It is almost impossible to have a conversation about policy without reviewing social media compliance issues. These are the factors that drive many organizations to create new policy.
Depending our your industry and niche, there are dozens of points that you need to consider when examining if you have good social media compliance.
Some example points considered
- Legal- inquire with your legal counsel about any known social media issues for your industry. Investigate reasonable data points and quantify business impact.
- Human Resources - examine what types of personal information your team could share, along with what types of hiring/firing decisions can be made using social media data .
- Financial- if you have a public company or release financial data, identify all executives who could infringe on forward looking statements or adversely affect stock price.
- IT Security- detail the top services used within you employee base both personally and professionally. Review IT security policy to determine areas of risk management and further IT security precautions.
- Advertising - marketing and sales often communicate in very unique ways with prospects and clients. Understanding where new tools fit into the sales process is a critical key.
- Senior Management - need to examine internal communication as well as partner processes, often looking at competitive intelligence in a risk vs benefit scenario
Social Media Compliance Articles
This first article has a key point: even legal teams don't understand social media.
Top 10 Mistakes Lawyers Make with Social Media
Lawyers and law firms are rapidly adopting social media to market themselves and connect with peers. These are new tools. We are all trying to figure out how to use them. Just to make it more difficult, the tools themselves are rapidly evolving as we are learning how to use them.
Social Media, the First Amendment, and Public Employees
Federal, state, and local government organizations embraced social media as a means to generate citizen engagement. But how does social media relate to constitutional freedom of speech for public employees?
Social Media Compliance Inhibits Financial Advisors use with clients
Brokerage firms continue to talk a good game when it comes to social media, but few are actually doing anything about it, and that may turn out to be a mistake.
Social Media and Bank Compliance Departments - Eternal Enemies?
A consistent theme keeps popping up as I discuss social media innovations with bankers these days. It is increasingly frustrating for innovators who want to use mobile, social media, the web and other such tools to get these past hyper-risk-adverse compliance specialists.
HIPAA Compliance Dangers for Digital Doctors (slideshare)
Many of the HIPAA issues facing small ambulatory practices (making sure your server data is secure, making sure your data backup is secure, etc.) are mitigated when a web-based EHR is used - except for files created for scanned-document upload, and any chart information that is downloaded and locally saved, there is no personally identifiable health information housed locally. HIPAA breach risk is significantly reduced when going this route.
FINRA regulatory compliance notice (PDF)
Firms have asked FINRA staff how the FINRA rules governing communications with the public apply to socialmedia sites that are sponsored by a firm or its registered representatives. This Notice provides guidance to firms regarding these issues.
The Conclusion
Give serious thought to how your business interacts with proper social media compliance processes. There are huge benefits and opportunities when you understand how to engage the right way.
If you know of any related resources regarding social media compliance or your digital policy, please leave it in the comments below! Otherwise check out the other social media policies articles.