MW My friend asked me to share political protest posters she created using AI. Am I a coward if I say no?

By Quentin Fottrell

'The images are truly amazing. They look like they could be hanging in the Smithsonian.'

Dear Quentin,

A good friend made politically-charged posters using AI and wants me to spread them on my social media. She works for herself in communications and is a very successful and vocal activist in her own right. I'm reluctant to post these posters, although the AI images are truly amazing. They look like they could be hanging in the Smithsonian.

She has wanted me to march with her and protest for various issues. I have not marched with her, as I work in a consultancy firm representing companies that have a political and economic stake in the issues raised by my friend. Should I share my friend's AI posters on my social media to show her support, and just restrict who can see them?

My work takes me to LA, D.C., Florida and New York.

Am I a coward if I say no?

An Engaged Citizen

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Dear Engaged,

Regardless of your political affiliations, whether you support the current administration or not, it's important to stand up for what you believe in and have your voice heard. You can do that on social media, by walking the streets with a placard or at the ballot box. But only one of those three activities is private, and only one will not put your job or livelihood at risk. Your friend may have less at stake by sharing these AI-generated posters. Your manager could decide that your activism is against the terms of your employment contract and/or puts accounts at risk.

Similar to your job, journalists in legacy news organizations are typically not permitted to participate in political protests because they must maintain objectivity and, in the eyes of readers, not be seen as throwing support behind one party over another. Objectivity may not be 100% possible outside of a laboratory, but it's an important goal. Barbara Walters, the late newswoman, never revealed whom she voted for in elections because she regularly interviewed politicians and newsmakers, and aimed to do so without fear or favor.

The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom to assemble, among other rights. But that applies only to government censorship and federal, state and local government employees. It does not apply to private-sector workers who make their opinions known on issues like Israel, Palestine, immigration protests in Los Angeles, or other political issues closer to home. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 do not include political expression as a protected class.

Empowerment vs. actual change

Protest can make people feel empowered, even if their actions don't result in change. Your friend wishes to amplify her message. To successfully achieve the latter, it's important to have a specific goal and be clear in what you want to say. The guy who made Tesla $(TSLA)$ bumper stickers, criticizing Tesla CEO Elon Musk's former role as head of the Trump administration's so-called Department of Government Efficiency, did this and reportedly makes $100,000 a month. Yes, protests can be profitable, as well as altruistic.

Other protests are less clear in their purpose and goal: The annual "economic blackout," organized by People's Union USA, which takes place every February, is a noble gesture and a shot across the bow for big retailers who make it tough for the little mom-and-pop to stay in business. It's designed to serve as a black eye for billionaires, but it's a hopelessly confusing campaign that targets consumerism and "big business," and, as far as I understand it, allows people to stay home and watch Netflix $(NFLX)$ instead. The perfect "slacker generation" protest.

Occupy Wall Street lasted 59 days and gained global attention, and became a political, cultural and social force, although it's debatable whether it achieved its end goals. Still, people actually had to show up and protest in person. Many of those people were, I assume, not working full-time corporate jobs that they were putting at risk. If they did? They would be updating their LinkedIn profiles on day 60. You need to weigh your personal commitments with your commitment to the cause your friend supports rather than your commitment to your friend.

You need to weigh your personal commitments with your commitment to the cause your friend supports rather than your commitment to your friend.

Fisher Phillips, a law firm with offices nationwide, recently issued a warning about workers who wish to engage in public protests. Sharing those posters would be considered political speech. "As political tensions surge and employee expression spills into every corner of the modern workplace, employers are finding themselves caught in the crossfire," it says. "From off-hours protests to heated workplace debates and viral social media posts, the question for us isn't just whether speech is free - but whether it's job-protected."

This applies to wearing T-shirts emblazoned with slogans, and writing and even "liking" posts on social media. State laws vary. "These laws may surprise you, as some prevent employers from terminating the employment of someone who posts even clearly offensive posts unless you can show the communication caused direct business harm," it adds. "Evaluate the workplace impact. Determine whether the post caused operational disruption, reputational damage, or significant internal strife. Absent that, discipline may not be legally or strategically justifiable."

"Employers may not be able to discipline off-duty speech with total impunity. Several states - including California, New York, and Colorado - have statutes protecting employees from retaliation for lawful off-duty conduct; Minnesota, Connecticut, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Wyoming are among the states that specifically protect off-duty political activity," the law firm says. "These laws may prevent employers from firing or disciplining employees for expressing their personal views unless those views have a clear, material impact on the business."

Make an informed decision

While California is also an employment-at-will state, California Labor Code Section 1101 states that no employer can prevent or forbid an employee from participating in politics or from becoming a candidate for public office. Section 201-D of the New York State Labor Law prohibits discrimination based on "political activities outside of working hours, off of the employer's premises and without the use of the employer's equipment or other property." Again, this state law applies to private-sector workers rather than federal employees.

"If employees are discussing matters that relate to shared working conditions, such as diversity policies, unionization, or workplace safety, their speech may be protected," Fisher Phillips adds. "Discipline in that context could trigger an unfair labor practice charge. The challenge is distinguishing between disruptive or discriminatory conduct, which may be regulated, and protected activity, which may not. If the discussions relate to other protected activity, complaining about discrimination or harassment, fair employment laws might be triggered."

Be honest with your friend. Tell her that you appreciate her passion and energy, but also explain that you don't have the same leeway to share these images given your consultancy work. You're not just putting your own job at risk, but you've also made a commitment to your employer to do the best job possible and uphold the terms of your contract. If do feel compelled to share these protest posters on your social media, by all means do it. Just be aware of the potential risks and consequences before you do so, and make peace with that.

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You can email The Moneyist with any financial and ethical questions at qfottrell@marketwatch.com, and follow Quentin Fottrell on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

The Moneyist regrets he cannot reply to questions individually.

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-Quentin Fottrell

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June 14, 2025 07:45 ET (11:45 GMT)

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