Okay, first of all, this, because it’s definitely worth the minute or two to read through, especially after we’ve been reading all of these corporate blogging policies. Honestly though, even if this was made in jest, it isn’t so far off of the real thing.
Anyway, now on to the actual assignment….
All three companies I picked, Yahoo, the BBC, and Thomas Nelson (a publishing company) had certain policies they all agreed on.
• Employees should not break the law in the context of their blogs, and if they do, they will be held individually accountable as opposed to the company itself
• Bloggers should avoid attacking others, especially colleagues
• Do not write about confidential company information
• If in doubt, ask a manager before posting it in a blog
In some cases, two of the policies would be the same.
• Consult a manager if approached by the media about something in your blog before making any statements (Yahoo and BBC)
• Inform a manager if you have a blog that contains work-related content (Yahoo and BBC)
• Blogging on company time is acceptable within reason (BBC and Thomas Nelson)
• Include a disclaimer (BBC and Thomas Nelson)
Interestingly, each set of guidelines had its own unique parts as well.
• Correct representation of facts (Yahoo)
• Supporting facts in an argument (Yahoo)
• Allowing private feedback (Yahoo)
• Avoid promoting either side in current affairs to maintain impartiality (BBC)
• Use your real name to establish credibility (Thomas Nelson)
• Try to update frequently, or at least consistently (Thomas Nelson)
The common policies seem to represent good blogging practices in general, especially since the three companies I chose were all very different from each other. Mostly common sense stuff: don’t break the law, if you do the company is not responsible, don’t write inflammatory things about other people or divulge company secrets. These kinds of things are normal blogger etiquette and should be paid special attention to in the workplace, since the contents of a blog is associated not only with the individual, but also the company. Even despite a disclaimer statement that can protect the company from legal ramifications, people will still associate the blog with its company, which can harm their reputation.
The unique policies reflect the purpose of blogging in each company. Yahoo is more concerned with correctly representing facts and seeming credible, reflected by its unique guidelines that encourage research before posting and making well thought-out posts that give insight and explanation. BBC on the other hand seems more concerned with maintaining the fact that it is an impartial source of news. Requiring a disclaimer and instructing employees to consult a manager before dealing with a media source indicates their concern for how blogs associated with their company may affect their credibility as a neutral corporation. Their policy also has a specific section discouraging employees from siding on issues in their blogs. Thomas Nelson wants its employees to blog, and has links to employee blogs in order to give customers a better idea of what goes on in their company. This is why their policy encourages frequent and regular updating, as well as using an actual name.\
My “Best Practices” list
• Use your common sense
• Don’t break the law
• Be polite. If you absolutely have to criticize something or someone, be civil about it, and try to justify yourself with research that backs up your opinion
• Include a disclaimer, and remember that you’re responsible for what you write
• Don’t divulge sensitive company information
• If in doubt, don’t post it, or at least consult a manager
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