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Barrett January 15, 1998 Web posted at: 5:47 p.m. EST (2247 GMT)
TRAVERSE CITY, Michigan (AP) -- Hired to teach computer technology at a marketing company, Cameron Barrett suggested his trainees check out his Web page, where he published his own fiction.
Some women staff members did, and were shocked by the violent and sexually explicit passages.
They complained to their boss, and Barrett was fired.
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"Just as people need to watch what they say in real life, what you put on your Web page is going to be visible to everyone, including future employers," said Esther Dyson, a director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation in San Francisco.
Personal Web pages aren't considered private
Although the First Amendment prevents the government from stifling speech, private employers are under no such constraints.
Companies can fire people for comments deemed inappropriate, and experts warn that personal Web sites, even if done at home, are public venues that employers can use to determine who is suitable for the company.
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