Online Social Networking, A Brave New World of Liability for Employers
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.”