Boilerplate Social Media Policy

At my previous job, I was tapped to help update and fine-tune our Social Media Policy, covering the concerns we had for mutual protection of the company as well as the employee - while also being able to introduce an urging to utilize some tools in the course of business responsibly and with effective results. This required close coordination with the HR, Sales and C-Suite stakeholders to craft the appropriate policy.

I have adjusted this slightly here and offer it as useful boilerplate for the community. Enjoy!

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Social Media has become an integral part of modern life. It keeps us in touch with friends and family, it informs us about our world and it gives us a platform, allowing us to be heard as free individuals in a democratized global public square. Social Media in business helps us convey thought leadership, reinforce our expertise and enrich relationships with our customers that enable growth.

Guidelines for functioning in an electronic world are the same as the values, ethics and confidentiality policies employees are expected to live every day, whether you’re tweeting, talking with customers or chatting over the neighbor’s fence. Remember, your responsibility to [COMPANY] doesn’t end when you are off the clock. For that reason, this policy applies to both company-sponsored Social Media and personal use as it relates to [COMPANY].

The Dos

• Company Promotion: You are encouraged to promote [COMPANY] news, events, promotions, awards, etc. to assist the company in being perceived as a thought leader in our industry. Utilizing company Social Advocacy tools and platforms is highly encouraged. 
• Stating a Personal Opinion: When commenting on the business, unless authorized to speak on behalf of [COMPANY], you must state that the views expressed are your own. You should also consider a general disclaimer in your profile(s) to this effect. You may also choose to hide your workplace info from your profiles if you are involved in outside activities such as performing arts, politics, causes, etc. outside of work. This helps to provide a separation of your personal pursuits and the brand of the company.
• Protect Yourself: As a general safety guideline, be careful about what personal information is shared online - both in personal networks and professional platforms and online communities.
• Act Responsibly & Ethically: Pictures and comments posted on social media are a reflection of a person, as well as [COMPANY] because of the shared affiliation. Please refrain from disparaging comments about the company, coworkers and/or customers. Avoid tagging our customers outside of positive relationship-building or selling.
• Do Unto Others: Keep in mind our mission and expectations of employees as well as our anti-harassment, ethical and conduct policies. Treat your peer employees the same in the digital world as you would in the workplace – the way you would want to be treated. When possible, we will expect a firm separation of the opinions of coworkers, as expressed in the "public" space online, and your activity while in the work environment. We are here to work together as a team toward a common goal - not to carry controversies from outside the company into our working relationships.
• Honor Our Differences: [COMPANY] will not tolerate discrimination - including age, sex, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability, marital status or any other legally-recognized protected class under federal, state, or local laws, regulations or ordinances. If an employee’s personal views differ and an employee is inclined to post those views, employees should remove any reference to [COMPANY] from their account and profile. Our Marketing team is available to aid in setting up filters, disclaimers, etc. upon request.
• Adhering to Platform Terms of Service: Employees are expected to follow all platform rules and regulations when using Social Media. This includes abuse polices, multiple-profile limitations, etc.

The Don'ts

• Sharing the Numbers: (Non-public financial or operational information.) This includes strategies, forecasts and most anything with a dollar-figure attached to it. Please pass any requests for such information, or any concerns of inappropriate sharing, to our Chief Financial Officer for attention.
• Disclosing Promotional Terms and Strategies: Internal communication regarding promotional activities, dealer incentives, discounts, or our training and directives on promotional objectives.
• Revealing Personal and Confidential Information: You, as well as fellow colleagues and customers, have an expectation of privacy in the workplace. [COMPANY] asks that the expectation of privacy extends to them and for employees to please not share personal or financial information about our customers and coworkers.
• Discussion of Legal Information: Anything to do with a legal issue, legal case, or attorneys – refer such information to Human Resources for handling.
• Reproduction of Anything that Belongs to Someone Else: This includes copyrighted publications and logos or other images that are trademarked by [COMPANY], our partners, or vendors, unless authorized - in advance.
• Confidential Information: Do not publish, post, or release information that is considered confidential or top-secret. If the answer is “No” to the question “Would I know this if I didn’t work here?” then do not share.

Social Media provides all [COMPANY] team members with a positive and effective tool to promote our organization in an impactful way. Internal programs for managing social selling and advocacy are available and some job roles may be required to utilize certain technologies and platforms as a part of their daily work (such as LinkedIn for Sales). Please direct any questions about Social Media to Marketing and needs concerning policies and training to HR.