The point to my post was that tweets, when separated from the group, could potentially be misunderstood or misrepresented in a way that is much different from it’s original context. People were saying some pretty crazy stuff in the “Little Known Facts about Sarah Palin” stream.

After writing this post, I have engaged in political conversation on Twitter. But I have tried to do so in an innocuous, slightly snarky manner.

Could it effect me in the future? Perhaps. But it’s my goal to be real on-line and off-line. If a potential employer, client or customer doesn’t select me because I like politics, history, art, culture, etc. and am extremely passionate about marketing, communications, social media and education…well, I guess that is something that I can’t control. We all know that you can’t control you own brand’s emotional aftertaste…that’s a personal thing for the person who just experienced your brand, right?

But to answer your question, can a company call these assets into question? Perhaps. But as with all companies someone wants to work for, it’s always a good idea to check out the company culture first. Do they embrace social media and Web 2.0 tools? If the answer is no and you as a candidate do, then you might want to rethink working there. If someone already works for a company that doesn’t embrace Facebook, Twitter, etc. then you know those rules and you shouldn’t break them. Or, perhaps it’s an opportunity to take on the challenge to explain why the tools make business sense, share case studies (Dell, Zappos, Comcast are all great examples), and perhaps ask to provide proof (i.e. ask to implement a social media plan).

From the political perspective, @VeronicaGiggey said it best:

“…Some call it passion, others emotion, you just need to make sure you don’t cross the line to unprofessional. I would hope that’s what an employer, partner, donor or customer would judge you for. Are you someone who lets their points of view get the best of them, or can you keep the conversation objective and focus on the real issues.”

You see, your topic–while nominally discussing politics–is over arching. Perhaps it’s part of an even bigger question, which is where do or can companies draw the line between personal expression and corporate policy?

*What if* personal digital assets–Twitter posts, Facebook account, and blog–are called into question? Is that ok for an employer to do? On the auspice that “a client might not like that?”

Similarly, what if a client learned that a central figure in the company supported Candidate Y with a passion–would that passion be evaluated in the same way (assuming the passion was demonstrated)?

Dare I say, then should employees start checking the labels of their clothing to figure out if they were made in Malaysia and potentially crafted by an underpaid worker?

Especially in this economy–what happens? Whether the company is right or not in its stance, can someone afford not to conform?