Blogging and Social Media Policy Sample

Blogging and Social Media Policy SampleBlogging and Social Media Policy SampleYur Company recognizes the importance of the Internet in shaping public thinking about yur company and our current and potential products, employees, partners, and customers. Your company also recognizes the importance of our employees joining in and helping shape industry conversation and direction through blogging and interaction in social media. So, your company is committed to supporting your right to interact knowledgeably and socially in the blogosphere and on the Internet through blogging and interaction in social media. Consequently, these guidelines in this blogging and social media policy will help you make appropriate decisions about your work-related blogging and the contents of your blogs, personal Web sites, postings on wikis and other interactive sites, postings on video or picture sharing sites, or in the comments that you make online on blogs, elsewhere on the public Internet, and in respon ding to comments from posters either publicly or via email. Our internal Internet and Email Policy remains in effect in our workplace. These guidelines will help you open up a respectful, knowledgeable interaction with people on the Internet. They also protect the privacy, confidentiality, and interests of your company and our current and potential products, employees, partners, customers, and competitors. Note that these policies and guidelines apply only to work-related sites and issues and are leid meant to infringe upon your personal interaction or commentary online. Guidelines for Interaction About Your Company on the Internet If you are developing a Web site or writing a blog that will mention your company and / or our current and potential products, employees, partners, customers, and competitors, identify that you are an employee of your company and that the views expressed on the blog or Web site are yours alone and do not represent the views of the company.Unless given permission by your manager, you are not authorized to speak on behalf of the company, nor to represent that you do so.If you are developing a site or writing a blog that will mention our company and/or our current and potential products, employees, partners, customers, and competitors, as a courtesy to the company, please let your manager know that you are writing them. Your manager may choose to visit from time to time to understand your point of view. Confidential Information Component of the Blogging Policy You may not share information that is confidential and proprietary about the company. This includes information about trademarks, upcoming product releases, sales, finances, number of products sold, number of employees, company strategy, and any other information that has not been publicly released by the company. These are given as examples only and do not cover the range of what the company considers confidential and proprietary. If you have any question about whether information has been released publicly or doubts of any kind, speak with your manager and the Public Relations department before releasing information that could potentially harm our company, or our current and potential products, employees, partners, and customers. You may also want to be aware of the points made in the non-disclosure agreement you signed when you joined our company. Your company logo and trademarks may not be used without explicit permission in writing from the company. This is to prevent the appearance that you speak for or represent the company officially. Respect and Privacy Rights Components of the Blogging Policy Speak respectfully about the company and our current and potential employees, customers, partners, and competitors. Do not engage in name-calling or behavior that will reflect negatively on your companys reputation.Note that the use of copyrighted materials, unfounded or derogatory statementsor misrepresentation is not viewed favorably by your co mpany and can result in disciplinary action up to and including employment termination.Your company encourages you to write knowledgeably, accurately and using appropriate professionalism. Despite disclaimers, your Web interaction can result in members of the public forming opinions about your company and its employees, partners, and products.Honor the privacy rights of our current employees by seeking their permission before writing about or displaying internal company happenings that might be considered to be a breach of their privacy and confidentiality. Competition Component of the Blogging Policy You may not sell any product or service that would compete with any of your companys products or services without permission in writing from the president. This includes, but is not limited to training, books, products, and freelance writing. If in doubt, talk with your manager and the president. Your Legal Liability Component of the Blogging Policy Recognize that you are legally liable for anything you write or present online. Employees can be disciplined by the company for commentary, content, or images that are defamatory, pornographic, proprietary, harassing, libelous, or that can create a hostile work environment. You can also be sued by company employees, competitors, and any individual or company that views your commentary, content, or images as defamatory, pornographic, proprietary, harassing, libelous or creating a hostile work environment. Media Contact Component of the Blogging Policy Media contacts about our company and our current and potential products, employees, partners, customers, and competitors should be referred for coordination and guidance to the Public Relations or Human Resources department. This does not specifically include your opinions, writing, and interviews on topics aside from our company and our current and potential products, employees, partners, customers, and competitors. DisclaimerSusan Heathfield makes every effort to offer accurate, common-sense, ethical Human Resources management, employer, and workplace advice both on this website, and linked to from this website, but she is not an attorney, and the content on the site, while authoritative, is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality, and is not to be construed as legal advice. The site has a world-wide audience and employment laws and regulations vary from state to state and country to country, so the site cannot be definitive on all of them for your workplace. When in doubt, always seek legal counsel or assistance from State, Federal, or International governmental resources, to make certain your legal interpretation and decisions are correct. The information on this site is for guidance, ideas, and assistance only.