Sample Social Media Policy
Content
Acme Co. Social Media Principles and Policies
Promote and protect our brand.
Every day, there are countless online conversations happening in the world of social media, discussing and debating the topics and issues of the day as they happen. We recognize the vital importance of participating in these online conversations and want our employees and contractors to participate both personally and professionally to promote and protect our brand. We have developed these social media principles and policies to empower our employees to participate in this new frontier of marketing and communications, represent our company, and share the spirit of our brand. It is critical that we always remember who we are (an international company) and what our role is in the social media community (to promote and protect our brand). WHAT EXACTLY DO THESE PRINCIPLES AND POLICIES COVER? These principles and policies should be your guide whenever you participant in any form of social media or online discussion or community, whether: • • personally, if you discuss, mention or refer to Acme Co., our products, clients or discuss your work generally; or professionally on behalf of Acme Co.
This includes leaving any comments on our Facebook page or Tweets referencing our official company Twitter account (@Acme Co.), both of which we encourage you to do, as well as any use of your Acme Co. email address in any online setting. While we currently have a Facebook page and a Twitter presence, we may expand into other platforms, and this policy applies equally to any of those platforms. These principles are incorporated into the Company’s Employee Handbook. YOUR LEVEL OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND ONLINE ENGAGEMENT IS UP TO YOU. We encourage all of our employees and contractors to explore and engage in social media communities and online discussions at a level at which they feel comfortable. Acme Co. respects the rights of its employees and contractors to use blogs and other social media tools as a form of self-‐expression, as well as a means to further our business. These principles and policies are not meant to discourage any of our employees (or contractors) from using social media or participating in online communities. We have developed these principles because we feel it is important that all employees and contractors are aware of the implications of engaging in social media and online conversations and that employees and contractors recognize when Acme Co. might be held responsible for their behavior. OUR 7 PRINCIPLES FOR EMPLOYEE AND CONTRACTOR USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA. We believe in your sound judgment and common sense, and these principles are not meant to be, and should not be taken as, a substitute for using it. Approach social media and the online world with the same level of consideration you would the offline world of traditional media and print. The overarching sentiment behind all of these 7 principles is to: have fun but be smart. 1. Adhere to the Code of Business Conduct, Information Protection Policy and other applicable policies. All our employees (and contractors) are subject to the company’s Code of Business Conduct in every public setting and these apply to all your social media and online activities. In addition, our Information Protection Policy governs employees’ behavior with respect to the disclosure of information; this policy applies to your personal activities online.
2. Be conscious when mixing your business and personal lives. Online, your personal and business personas are likely to intersect and it is important to remain conscious of your intended and unintended audiences. Remember, NEVER disclose non-‐public information about us, our products or our clients, keeping in mind that seemingly trivial knowledge (like signing a new client) may not seem confidential but may be sensitive information and disclosure could potentially violate our contracts with clients. We respect you have a life outside of work, just remember that customers, colleagues and supervisors often have access to the content you post online. Even information originally intended for just friends and family can make its way to a wider audience. 3. You are responsible for your actions, but they reflect on us. We encourage you to participate in social media and online discussions, but urge you to do so properly, exercising sound judgment and common sense. Anything you post can potentially tarnish Acme Co.’s image, but ultimately everything you write will be your responsibility and could potentially subject you to disciplinary action or liability. 4. Be a “scout” for compliments and criticism. Even if you are not an official online spokesperson for the company, you are one of our most vital assets for monitoring the social media and online landscape. Help us keep tabs on relevant trends or events and pass along any positive or negative remarks about us to Acme Co. Corporate Communications. 5. Remain positive and let our experts respond to negative posts. By all means engage in lively debate, but please stay positive in any discussions about us (we hope you don’t have anything bad to say) and just as importantly, our competitors. You should generally avoid any commentary about our competitors, but in the chance you think there is something important to say about our competitors run it by us first. If you do come across negative posts or conversations about us or our products, please avoid the temptation to respond personally and pass it along to Acme Co. Corporate Communications. 