Social Media has changed how people communicate and express opinions on the internet. In many ways legislation and business is trying to catch up.
There are a huge variety of issues to carefully consider around social media, here we look at just four:
1. Employee Use During Company Time.
As with any recreational activity, it’s important to clearly define acceptable use of social media during company time.
In some cases it may be appropriate to forbid use of social media for security and confidentiality reasons.
2. Employee Use Outside Company Time.
It may be valuable to educate employees about the legal dangers of using social media in general including:
defamation, discrimination, obscenity, harassment, data protection, reputation of the company.
3. The Company’s Use.
Social media is a powerful communication tool that you may wish to take advantage of, but ensure that you have developed clear guidelines and responsibilities before posting.
Consider:
– Who is going to post messages.
– What consistent style of writing you want to adopt.
– What information will you post and who will approve it’s release.
– Procedures for remove posts and responding to negativity.
4. Responding to Negative Posts.
Always respond to negative posts about the company as it can often provide valuable feedback and prevent a situation getting worse.
Occasionally it may be appropriate to protect the company in a legal context and it’s important to seek advice in this case.
Conclusion
The adoption and spread of social media is inevitably going top affect business and will change in the company years.
It’s important to start developing policies on it’s use now by firstly understanding the various social media platforms.
Other Reading:
ISO 9001 for Quality Management
ISO 27001 for Information Security
entry130617-131452
