Social Media Policy Guidelines
When my brother and I started Brainstorm Media as a venture we envisioned the ability to leverage our knowledge and passions with design services, social media marketing, and the changing and evolving advertising services of the 21st century. We believe that the small and medium sized business can take significant advantage of this new media generation. It is our hope that this information can add some value to your business.
Emerging platforms for online collaboration are fundamentally changing the way we work, offering new ways to engage with customers, colleagues, and the world at large. It's a new model for interaction and we believe social computing can help you to build stronger, more successful business relationships. And it's a way for you to take part in global conversations related to work and passion. Brainstorm Media has been ask by clients about developing a Social Media Policy that is appropriate both for the company and employee. The following is a generic guide that can be incorporated into your current policy manual. We have made this policy available in PDF format at the bottom of the page. Simply change our generic company name "Brainstorm Web Design" and replace it with your own name.
Social Media:
'Social Media' is the term commonly given to websites and online tools which allow users to interact with each other in some way – by sharing information, opinions, knowledge and interests. As the name implies, social media involves the building of communities or networks, encouraging participation and engagement. Examples include blogs, podcasts, 'wikis' (such as Wikipedia), message boards, social bookmarking websites (such as del.icio.us), social networking websites (such as Facebook, bebo, MySpace, Twitter) and content sharing websites (such as flickr, YouTube). 'Social media' can be referenced in a variety of ways, often depending on which sector is discussing it. Other terms which may be used in a similar context include 'social software', 'social computing' and 'Web 2.0'. For convenience we use 'social media' throughout.
INTRODUCTION
The growing usage of social media and the collaboration platforms, emerging within it has fundamentally changed the way in which BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN and its associates work and engage with our customers, our partners and each other. BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN believes that these platforms provide new opportunities to strengthen our brand and our connections with customers and partners.
While the opportunities provided by social media are apparent, there are risks of which users must be aware. Given the reach and public nature of the Internet, it is important that certain usage guidelines are followed that support our ongoing commitment to core values as described in our Code of Business Conduct.
The following guidelines are for BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN associates and employees creating or contributing to social media, and the establishment of the standards of behavior expected of BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN associates. While an associate's decision to participate in social media is his or her own, these guidelines are intended to provide the information necessary to make responsible social media decision.
GUIDELINES
Protecting BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN and Your Privacy
- Protect Confidential Information and Relationships. Online postings and conversations are not private. Be mindful that what you publish will be public for a long time, and it can be shared by others. Additionally, what you publish can have legal implications for both you and BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN. Given this:
- Avoid identifying and discussing others, including customers, suppliers, your friends and co-workers, unless you have their permission.
- Respect brand, trademark, copyright, fair use and trade secret laws. Obtain permission before posting material that is not your own.
- Avoid using BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN intellectual property or brand names on social media outlets. Examples include a dedicated page on Facebook or MySpace, a new account on Twitter, etc. Seek approval from management to request these domains or web pages for business usage.
- Never discuss proprietary BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN information, including financial results, litigation or claims, sales data, strategies, unannounced products or anything considered "confidential." In addition to the Code of Business Conduct, always be aware of your confidentiality obligations under the BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN Media Relations Disclosure Policy.
- Protect Your Personal Information. Despite the fact that many social media outlets are created to promote sharing personal information, those with a malicious intent can piece together information you provide and use it to your detriment. For example, your profile information on Facebook could be used by someone to hijack your identity, or your Twitter update about your upcoming vacation could be used by someone targeting your home for theft while you are away. Always be careful when sharing information about yourself or others.
Professionalism and Responsibility
- Be Mindful of BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN Values. What you contribute to social media is ultimately your responsibility. In social media, the line between professional and personal is blurred and the utmost care must be taken in deciding what to contribute. By identifying yourself in any way with BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN, you create perceptions about yourself and about BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN. Make every effort to ensure that content associated with you is consistent with how you wish to present yourself with colleagues and customers and with BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN'S core values and professional standards.
- Be Respectful. Use the same standards of conduct as you would in the workplace by avoiding slurs, insults and obscenity. Be sensitive about linking to content, as redirection to a site could be perceived as endorsement of its content. Also, be mindful of the BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN's Equal Opportunity and Respect in the Workplace Policy.
- Be Yourself and Be Transparent. Your honesty—or dishonesty—will be quickly noticed in the social media environment. It is not acceptable to participate anonymously in social media when company or organization-related topics are discussed. If you are providing information about your work at BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN, use your real name, identify yourself as an employee, and be clear about your role. Always write in the first person, and make it clear that you are speaking for yourself and not on behalf of BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN. If you make a mistake, be the first to correct it, and don't alter previous posts without indicating that you have done so.
- If you publish content outside of BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN in your capacity as a BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN employee, be aware that your association with BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN can inadvertently imply that you are speaking on behalf of the company. Only those persons designated by BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN are authorized to communicate on behalf of BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN.
- If you are not authorized to speak on behalf of BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN use a disclaimer such as the one below to avoid the potential of your remarks being attributed to BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN.
- "The views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN.
- Don't Forget Your Day Job. You must ensure that your online activities do not interfere with your commitments to BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN, its customers or your colleagues. If using social media is not part of your job responsibilities, accessing social media must be done in your personal time. Review the BRAINSTORM WEB DESIGN Information Systems Acceptable Use Policy to better understand when it is—and is not—acceptable to engage in online activity.
