What steps are suggested for practical protection on social media risks
- Educate employees about the consequences of disclosing or misusing the company’s confidential information or intellectual property in the social media context.
- An employee’s disclosure or misuse of confidential information or intellectual property could:
- result in breach of the employment contract;
- breach the terms of a confidentiality agreement between the company and a third party;
- compromise intellectual property rights;
- create embarrassment or confusion among employees or clients;
- jeopardise legal privilege between the company and its in-house legal counsel
How can we prevent harassment and bullying via social media ?
- Include references to social media in anti-harassment and anti-bullying policies and in any training offered to prevent workplace harassment.
- Make sure the corporate response to harassment (sexual or otherwise) and bullying through social media is consistent with the response to harassment and bullying in other contexts.
In summary
Do:
- Adopt a social media policy to encourage appropriate employee use of social media.
- Use the policy to prohibit employees using social media in ways that could damage the company.
- Provide training to employees on the appropriate use of social media, and monitor for compliance.
Do not:
- Allow employees to disclose or misuse confidential or proprietary information.
- Permit employees to use social media to harass colleagues.
- Impose unnecessary restrictions on employee use of social media.