1. POLICY PURPOSE

With the policies below, employees will get an understanding of what they can post online, and how any carelessness may lead to mishap for them or Business SJ Inc.
Business SJ Inc. recognises blogs, networking sites, and other social media platforms as possible tools to support the Company’s operational goals. This policy covers the following social media channels, as well as any others we may come into contact with in the future:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Google+
• LinkedIn
• Snapchat
• Pinterest
• Podcasts

This policy applies to employees and committee members when they partake in social media as part of their job. It also applies to staff employees’ participation in social media at any time that they speak on behalf of the Business SJ Inc.; identify themselves as a Business SJ Inc. employee or as affiliated with the Business SJ Inc.; or discuss the Business SJ Inc. or its affiliates.

2. Why use Social Media?

Social media helps to influence decisions and enables Business SJ Inc. as a business to entice new members, grow our database and what services and information we can offer. Social media is a place to form conversations and build some great connections, so don’t forget to be nice, have fun and network to build relationships and create a rapport whilst building he Business SJ Inc. brand.

 

3. Who is covered by this policy

This policy will cover all employees and committee members of Business SJ Inc. working at all levels, including; directors, senior managers, contractors and interns, social media administrators. For the purpose of this policy, all are classed as an employee of Business SJ Inc.

 

4. Rule and Regulations

This section outlines Business SJ Inc.’s expectations for your conduct on social media as a Business SJ Inc. employee or committee member.

4.1 Monitoring use of social media

Business SJ Inc. recognises that employees may wish to use Social Media in their personal life and this Policy does not intend to discourage nor limit personal expression, passions or online activities as they can aid the employees work duties.
However, staff should be mindful that some websites may be monitored and if this policy is breached then certain actions may be taken under the company’s constitution document: “Constitution: Business SJ Inc. February 2019”
If you notice any misuse of social media by other members of staff, please report it to the Chairperson.

4.2 Brand guidelines

• The Business SJ Brand is about building relationships and opening dialogue between members, businesses and the community.
• Our tone of voice is professional and courteous.
• No political, religious, racial, sexual, gender identity or other bias against any and all members of the community
• Common decency is expected.

4.3 Etiquette and engagement

• Be respectful, polite and patient, when engaging in conversations on Business SJ Inc.’s behalf. Avoid any defamatory, offensive or derogatory content. It may be considered as a violation of Australian defamation laws; Libel (written) defamation and/or slander (spoken) defamation.
• Avoid deleting or ignoring comments. Listen and reply to criticism on Business SJ Inc.’s behalf in a constructive and non-personal manner.
• Correct or remove any misleading / false content as soon as possible. Any comments or posts that contravene the above Brand guidelines will be screen-shotted and deleted as soon as practical.
• Be responsible. Engage in social media conversations correctly and don’t be an authority on a subject that you are not an expert on, instead try directing them to someone / an account who is.
• In a crisis, keep calm and do not engage with the media or on social networks about the topic until you have consulted with Business SJ Inc.’s Chairperson and social media administrators. They will provide guidance in accordance with the Business SJ Inc. Constitution February 2019; Part 4 – Disciplinary Action, Disputes and Mediation”.
• Referencing laws should be observed by employees when posting online. If content is posted that does not originate from Business SJ Inc., it should be clear where it came from, and it may need a reference within the body of the copy. See section 6.1, ‘Crediting Sources’ for further details.

4.4 Confidentiality

Conversations or information that is considered confidential or classified or deals with matters that are internal in nature should not be published if you are unsure on what content falls under this bracket, then please contact the Business SJ Inc. Chairperson. For further details, https://business-sj.com.au/privacy-policy.

4.5 Consequences

If an employee of Business SJ Inc., has failed to comply with this social media policy, they will face the companies disciplinary procedure found here in the “Business SJ Inc. Constitution February 2019; Part 4 – Disciplinary Action, Disputes and Mediation”.
Where evidence of misuse or failure to comply is found, then Business SJ Inc. may undertake a detailed investigation to examine the seriousness of the breach and then apply a penalty to the employee accordingly. The factors that will be considered are: the effect it has had on the Business SJ Inc., the Serpentine Jarrahdale Shire or the individual concerned; did the comments cause problems given the employee’s role; could the employer can be identified by the postings; any other qualifying factors such as the employee’s disciplinary record etc.

4.6 Social media for personal use

Employees and committee members of Business SJ Inc. should recognise that what they publish on their social media channels is their responsibility and that they are legally liable for anything they write online. As an employee, you are an ambassador for Business SJ Inc., and your style in all situations online, should reflect that in a positive way.

For further details, see Point 4.3, ‘Etiquette and engagement’.

 

5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This section defines who is responsible for specific social media governance tasks.

SOCIAL MEDIA ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES PERSON RESPONSIBLE

• Message approval: Social Media Administrators
• Crisis response: Chairperson
• Membership Enquiries and Management: Membership Officer
• Social engagement: Marketing Coordinator
• Security and legal concerns: Chairperson
• Social media monitoring: Social Media Administrators

 

6. POTENTIAL LEGAL RISKS

The larger the company the more risks you can come up against within social media. To confirm that all employees of Business SJ Inc. are working to the same guidelines this section of the social media policy provides clear and concise procedures to avoid any potential concern.

6.1 Crediting sources:

It’s very important that we give credit where credit is due, and that we do not breach any copyright or intellectual property rights when sharing content across social media channels.

