This week I’m going to be covering concepts that revolve around social media security and policy. First you have to understand the definitions of these concepts.Social media network security: The concept of social media network security revolves around the idea of utilizing features that protect your valuable personal information. Following different tips and understanding how to use security features on different social media sites can improve your personal security.
Social media policy: Social Media policy is simply the rules and guidelines that govern social media use. Policy can be established by an employer with a corporate code that identifies guidelines for employees who use social media for personal and work related reasons (Rouse, 2011). In addition, policy by agencies such as the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), can protect the rights of employees to use social media websites.
Here are a few tips that I find important when it comes to social media security, policy, and privacy.
Security
Only accept/interact with people you are familiar with:
By accepting someone you don’t know, you provide them with large amounts of personal information. This information can easily be used to create fake identification, increasing the risk of identity theft from occurring.
Use caution when you click links:
Especially when they seem about a random topic and include links, treat these messages the same as you would with links in emails (Microsoft, 2014). If you’re ever in doubt. test the links on SiteAdvisor.com to view a site report. Never click on links that claim to show who has been viewing your profile (Siciliano, 2011).
Policy
Know and follow the rules:
Especially as a working professional, make sure you read your employer’s statement of ethics policy, following these rules with all your social media postings (Herrin, 2012). A good concept to follow is to always watch what you post, making sure everything is appropriate and respectful. Be fair to fellow associates, customers, members, and suppliers (Herrin, 2012).
Be honest and accurate:
Specifically important when using social media for business/marketing purposes, it is very important to exemplify integrity when posting on social media. Never post any information or rumors that you know to be false, making sure to always correct mistakes quickly (Herrin, 2012).
Privacy
Be cautious about applications that use your information: Very similar to accepting a strangers friend request, this would allow an unknown party to post to your wall. In addition, they can also solicit you with emails, and access your information at any time (Siciliano, 2011).
Protect your personal identity/personal life. Lock down with privacy settings: As of September of 2011, Facebook has continued to provide users with updated security options. Specifically, you should focus on securing your friends list, profile page, account, and privacy settings (Whittaker, 2011).
Overall, I have come across information that has both enhanced my prior understanding of social media use, as well as introduced me to new concepts. Prior to this week, I didn’t know about the protected rights of employees under the National Labor Relations Board. Employees have every right to use social media, as long as it’s used in a responsible way. By following the NLRB policy template, you can assure yourself that your social media use is completely legal. I now also think it’s even more important to always check your security settings. You may not know it, but social media sites may continuously be updating privacy features. It’s important to always make sure your security settings are up-to-date.
In addition, I now have a better understanding on accepting requests or follows from people I don’t necessarily know. The readings have made me realize that by accepting them into my network, I give them access to my personal life and information. If you’re unsure, it’s better to deny those people rather than accept.
Here's a short video I found that demonstrates a few tips and their importance!
References:
Herrin, B. (2012, June). Legalhimformation. Retrieved from http://www.legalhimformation.com/articles/pdfs/HIM2012-06.pdf
Microsoft. (2014). Safety & security center. Retrieved from http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/social-networking.aspx
Rouse, M. (2011, August). Social media policy. Retrieved from http://searchcompliance.techtarget.com/definition/social-media-policy
Siciliano, R. (2011, July 13). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://blogs.mcafee.com/consumer/15-social-media-security-tips
Whittaker, Z. (2011, September 04). September 2011: The definitive facebook lockdown guide. Retrieved from http://www.zdnet.com/blog/igeneration/september-2011-the-definitive-facebook-lockdown-guide/12641
Rouse, M. (2011, August). Social media policy. Retrieved from http://searchcompliance.techtarget.com/definition/social-media-policy
Siciliano, R. (2011, July 13). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://blogs.mcafee.com/consumer/15-social-media-security-tips
Whittaker, Z. (2011, September 04). September 2011: The definitive facebook lockdown guide. Retrieved from http://www.zdnet.com/blog/igeneration/september-2011-the-definitive-facebook-lockdown-guide/12641
Hi Pat,
ReplyDeleteI had no idea about the protected rights of employees under the National Labor Relations Board either. I find it interesting that some of the topics allowed to be talked about on social media are personal matters such as salary and working conditions (Collins, 2012). Yes, the rights are protected but is social media really the best forum for gripes about salary and working conditions? We all find the need to post the occasional complaint about a long day of work but should be mindful how detailed we get with our posts about clients, managers, colleagues, etc. as it could get in the hands of the wrong people.
