Social Media Policy: Examples

Each company has its own way of dealing with social media. Apple Inc.’s policy, for example, admits that "the lines between public and private, and personal and professional are blurred in online social networks."

The company prohibits employees speculating on rumors, commenting on websites about Apple products or even mentioning Apple at all on personal sites.

Closer to home, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock can monitor workplace Internet use, and its policy makes sure to note that privacy is never guaranteed.

Roberta Clark, breast cancer program administrator for UAMS and president of the Central Arkansas Human Resource Association, learned firsthand what that means after she and several co-workers gathered around her computer monitor to watch live-streamed news reports following the 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech.

"We totally forgot about it; it was streaming," she said. "I got an email from the dean’s office that said, ‘You’ve been streaming for x hours.’ I had to write this lengthy explanation for what happened."

UAMS doesn’t have a specific policy on social media, however. A lack of specificity has led some companies to revamp their Internet policies entirely.

Two years ago, Barbara Tieman-Denson became human resources director for Girl Scouts Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma & Texas. She was given the task of rewriting the organization’s personnel policy and procedure manual, including deciding what was and wasn’t allowed for social media.

The social media segment, officially called the "Web Log/Blogging/Social Networking Policy," is only 234 words long, compared with Apple’s, which comes in at almost 1,800. It asserts employees’ obligation to uphold the council’s image, which extends to Internet activity both internal and external.

"Employee use of web logs or blogs during work hours shall be limited to business purposes only," the policy states. "As with all other communications, employees shall conduct themselves in a professional manner when using such forums. Public criticism of the council, its employees, volunteers and members, whether by name or implication, or dissemination of material contrary to the council’s interests, is not permitted."

It goes on to prohibit disclosure of confidential information and expression of dissension with the company’s equal employment policy. The company also states it may monitor employee activity both externally and internally to identify "inappropriate use."

The new policy went into effect in September, and Tieman-Denson said it’s been a success.

"It’s worked very well," she said. "There was a lot of confusion about what was allowed and not allowed."