6. Be yourself and know what you are talking about. When discussing the company, focus on your area of expertise and provide your unique, individual perspective. The online community is good at exposing bad or misleading information and we don’t want to discredit our reputation for honesty and integrity. It is especially vital that you never make any specific representations or warranties about our products that aren’t explicitly provided by our materials, as this could cause us significant liability. 7. Respect the copyrights and intellectual property rights of others. The online world is often seen as a content free-for-all, however, most of the content you come across online is protected by copyright. Please be mindful of others’ copyrights and intellectual property rights, and do not post any images or content from other sites unless it is in the public domain or you have the appropriate permission of the owner. Of course, citing and linking to other source is allowable and part of what makes social media so valuable and great. OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES AND “BEST PRACTICES” FOR EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS. In addition to following our 7 principles of social media, please follow these additional policies in any use of social media or online activity: 1. Disclosure of Confidential Information. The instantaneous and spontaneous nature of social media and the online world creates heightened potential for inadvertent or careless disclosure of confidential information. Never disclose any information about Acme Co., our products, plans, customers, employees, contractors or vendors if you have any uncertainty as to whether such information should be made public. 2. Offensive, derogatory and demeaning conduct. As an Acme Co. representative, it is important that your posts convey the same honesty and integrity reflective of our values which we instill in all of our communications. Do not write or engage in any online
behavior which is offensive, derogatory or demeaning of others’ race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, culture or that otherwise treats any class of people with disrespect. This includes “jokes.” 3. Harassment, threats and cyber staking. The online world may seems anonymous and harmless, however, we believe that any harassment, threats or cyberstalking through the use of social medial or other online tools are every bit as serious as their counterparts in the offline world. Any such action on the part of our employees or contractors will be taken seriously and immediate disciplinary action will be taken. 4. Non-disparagement. In keeping with our principle of remaining positive, do not disparage our company, or its products, strategies, technologies, clients, other employees (including your supervisors), contractors or vendors in any online forum. 5. Fully disclose your affiliation with Acme Co. All employees who are communicating on our behalf are required to disclose their name and their affiliation. It is never acceptable to use aliases or otherwise deceive people. State your relationship with Acme Co. from the outset. For example, include conspicuously in any relevant post a note such as “Full disclosure, I work for Acme Co.” Unless authorized to speak on behalf of Acme Co., you must also state that the views expressed are your own and do not reflect the opinions of Acme Co. In the case you have permission and are writing about a client, you must fully disclose such Acme Co.’s relationship with the client. 6. Get permission before creating any account under our brand. Before opening any social media account or blog under an Acme Co. brand, product name, or trademark (e.g. @acmecompany on Twitter), you must first get the appropriate permission so that it can be supervised by Acme Co. Corporate Communications. Any such accounts are the property of Acme Co. and you must turn over the password and account information in the event your relationship with Acme Co. ends. 7. Be responsible to your work. We understand that employees engage in social media activities at work for legitimate purposes and that these activities may be helpful for Acme Co.’s affairs. We encourage all employees to exercise sound judgment and common sense to prevent online social media sites from becoming a distraction at work. All social media use at work or on company equipment should be in accordance with the Employee Handbook and all other applicable company policies 8. Remember that your local posts can have global significance. The way that you answer an online question might be accurate in some parts of the world, but inaccurate in others. Keep that “world view” in mind when you are participating in online conversations. 9. Know that the Internet is permanent. Once information is published online, it is essentially part of a permanent record, even if you “remove/delete” it later or attempt to make it anonymous. If your complete thought, along with its context, cannot be squeezed into a character-restricted space (such as Twitter), provide a link to an online space where the message can be expressed completely and accurately. 10. Be aware of ownership terms on other sites. Social media services are made available pursuant to terms of use. These terms of use sometimes say that the company who makes available the platform owns or has broad rights in content (e.g., photos) that is posted. 11. When in doubt, do not post. A good rule of thumb: If you have doubts about whether you should post something, then run it by us first, especially if there is any hesitation about the accuracy or sensitivity of your content. Note: nothing in these Social Media Principles restricts your ability to engage in lawful communications that may be protected under state or federal labor laws. If you have any questions about our social media principles and policies, please contact [___________]. Have fun and be smart!