The key takeaway is that “broad policies that substantially limit social media communications may violate Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which protects an employee’s right to engage in concerted activities for the purpose of mutual aid and protection” (Collins, 2012). This brings me to question employers who block social media sites from their employees’ computers. With the understanding that neither of us are lawyers, I wanted to get your thoughts if you think that it is unlawful to block these sites as it could violate the National Labor Relations Act? It is a fine line because employers have their own social media policies yet have to follow the National Labor Relations Act. Does your company allow access to social media sites and do they have a strict policy?
References:
Collins, Jillian M. (2012). NRLB Report: Employers' Social Media Policies Must be Narrow, Must not Restrict Right to Engage in Protected Activities. The National Law Review. Retrieved February 25, 2014 from http://www.natlawreview.com/article/nrlb-report-employers-social-media-policies-must-be-narrow-must-not-restrict-right-t.
Hey Meagan, I wanted to jump in on your question about social media usage at work. I have a bit of a unique situation in that social media often helps me do my job. I work in the Alumni Office at Marist College and social media outlets like LinkedIn and Facebook help me find and communicate with alumni. In addition, we have numerous official Alumni Office accounts that we use to communicate with alumni and share alumni stories. I try to keep my social media use mostly work related from 8:30 - 5 p.m. but I do have the access and ability to check my personal accounts quickly throughout the day as well.
DeletePat, I wanted to commend you on the structural and visual improvements to your blog. You did quite a bit of work on it since last week and it looks great! Great use of photos and videos to make it interesting!
ReplyDeleteYour post covered some really important and helpful tips for social media usage. The one that really stood out to me was “be honest and accurate.” Specifically, you referenced Herrin (2012) who said it was wise to watch what you post and make sure posts are appropriate and respectful. In researching for this week’s discussion, I came across an article about a girl who had been offered a job with Cisco and upon receiving the offer sent out the following tweet: "Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work" (Bennington, 2014, para. 3). Cisco discovered this tweet and promptly rescinded her job offer.
The articles we read this week regarding the National Labor Relations Act and Section 7 bring up some very difficult but important discussions. Employee use of social media can be scary territory for employers. “On one hand, you have the fear of disgruntled employees doing some serious company brand damage online. On the other, you have the risk of being sued for violating the National Labor Relations Act” (Bennington, 2014, para. 6).
I’d like to hear your thoughts on Cisco’s action of rescinding a job offer as a result of a status update. Did they take it too far or was this decision warranted?
References
Bennington, E. (2014). What to do when an employee violates your social media policy. Monster. Retrieved from http://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best-practices/small-business/social-media-trends/social-media-guidelines.aspx.
Herrin, B. (2012, June). Legalhimformation. Retrieved from http://www.legalhimformation.com/articles/pdfs/HIM2012-06.pdf
Meagan,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your response! I'm happy that I wasn't the only one surprised about the NLRB and their rules that protect employees rights when it comes to social media. To answer your question, I personally think it's unlawful for employers to block social media sites for employees. I believe it's important for employers to monitor what employees are saying on these sites, as they represent the company, but to block it would not be fair. Employees who can't handle themselves accordingly on these sites do not deserve top be with the company and should be reprimanded for inappropriate comments made on these sites! In my case, as a full-time student athlete (although it isn't a company), I have an obligation to use social media sites with responsibility. My tweets, posts, etc represent myself, team, and school. Even though this isn't true in my case, some schools even ban players from tweeting in general. At Louisville, Men's Basketball coach Rick Pitino has banned his players from tweeting, and if it was up to him, he wouldn't let them use any other social media forum ("Pitino, calipari on," 2014).
Source:
Pitino, calipari on different sides. (2014, February 20). Retrieved from http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10481852/rick-pitino-louisville-cardinals-sounds-social-media
Bobbi Sue,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the positive feedback about my visual improvements on my blog! Glad to know that it looks better now.
