Futab Wednesday by Katy Warner
For Employers
One area where many companies are lacking is their social media policies. A significant number of companies do not have them at all, which leaves them vulnerable to problems with employees & clients.
Every company needs a social media policy regarding what their employees can say online. Your employees will feel more secure if they know their dos & don’ts. Without such a policy, you & your employees will be uncertain if an employment contract violation has occurred or what the proper response should be if you disagree with an employee’s statement on the internet. If your policy is too broad, you risk violating the National Labor Relations Act & losing your employees’ respect.
A properly drafted social media policy will protect your company’s reputation & it will show that you respect your employees’ rights to express themselves. You want your employees to talk about your brand online. They can be your best advocates and spokesperson on social media sites. However, your policy must be carefully drafted to protect your interests while respecting your employees’ rights to free speech.
Texting in the Park by Tom Bream
For Schools
Children are more technologically advanced than ever. It is common for students to come to school with cell phones & possibly laptops & iPads. This raises a lot of questions for schools.
- Can students use their cell phones on school property during school hours? What about before & after school?
- Can a student be punished for bullying another student via text messages or posts on social media websites during school hours?
- How can we police student activities on social media websites that occur during school hours?
- If a student violates the school’s cell phone policy, can the school confiscate the phone for the remainder of the school year?
- Should students be able to access social media websites using the school’s computers?
Cell phones & the internet are tools, & they need to be used properly. In school, the focus should be on learning & character development. The school’s policies regarding cell phones & social media should reflect these goals.
According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, 10% of students age 12-18 are bullied every week. Perpetrators & victims of bullying have an increased risk of depression & suicide. Every school should also be aware of the pervasiveness of bullying & taking steps to combat & prevent it in the school environment.
Too many children have died because of bullying. We will draft your school’s social media policy & empower your staff to enforce it. We embrace technology & are mindful of the risks of allowing cell phones & internet access in schools.
