It’s crucial to be transparent about how employees’ social media use will be monitored and what information may be visible to the public. If you offer social media training or resources, include those as well. Finally, link to your employee advocacy program so staff can access pre-approved content and participate in any incentives for sharing. From copyright infringement to data leaks and workplace harassment, social media introduces several legal risks.
Tips To Maintain A Positive Online Presence
The FDA monitors claims related to food, beverage, and supplement products. The FTC scrutinizes online reviews, endorsements and testimonials, including those from social media influencers. Everyone involved with your organization needs to understand social media compliance. For enterprises, social media compliance means making sure every post, reply, workflow, and account follows the right laws, industry-specific regulations, and internal standards. If you’re responsible for a social media strategy, you should not be restricted from accessing these sites during the work day from a work computer, with the following caveats.
Your business does not have to be on every social media platform out there. Instead, focus on channels that offer the most opportunities for your business to attract potential customers and spread awareness. It’s also a good practice to retrain employees on your company’s social media policy annually. Consequences for social media policy violations are important to maintain compliance and keep social media users accountable. One post can reflect poorly on your nonprofit, and viewers aren’t always so understanding. Before an unsavory post goes viral on the internet, we encourage you to take a look at our step-by-step plan for creating a nonprofit social media policy.
If you have an employee advocacy program, a social media style guide will outline the do’s and don’ts for engaging with brand content and sharing it with their network. And that’s how public your social media posts can get, whether on X, formerly Twitter or LinkedIn. Anyone with internet access can view your comments, shared posts and more. So, it’s essential to understand the distinction between public and private information, especially in this politically correct world, where everyone is waiting for an opportunity to criticize you. Clear posting guidelines empower employees to share responsibly while keeping your company’s brand on point.
You’re personally responsible for any online activity you conduct using your company email address or company device. You may also be held responsible for posts made from a personal account or device if you represent yourself as a member of the company thereon. That provides some protection for the company if an employee violates your rules.
Us Army Social Media Guide
Even if you’re outside the U.S., HIPAA’s general principles provide good guidance. That’s a question each firm will have to answer depending on its risk tolerance. Your compliance strategy should involve input from the highest levels of the organization. Static content is considered an ad and must go through pre-approval for compliance.
This disclosure must be made directly on the relevant post – not just the employee’s social bio. If employees accidentally share intellectual property without permission from the owner (especially without giving credit), they could sue your company for thousands or even millions of dollars. It could also create a negative PR crisis that damages your brand’s credibility. In addition to outlining anti-inclusive content, state your company’s policy on supporting anti-inclusive groups. For example, you may prohibit employees from posting content about those specific groups. Social media guidelines are rules outlined by a company that employees must abide by when participating on social media in the workplace.
You should have a clear plan that establishes objectives and desired outcomes. There are several social media tools you can utilize to maximize your digital presence. For instance, you might say, “If you encounter a negative comment or review, never argue or post disrespectful comments. Instead, remain calm, polite and seek to resolve the issue professionally.”
A platform might quietly take your post down, stop recommending your content, or restrict your monetization options. The most common social media compliance risks include data privacy violations, confidentiality breaches, advertising violations, AI-related risks, and improper archiving. When teams follow the rules, they reduce potential risks, keep customer data safe, and avoid the kinds of mistakes that can snowball quickly. In reality, the “rules” come from many places — government laws, industry regulators, platform policies, and your own internal guidelines. That mix can get complicated fast, especially in regulated industries or enterprise organizations.
In today’s interconnected world, the boundaries between personal and professional representation on social media are often blurred. Employees should be reminded that they are representatives of the company on all platforms and should present their views professionally. To avoid misunderstandings, it is important for employees to clarify whether they are expressing personal or company views on social media.
Once your guidelines are established, it’s crucial to ensure that all team members understand and adhere to them. Conduct training sessions and provide easy access to the guidelines for reference. If you need any assistance in creating a set of guidelines for employee social media or indeed launching an employee advocacy program within your organisation, please do not hesitate to reach out.