Employers can be held liable for the activities of employees under the common law doctrine of agency – respondeat superior. This doctrine states that the superior (or “principal”) is held responsible for the acts of its subordinate (or “agent”). A company (the “principal” in this case) can be held liable for the actions of its employees and others deemed agents of the company, even if the agents are acting independently. This is called “vicarious liability.”
In this regard and for your reference, I have attached an article published by Swett & Crawford, one of the largest wholesalers in the U.S. with approximately $4billion in gross written premium. The article sites some of the inherent liabilities faced by employers in the face of the growing popularity of social networking.
Click the following link for Advisen Article. SocialNetworking, Brave new world of liability
The above post was written by Louis D'Agostino, Managing Partner of Iron Cove Partners, LLC an insurance broker HQ'd in NYC, with offices in LI and FL. Iron Cove Partners, LLC provides expert advice and counsel as it relates to Media Liability and other risk transfer insurance products for middle market businesses and high-net worth individuals. Mr. D'Agostino can be reached via email at louisd@ironcoveins.com.