Promote and protect our brand.
Every day, there are countless online conversations happening in the world of social media, discussing and debating the topics and issues of the day as they happen. We recognize the vital importance of participating in these online conversations and want our employees and contractors to participate both personally and professionally to promote and protect our brand. We have developed these social media principles and policies to empower our employees to participate in this new frontier of marketing and communications, represent our company, and share the spirit of our brand. It is critical that we always remember who we are (an international company) and what our role is in the social media community (to promote and protect our brand). WHAT EXACTLY DO THESE PRINCIPLES AND POLICIES COVER? These principles and policies should be your guide whenever you participant in any form of social media or online discussion or community, whether: • • personally, if you discuss, mention or refer to Acme Co., our products, clients or discuss your work generally; or professionally on behalf of Acme Co.
This includes leaving any comments on our Facebook page or Tweets referencing our official company Twitter account (@Acme Co.), both of which we encourage you to do, as well as any use of your Acme Co. email address in any online setting. While we currently have a Facebook page and a Twitter presence, we may expand into other platforms, and this policy applies equally to any of those platforms. These principles are incorporated into the Company’s Employee Handbook. YOUR LEVEL OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND ONLINE ENGAGEMENT IS UP TO YOU. We encourage all of our employees and contractors to explore and engage in social media communities and online discussions at a level at which they feel comfortable. Acme Co. respects the rights of its employees and contractors to use blogs and other social media tools as a form of self-‐expression, as well as a means to further our business. These principles and policies are not meant to discourage any of our employees (or contractors) from using social media or participating in online communities. We have developed these principles because we feel it is important that all employees and contractors are aware of the implications of engaging in social media and online conversations and that employees and contractors recognize when Acme Co. might be held responsible for their behavior. OUR 7 PRINCIPLES FOR EMPLOYEE AND CONTRACTOR USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA. We believe in your sound judgment and common sense, and these principles are not meant to be, and should not be taken as, a substitute for using it. Approach social media and the online world with the same level of consideration you would the offline world of traditional media and print. The overarching sentiment behind all of these 7 principles is to: have fun but be smart. 1. Adhere to the Code of Business Conduct, Information Protection Policy and other applicable policies. All our employees (and contractors) are subject to the company’s Code of Business Conduct in every public setting and these apply to all your social media and online activities. In addition, our Information Protection Policy governs employees’ behavior with respect to the disclosure of information; this policy applies to your personal activities online.
2. Be conscious when mixing your business and personal lives. Online, your personal and business personas are likely to intersect and it is important to remain conscious of your intended and unintended audiences. Remember, NEVER disclose non-‐public information about us, our products or our clients, keeping in mind that seemingly trivial knowledge (like signing a new client) may not seem confidential but may be sensitive information and disclosure could potentially violate our contracts with clients. We respect you have a life outside of work, just remember that customers, colleagues and supervisors often have access to the content you post online. Even information originally intended for just friends and family can make its way to a wider audience. 3. You are responsible for your actions, but they reflect on us. We encourage you to participate in social media and online discussions, but urge you to do so properly, exercising sound judgment and common sense. Anything you post can potentially tarnish Acme Co.’s image, but ultimately everything you write will be your responsibility and could potentially subject you to disciplinary action or liability. 4. Be a “scout” for compliments and criticism. Even if you are not an official online spokesperson for the company, you are one of our most vital assets for monitoring the social media and online landscape. Help us keep tabs on relevant trends or events and pass along any positive or negative remarks about us to Acme Co. Corporate Communications. 5. Remain positive and let our experts respond to negative posts. By all means engage in lively debate, but please stay positive in any discussions about us (we hope you don’t have anything bad to say) and just as importantly, our competitors. You should generally avoid any commentary about our competitors, but in the chance you think there is something important to say about our competitors run it by us first. If you do come across negative posts or conversations about us or our products, please avoid the temptation to respond personally and pass it along to Acme Co. Corporate Communications. 