Social Media

A Social Media policy sets clear expectations for work-related and personal social media use, protecting confidential information and your organization's reputation while respecting employee rights to engage in lawful, protected activity (including discussing wages and working conditions).

How to Write a Social Media Policy

• Start with "why" guidelines around social media are important.
• Define what counts as social media and related online activity.
• Set baseline expectations to follow your organization's conduct, anti-harassment, confidentiality, and technology rules when using social media.
• Prohibit threatening, abusive, obscene, discriminatory, or otherwise disrespectful posts tied to your workplace community.
• Require employees to avoid speaking on behalf of your organization without authorization and to clarify when views are personal.
• Protect confidential, proprietary, and private information, including customer and internal business information.
• Address intellectual property and branding, including limits on using logos, trademarks, and copyrighted material.
• Set boundaries for social media use during working time and on workplace systems.
• Ban requests for employees' social media usernames or passwords.
• Set expectations for manager-employee connections on personal social platforms.
• Limit workplace photos, videos, and recordings shared online, while preserving legally protected rights.
• Explain how to report potential issues and note that violations may lead to discipline, while preserving legally protected concerted activity rights.

For advice on writing a Social Media policy in a specific jurisdiction, see below.