Is the popularity of social media making layoffs more tranparent?

http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/26/04/12.php

Social Media Begins Forcing the Totally Transparent Layoff
As the recent downsizing at Yahoo demonstrates, the once-private process of giving pink slips is becoming increasingly public, whether a firm likes it or not.

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Permalink Reply by John G. Self on December 19, 2008 at 4:48pm

Absolutely.

Not only are these sites spreading the word faster than conventional media outlets, but for some people (read: victims) these sites are becoming the virtual psychiatrist couch.
Sometimes more is less.
As someone who lectures on career brand management in healthcare, I advise early careerists -- and those who are not so early -- to use the social networking sites for professional networking, not angst episodes. We have all been there at one time or another but when people go on line to relate their latest career anguish, they are not exactly positioning themselves for the next new opportunity.
Recruiters read these too. Shocker, there is gambling in the casino.

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Permalink Reply by Becky Metcalf on December 19, 2008 at 4:57pm

Having seen the recent layoffs here in St. Louis playing out in real time on Twitter, I'd say most definitely. It was a sight to see, a virtual play by play as it was happening...

John, I'm not sure I agree completely. Some of the folks we saw posting what they had just experienced did so quite professionally and the end result was that they were immediately contacted by recruiters with potential opportunities for them. Not all in all a bad thing, however, I have seen more than a fair share of folks ranting and raving and using questionable language in regards to the process. For these folks, a bit of growing up will be in order.