Social media policy

Contents Who does this policy apply to? Use of brand and ownership Copyright and confidentiality IT policy What is a social media crisis? Why is social media crisis management important? What to do and who needs to know? Monitoring and preparation Lessons learnt Legal aspects

Who does the policy apply to? Everyone! No divide between personal/professional online Always consider yourself an ambassador of HelpAge online Add disclaimer as a precaution

Use of brand and ownership Consult with Digital team in London Share usernames and passwords

Copyright and confidentiality Respect proprietary information and content and confidentiality Acknowledge the source of content where possible

IT policy HelpAge IT policy also applies to social media: No use of , the internet or any other IT systems for publishing offensive, defamatory, racist, or abusive material on the intranet, HelpAge’s website and social networks channels.

What is a social media crisis? Puts HelpAge’s reputation and staff at risk: Negative comments or accusations about someone’s character, work or the organisation in general. BUT, not every negative comment or post is a crisis: Most can be answered quickly or if no value will be added by a response, simply avoided. If unsure, ask Sarah Marzouk Digital Communications Officer

Why is social media crisis management important? Can quickly spiral out of control Cause damage to our reputation So… Adhere to the policy Establish and follow a chain of command

What to do & who needs to know? Establish a chain of command Ensure people are reachable Share information with others on a need-to-know basis Respond quickly and keep updates flowing Don’t cover things up, apologise and make amends where possible The chain of command will be different in each office/region.

Who to contact? Inform the Digital Communications team in London as soon as possible: Sarah Marzouk, Digital Communications Officer: Caroline Dobbing, Digital Communications Manager: Jane Scobie, Director of Advocacy and Communications: You may need to inform local or London Human Resources team: Martha Newman, Head of Human Resources:

Monitoring and preparation Always monitor your brand, competitors' brands, your blog and events. Set up Google alerts on brand terms Save time and minimise risk by preparing posts: for example for ADA campaign Anticipate a crisis by preparing responses: for example an emergency we’re not responding to

Lessons learnt After the crisis: Make copies of all tweets, status updates, blog comments, s… Analyse website traffic patterns Where did the crisis break, and when? Where did it spread, and how? How did your internal notification work? How did your response protocol work? Did supporters rise to your defence? (If so, thank them!) Were your employees informed? Share with the Digital Communications team in London

Legal aspects Status updates are covered by libel and defamation laws: Libel is defined as “defamation by written or printed words, pictures, or in any form other than by spoken words or gestures”. Defamation law protects individuals or organisations from unwarranted, mistaken or untruthful attacks on their reputation. You could face legal repercussions and fines: If what you are saying is based on unfounded claims and damages someone's reputation, even if they are not named. You can also be sued for a tweet even after you have deleted it. Be careful! Think before you post. NB: Libel and defamation laws vary from country to country. Check what the laws are where you are.

More information Contact: Sarah Marzouk Digital Communications Officer