This section specifies how the Business SJ Inc. team will credit original sources when they are reposting or borrowing content from an external source.

• Quote all references correctly and do not steal the ideas of others and present them as your own. When directly quoting, use the “…” to indicate the direct quote. When summarising, preface or conclude the information with where it was found (e.g. Forbes.com share that there was a…). Where possible, name and tag/mention the original author. Always share links to the website/blog/social media where the information was found.
• When sharing online content from other social media pages (LinkedIn, Facebook & Instagram), always use the ‘share button’ and attribute the source by way of tagging in your description. Do not download and repost as your own content. Always write a short synopsis/blurb about why the shared content is useful or appropriate.
• When sharing data or statistics, share the name of the original author where possible, and provide the link to the page where the information can be found.
• Attribute all images to the author and/or stock image site, unless appropriate licenses have been purchased. Do not use google images in your posts.

6.2 Privacy and disclosure procedures: 

This section defines what is considered confidential and non-sharable.

• Business SJ Member personal details (including private or personal contact number(s), home address(es), surname (if different from public listed business details), family details)
• Business SJ Committee Member personal details (including private or personal contact number(s), home address(es), surname (if different from public listed business details), family details).
• Business SJ Inc. financial details; including but not limited to bank statement, debtor information, creditor information and successful/rejected funding applications.
• The financial details of any Business SJ Member or Committee member.
• Strategic planning sessions; discussion held during meetings, conflicts, disputes, resolutions and all plans not yet public.
• Intellectual property of the committee (including but not limited to marketing materials print and digital, website copy, presentations, workshops and social media posting strategies).

6.3 Employee disclaimers:

All Business SJ Inc. employees and committee members must include a disclaimer when publicly commenting on content related to Business SJ Inc. that identifies them as an employee.

Please use the following disclaimer statement:

“The [INSERT NAME & JOB TITLE] at [INSERT COMPANY NAME] shall be responsible for confirming that all views expressed online on the employees social channels are their own and do not reflect the employer.”

Remember, as an employee of Business SJ Inc., you are still perceived by members of the public as a representative of the Business SJ Inc., even if you include the above disclaimer that your opinions are your own.

7. SECURITY RISKS

Social media can be a potent tool for scammers and criminals. From phishing scams to ransomware attacks, social media security risks are all too common. All Business SJ Inc. employees must be hyper-vigilant when it comes to protecting their online presence.
This section of the Business SJ Inc. social media policy helps safeguard against such risks by making Business SJ Inc. employees aware of the threats, how to avoid them, and what to do should an attack occur.

7.1 How to create secure passwords and set up two-factor authentication

It is the responsibility of the company’s employees that they shall adequately protect the identity and digital assets of the company when accessing email, digital and website data. It is expected that:

• Employees do not access the company website or email account using public WIFI or unsecured networks.
• Employees accessing company email and website accounts have adequate firewall and anti spy-ware programs installed on their device(s) that is up to date and correctly working.
• Employees use two-factor authentication on their social media and email accounts.

If you are unsure of how to set up two-factor authentification in relation to the specific IT systems and online channels you are using, the following article may help: How to set up two-factor authentication on all your online accounts

7.2 How to keep software and devices updated

It is the responsibility of the employees to keep their devices and software up to date at all times. If you are unsure how to do this, there are several articles available here: Google Search

7.3 How to avoid phishing attacks, spam, scams, and other malicious threats

• Do not click links in emails that request update or clarification of information
• Always ring financial, government or other institutions if you are unsure that an email is legitimate or if they ask you for personal information
• Double check send email address before replying (look for miss-spelt web addresses that are close to correct)

Employees are required to read: Phishing Attack Prevention: How to Identify & Avoid Phishing Scams

7.4 How to identify a cyber-attack

Learning how to detect a Cyber Attack can be difficult, but there are several warning signs that include:

• Mysterious emails requesting sensitive or personal information OR requesting reader to click a link
• Unusual password activity
• Suspicious pop-ups
• Slower than normal networks and/or web speeds
• Out of date software
• Duplicate social media profile/s
• Suspicious social media posts with catch bait headlines that require user to click a link and leave platform

Employees are required to read: 5 Ways To Detect A Cyber Attack and remain vigilant at all times.

7.5 How to respond in the event of a security breach or cyber-attack

Contact the Chairperson immediately.

The Chairperson will contact the appropriate agency/web host/email host company to close down the company website.
Further information may be found at: Top 10 things to do when responding to a cyber security incident

7.6 Accountability

When public mistakes happen, and they do, Business SJ Inc. Secretary will investigate and follow the Business SJ Inc. disciplinary procedures as appropriate because every employee is essentially responsible for what they publish online.
But remember, to avoid embarrassment for yourself and Business SJ Inc. in the first place, all Business SJ Inc. employees should exercise both caution and common sense. They should do this whether posting on behalf of the Business SJ Inc. or on their own personal social media channels. Ultimately, it will be the Business SJ Inc.’s reputation that suffers for any breaches in conduct relating to what has been outlined in this policy.

7.7 Overall Policy Review

The Secretary has general responsibility for the quarterly evaluation and update of this social media policy for Business SJ Inc by means of adding it to the agenda.

7.8 Social Media Policy Agreement

All Business SJ Inc. employees, committee members, contractors and interns are confirming that they will comply with this agreement and that they confirm they understand the Business SJ Inc. social media policy.