Fired for liking a post: real cases of likes costing jobs
11 published news cases, from 2012 to 2026. A like is easy to forget and easy for a stranger to read as agreement. These cases involve likes, with the outlet's or employer's own description of what was liked.
Scan yours first Every case links to its news source. Names left out on purpose.
- 8 of 11cases ended with the person losing the job, seat, admission or license.
In 8 of the 11 the person lost the role. In 3 they kept it, regained it or faced a suspension or reprimand instead.
These counts come from cases collected here. They are not a survey and say nothing about how often this happens. Names are left out, and each case links to its source.
To see whether likes on your own accounts are scored, read can employers see your likes and comments.
The 11 cases
Lost the role2026Police officer (18-year veteran), Minneapolis, MNLiked a comment FOX 9 said endorsed lynching
- What surfaced
- Liked a comment FOX 9 said endorsed lynching
- How old it was
- About 2 years
- How it came out
- Group members gave screenshots to Internal Affairs
- Outcome
- Fired
- What to look for in your own history
- A like on a post that demeans a group or endorses violence. A like counts even though you didn't write the post.
Source: FOX 9
Lost the role2023University president, Philadelphia, PALiked posts on vaccines, gender surgery and diversity officers
- What surfaced
- Liked posts on vaccines, gender surgery and diversity officers
- How old it was
- Months
- How it came out
- Employees went to the Inquirer
- Outcome
- Resigned as president; stayed as professor
- What to look for in your own history
- A like on a post that demeans a group or endorses violence. A like counts even though you didn't write the post.
- Also in your report
- This kind of post may also appear as a reputation flag (public-health claims), listed separately from the Review and Consider ratings.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer
Lost the role2023Voice actor on an independent animated seriesLiked a post that Fox News said equated Muslims with ISIS; she later unliked it, saying she hadn't read it closely. Her other posts condemned Hamas
- What surfaced
- Liked a post that Fox News said equated Muslims with ISIS; she later unliked it, saying she hadn't read it closely. Her other posts condemned Hamas
- How it came out
- A screenshot of the like was shared on X; the show announced a recast on X
- Outcome
- Recast. The show cited “a trend” in her online activity; she said she was fired for being Jewish, and the show replied that other voice actors and writers on it are Jewish
- What to look for in your own history
- A like on a post that demeans a group or endorses violence. A like counts even though you didn't write the post.
Source: Fox News, Sportskeeda
Lost the role2021Goaltending coach hired by a pro hockey club's minor-league affiliate, Toronto, ONLiked posts and retweets that outlets described as transphobic, anti-vaccine and supportive of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack
- What surfaced
- Liked posts and retweets that outlets described as transphobic, anti-vaccine and supportive of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack
- How it came out
- Fans circulated screenshots after the hire was announced
- Outcome
- Club said two days after the hire that he would not join; it cited not following its own hiring protocols
- What to look for in your own history
- A like on a post that demeans a group or endorses violence. A like counts even though you didn't write the post.
Source: Complex, Daily Hive
Lost the role2020Teacher, Wylie, TXReportedly liked a tweet CBS called racist
- What surfaced
- Reportedly liked a tweet CBS called racist
- Outcome
- Resigned
- What to look for in your own history
- A like on a post that demeans a group or endorses violence. A like counts even though you didn't write the post.
Source: CBS Texas
Lost the role2020City councilman, Gillette, WYLikes on a resident's posts that the council said showed misogyny and support for violence toward citizens
- What surfaced
- Likes on a resident's posts that the council said showed misogyny and support for violence toward citizens
- How old it was
- Weeks to months
- How it came out
- Council and staff reviewed his social media
- Outcome
- Resigned at the council's request on June 10, 2020; two days later he said he regretted it and would keep campaigning, but the council called the seat vacant and said it would fill it. He apologized
- What to look for in your own history
- A like on a post that demeans a group or endorses violence. A like counts even though you didn't write the post.
Source: Green River Star
Kept or regained it2020Megachurch senior pastor, Birmingham, ALLiked posts critics called racially insensitive
- What surfaced
- Liked posts critics called racially insensitive
- Outcome
- Kept his job; the church lost school-district leases and a housing-authority partnership
- What to look for in your own history
- A like on a post that demeans a group or endorses violence. A like counts even though you didn't write the post.
Source: Alabama Public Radio/AP
Lost the role2019Police officer, Gretna, LALiked a colleague's post suggesting a congresswoman should be shot
- What surfaced
- Liked a colleague's post suggesting a congresswoman should be shot
- How old it was
- Days
- How it came out
- The newspaper told the chief
- Outcome
- Fired
- What to look for in your own history
- A like on a post that demeans a group or endorses violence. A like counts even though you didn't write the post.
Source: AP via KOAA
Kept or regained it2018High school head football coach, Venice, FLLiked a tweet the outlet called "allegedly racist" about a rival coach
- What surfaced
- Liked a tweet the outlet called "allegedly racist" about a rival coach
- How it came out
- The rival coach wrote to school officials
- Outcome
- Fired, later reinstated
- What to look for in your own history
- A like on a post that demeans a group or endorses violence. A like counts even though you didn't write the post.
Source: FootballScoop
Lost the role2018Hourly social media employee, hotel chain, Omaha, NELiked a tweet from a Tibetan advocacy group thanking the company for listing Tibet as a country in a customer survey
- What surfaced
- Liked a tweet from a Tibetan advocacy group thanking the company for listing Tibet as a country in a customer survey
- How it came out
- Reported by the Wall Street Journal during the company's dispute over the survey
- Outcome
- Fired; he said the tweet didn't stand out among hundreds he reviewed that shift
- What to look for in your own history
- This like was made from the company's account, so a personal export wouldn't contain it. It shows how a single like can be read as an organization's position.
Source: Quartz, One Mile at a Time
Kept or regained it2012Two firefighters and a police officer, Columbus, MSLiked a firefighter's Facebook post questioning a mother's whereabouts after her toddler was hit by a car
- What surfaced
- Liked a firefighter's Facebook post questioning a mother's whereabouts after her toddler was hit by a car
- How it came out
- Reached the fire chief; the mayor and city council reviewed it
- Outcome
- 30-day suspensions for the three who liked it; the firefighter who wrote the post resigned. One officer said he couldn't see the full post on his phone
- What to look for in your own history
- A like on a post that demeans a group or endorses violence. A like counts even though you didn't write the post.
Source: FireRescue1, Police1
More cases by group
- School boards and local office (15)
- Athletes (10)
- Teachers (9)
- Police (9)
- Media and entertainment (9)
- Candidates and appointees (8)
- Executives (8)
- Healthcare (7)
- Fire, EMS and military (7)
- Finance and banking (7)
- Students (6)
- Coaches (5)
- Law (5)
- Volunteers (4)
- Clergy and religious employers (4)
- Tech and corporate (4)
- Nonprofit and university leaders (4)
- Memes (23)
See all 127 cases and the key numbers
Spotted an error, or want a case reviewed or removed? Email hello@prunesocial.com. We act on corrections within a week. Characterizations in each case are the outlet’s or employer’s, as linked.
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PruneSocial scores the text in your own account exports, including likes and comments, against published screening categories and gives you one cleanup action for anything flagged. It also lists political, news-event and workplace commentary separately as reputation flags. Try a free 50-item preview.
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