RSS Feed

RSS Feed

Why You Need a Social Media Policy: A Case Study

Many companies are struggling with how best to integrate social media into their day-to-day business activities.  Some have taken a Draconian position, forbidding employees from engaging in social networking and blocking access to sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.  Some have fully embraced the concept and allow -- even encourage -- their employees to participate in the online social scene with all gusto.  Others have taken the time to consider both the benefits and risks and have established rules for online engagement.

The latter approach seems to be the exception.  Upcoming Ponemon research will shed some light on that subject, but a recent situation at the New York Times illustrates what can happen when there is a disconnect between what an employer wants and what an employee believes.

According to a story in the New York Observer, a number of Times reporters attending an internal staff meeting related to nytimes.com business strategy decided to tweet some of what went on in the meeting -- information Metro editor Jodi Rudoren, said should not be shared with outsiders. In an ironic twist, the Observer reports that the event took place the day before a Tmes training session entitled, "How Reporters & Editors Use Twitter."

With the previous day's tweeting in mind, Times columnist Bill Keller opened the Twitter session by offering some pointed words, asking that Times employees use "common courtesy" before tweeting anything heard or overheard internally, saying that a "zone of trust" was needed if candor was to prevail.

Let's learn from the Times.  Leaving the security sensitive information to the best judgment of employees without first establishing clear boundaries and expectations, is a recipe for disaster.  Social media can be a tremendously useful tool for many businesses, but as we privacy professionals should well know, the risks must first be understood and addressed with sound policies, education, and enforcement if we are to help maintain informational integrity.

Posted by Mike Spinney at 9:38 am