Attempted assassination of Trump spurs social media standards, etiquette debate

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - In the wake of an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, both political parties are calling for unity. 

However, it only takes a few moments online to see that not everyone is listening. Now, some employers are cracking down on inflammatory rhetoric posted online.

"You can understand that the government could say somebody who identifies as an employee of ours can be construed as publicly speaking for the department, and if they are engaging in the speech that we disavow, that’s a problem," Jane Kirtley, the Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law at the University of Minnesota, told FOX 9 on Tuesday.

Kirtley explains that the First Amendment gives government employees more leeway to speak out politically. But for employees of private companies, the First Amendment is essentially irrelevant.

"They aren’t subject to the First Amendment, they aren’t governmental entities… Some companies have very strict rules and social media policies," Kirtley continued. "You have to realize that you are responsible for the consequences of what you said."

"In Minnesota, employment is at-will, meaning that an employer can fire you for any reason, or no reason, or a bad reason, as long as it’s not an illegal reason," HKM Employment Attorneys Managing Partner Emma Denny told FOX 9. "Firing someone for their political views or expression is not an illegal reason to fire someone."