6. Be yourself and know what you are talking about. When discussing the company, focus on your area of expertise and provide your unique, individual perspective. The online community is good at exposing bad or misleading information and we don’t want to discredit our reputation for honesty and integrity. It is especially vital that you never make any specific representations or warranties about our products that aren’t explicitly provided by our materials, as this could cause us significant liability. 7. Respect the copyrights and intellectual property rights of others. The online world is often seen as a content free-for-all, however, most of the content you come across online is protected by copyright. Please be mindful of others’ copyrights and intellectual property rights, and do not post any images or content from other sites unless it is in the public domain or you have the appropriate permission of the owner. Of course, citing and linking to other source is allowable and part of what makes social media so valuable and great. OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES AND “BEST PRACTICES” FOR EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS. In addition to following our 7 principles of social media, please follow these additional policies in any use of social media or online activity: 1. Disclosure of Confidential Information. The instantaneous and spontaneous nature of social media and the online world creates heightened potential for inadvertent or careless disclosure of confidential information. Never disclose any information about Acme Co., our products, plans, customers, employees, contractors or vendors if you have any uncertainty as to whether such information should be made public. 2. Offensive, derogatory and demeaning conduct. As an Acme Co. representative, it is important that your posts convey the same honesty and integrity reflective of our values which we instill in all of our communications. Do not write or engage in any online
behavior which is offensive, derogatory or demeaning of others’ race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, culture or that otherwise treats any class of people with disrespect. This includes “jokes.” 3. Harassment, threats and cyber staking. The online world may seems anonymous and harmless, however, we believe that any harassment, threats or cyberstalking through the use of social medial or other online tools are every bit as serious as their counterparts in the offline world. Any such action on the part of our employees or contractors will be taken seriously and immediate disciplinary action will be taken. 4. Non-disparagement. In keeping with our principle of remaining positive, do not disparage our company, or its products, strategies, technologies, clients, other employees (including your supervisors), contractors or vendors in any online forum. 5. Fully disclose your affiliation with Acme Co. All employees who are communicating on our behalf are required to disclose their name and their affiliation. It is never acceptable to use aliases or otherwise deceive people. State your relationship with Acme Co. from the outset. For example, include conspicuously in any relevant post a note such as “Full disclosure, I work for Acme Co.” Unless authorized to speak on behalf of Acme Co., you must also state that the views expressed are your own and do not reflect the opinions of Acme Co. In the case you have permission and are writing about a client, you must fully disclose such Acme Co.’s relationship with the client. 6. Get permission before creating any account under our brand. Before opening any social media account or blog under an Acme Co. brand, product name, or trademark (e.g. @acmecompany on Twitter), you must first get the appropriate permission so that it can be supervised by Acme Co. Corporate Communications. Any such accounts are the property of Acme Co. and you must turn over the password and account information in the event your relationship with Acme Co. ends. 7. Be responsible to your work. We understand that employees engage in social media activities at work for legitimate purposes and that these activities may be helpful for Acme Co.’s affairs. We encourage all employees to exercise sound judgment and common sense to prevent online social media sites from becoming a distraction at work. All social media use at work or on company equipment should be in accordance with the Employee Handbook and all other applicable company policies 8. Remember that your local posts can have global significance. The way that you answer an online question might be accurate in some parts of the world, but inaccurate in others. Keep that “world view” in mind when you are participating in online conversations. 9. Know that the Internet is permanent. Once information is published online, it is essentially part of a permanent record, even if you “remove/delete” it later or attempt to make it anonymous. If your complete thought, along with its context, cannot be squeezed into a character-restricted space (such as Twitter), provide a link to an online space where the message can be expressed completely and accurately. 10. Be aware of ownership terms on other sites. Social media services are made available pursuant to terms of use. These terms of use sometimes say that the company who makes available the platform owns or has broad rights in content (e.g., photos) that is posted. 11. When in doubt, do not post. A good rule of thumb: If you have doubts about whether you should post something, then run it by us first, especially if there is any hesitation about the accuracy or sensitivity of your content. Note: nothing in these Social Media Principles restricts your ability to engage in lawful communications that may be protected under state or federal labor laws. If you have any questions about our social media principles and policies, please contact [___________]. Have fun and be smart!
