Social Media Policy

  Social Media Policy

• What are the key considerations in designing a social media policy?
• What are the primary challenges and risks when formalizing a social media policy?
• Who should be involved in the design and review of the final policy?

Resource:

Social Media in the Workplace

These are less than 1–2-page articles. Please skim each of them to inform your response for this week's first discussion.

• Progressive discipline the legal way: 7 steps. (2019). HR Specialist: Employment Law, 49(7), 2.
  • "This article is about maintaining a progressive discipline policy including documenting verbal warnings and counseling; letting employees tell their side of the story; and spelling out the consequences of inaction."
• Does Facebook rudeness = Hostile workplace? (2018). HR Specialist: Employment Law, 48(12), 3.
  • "The article discusses Medlin v. American Airlines court case which alleges a campaign of harassment on online social media Facebook and workplace harassment including threats, slander and defamation of character."
• Allan, R. (2017, March). Key things to consider while drafting your social media policy checklist. Legal and Compliance Excellence Essentials.
  • "The main aim of the policy is to help employees understand where the line is - and how to stay on the right side of it - and for managers to be able to identify and act appropriately in instances where the line has been crossed."
• Keys for developing a social media policy. (2013). Information Management, 47(6), 42–44.
  • This article gives some best practices for creating a new, or revising, a social media policy.
• Magette, K. (2018). Keeping up with new tools in your policies. School Administrator, 75(8), 12.
  • This article provides ideas for updating a social media policy when new tools and technology become available
• Johnson, B. (2017). Attorney's key to social media policies: Be specific, but not too strong. Njbiz, 30(5), 17.
  • Includes legal considerations when creating social media policies as well as the wording of the policy.
• Johnson, D. L. (2019, October 7). Nashville Trump supporter fired over Facebook post wins trial [Blog post]. Northern Exposure.
  • This article illustrates the distinction between government and private organizations and First Amendment rights in social media for workers.

Sample Social Media Policy

• Sample Social Media Policy [PDF].
  • Use this as a resource for your first discussion this week.

NLRB and Social Media

• National Labor Relations Board. (n.d.). The NLRB and social media. Retrieved from https://www.nlrb.gov/rights-we-protect/rights/nlrb-and-social-media
  • This web page defines "protected, concerted activity" in terms of social media.