As far as your question goes, I think Cisco was right in their decision to take their job offer away from that employee who made that tweet. Why would Cisco still offer her the job when she publicly proclaimed she was going to "hate the work"? (Bennington, 2014). If she can't handle herself on social media before even being an official employee of the company, she would never be able to handle herself as an employee. As an employer, you want your employees to represent your organization positively with social media use. Since Cisco found her post, it would not make sense for her to still receive the job when she belittled the organization over social media. I'm sure there are many qualified candidates out there that would be happy to work for Cisco.
Source:
Bennington, E. (2014). What to do when an employee violates your social media policy. Monster. Retrieved from http://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best-practices/small-business/social-media-trends/social-media-guidelines.aspx.
I tend to agree with you, Pat. As Bennington (2014) mentions in her article, "status firings have become downright common" (para. 4). With access to social media so prevalent, a company’s image and brand can take a big hit if employees act inappropriately in a public forum. I think that if an organization has a clear social media policy, then they are well within their rights to reprimand or terminate employees who break the rules. I came across a great article that reviews 17 stories of people who lost their jobs for their social media activities: http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-fired-2011-5?op=1 Most stories just highlighted the stupidity of the user making it easy to understand why they had been fired. However, there were a few where you had to question if the businesses had overreacted.
ReplyDeleteReference
Bennington, E. (2014). What to do when an employee violates your social media policy. Monster. Retrieved from http://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best-practices/small-business/social-media-trends/social-media-guidelines.aspx.
Patrick,
ReplyDeleteI would first like to say that I found your blog layout to be very appealing and easy to read. Your video and images connected well with what you were saying and related to his content. Just as you and Meagan had brought up, I too, had no idea of the rights that protected employees as it pertained to social media use. I found it interesting that, as we have continued to integrate social media into our lives, it has become an integral part of many organizational policies. The point that really resonated with me is what you say about honesty and integrity. I feel that, in all aspects of social media, this aspect is incredibly important, especially for those who use social media networks on the behalf of any organization. As far as company communications practices, it is pertinent that any company be honest with the public and its constituents. However, tying into the previous comment about the company restrictions and protections under the National Labor Relations Board, it is important to keep in mind that not all honesty is appropriate. The situation with the potential Cisco employee, I feel, was handled in the best way possible. Rescinding the job offer saved the company from future grief as well as potentially negative press. If you are trying to obtain a job, the last thing you should do is openly complain about the company you are trying to work for. Perhaps this is why some companies do not allow social media use in the workplace. While I do not agree with it, and in no way think it is legal to remove this right, situations such as this make such policies seem reasonable.
Overall great job this week! Your blog looks great!
Hi Pat,
ReplyDeleteFor a while I was guilty of accepting friend requests from people I did not know. This was because as a business owner I like to network with people because you never know who you will meet and what connections they may have. Before I accepted them however I did make sure I went to their profile and got as much information about them as I could. Now, I have an inbox full of requests that I don't plan on approving at all. I think a part of that has to do with being a parent now as well. When you're young and "free" you don't care about things as much but when you get older and have children you feel like you have more to protect so you become more cautious about who you let into your world.
I too was unaware of the rights that employees had through the National Labor Relations Act. I worked in retail for years and one thing that was always expressed in orientations was that employees can not talk about their pay rates to one another and if they did it would be grounds for termination. After being introduced to sections 7 & 8 of the NLRA, I now know that is completely false. "Section 8 of the NLRA further reinforces employees' rights to discuss payment policies by making it an unfair labor practice to enact policies that prohibit employees from discussing their compensation packages or make any other effort to circumvent the organization and discussion rights" (Schnotz, n.d.).
Some companies have internet blocks so that employees can not visit certain social media websites. Do you think these blocks are necessary at all? Or do you think its dependent upon the industry that you work in?
Reference:
Schnotz, W. (n.d.). Federal laws for employees' right to share salary information with other employees. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/federal-laws-employees-right-share-salary-information-other-employees-12899.html
Hi Pat,
ReplyDeleteOne key item off your checklist that really resonated with me was being cautious about using applications that use your information. I never really got into Facebook applications (Farmville, anyone?) but, semi-related, what about applications on your mobile device? Often these are social media applications. If you ever read through the permissions these apps require in order to run, you may be more hesitant about using them. The often require access to your contacts, photos, and more. Sometimes this access is needed for basic app functionality, but it makes me question whether these apps are collecting data off your mobile device that aren’t actually needed to run it. You really need to monitor these applications, otherwise there’s no such thing as privacy!
Great post this week!
Lindsey