of unlawful activity.”

“A person that is passionate about social justice or other political cause is permitted to post on social media under the First Amendment Right to Free Speech but there needs to be a consideration when a posting might cross over into a criminal act. Be careful out there on the Internet. Posting unlawful messages or evidence of unlawful conduct can land a person in hot water,” he said.

Laurie Wilkins, the founder of Call Outdoors, warned that companies can view posts made by their employees as an extension of themselves, particularly the ones that go viral.

“While everyone is free to exercise their freedom of expression on social media, you should always be careful of what you post online as it can be a direct reflection of the company you’re working for. Of course, you can always share bits of your personal life, memorable trips, and your opinions. There’s nothing wrong with that,” she said.

“Just be careful because once you post something, it’s posted forever. It’s easy for people to take a screenshot, and when the news of an undesirable social media act reaches your boss, you must be prepared for the worst – most especially if the post has become viral.”