| A person who proclaimed that he didn't know anything | | | | Two, immediately set in place a company Internet |
| about Internet marketing discovered that his company, | | | | policy. This does NOT take months to write. It's really |
| of which he is a senior exec, had an unauthorized | | | | rather simple - once you yourself understand how |
| company blog... | | | | social media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube) and |
| How could that be? He didn't know, but his company | | | | blogging work on the Internet. |
| had no Internet policy for his employees. | | | | A basic company Internet policy should make it very |
| The unauthorized blog was not on the company's | | | | clear what an employee is and is not allowed to do |
| Web site, but instead was a hosted blog with his | | | | online -- both on and off company time. |
| company's name. The blog itself couldn't actually be | | | | The purpose of the company Internet policy is to |
| read because it was password protected, which | | | | protect the reputation of the company and control use |
| means whoever was writing it was only allowing | | | | of the Internet on company time. |
| specific people to read the contents. | | | | This is an area of law that is still being developed, so |
| It's important to realize that anyone can choose any | | | | it's a good idea to consult with an attorney as to how |
| name for a blog on a hosted site. There's no | | | | to treat these issues in your employee manual:o What |
| gatekeeper saying: Do you have a legitimate right to | | | | limitations can you set on employees accessing the |
| call your blog by your employer's company name? | | | | Internet for personal reasons during work hours?o Do |
| RED LIGHT FLASHING: Let this be a warning for all | | | | you have the right to stop employees talking about |
| senior company execs who have chosen not to know | | | | their jobs online?o What obligations can you impose on |
| about social media and blogging. Your employees may | | | | employees to alert you to negative publicity about the |
| be writing about you in your company name without | | | | company found online? |
| your knowledge. | | | | Although these areas of law are not yet well-defined, |
| IMMEDIATE SOLUTION: One, start learning about | | | | this is no reason to not have any policy. Better to have |
| social media and blogging ASAP. Either read | | | | a basic policy rather than give your employees no |
| everything you can on the subject right now, or hire a | | | | standards and then be surprised when someone's |
| company to get you up to speed quickly. | | | | online behavior bites into your company's reputation. |