When Dow Jones executives last week came out with guidelines describing how employees of The Wall Street Journal and other publications should use social media, they were lambasted for putting forward an approach that many saw as out of touch. Among the new rules were restrictions against promoting one’s own work and becoming Facebook friends with confidential sources.
But Dow Jones should be commended for even trying. Social media can catch businesses off guard if they are unprepared — witness Motrin’s belated attempt to make amends with offended mommy bloggers — yet most companies have not formalised their policies around it. While a limited number of savvy corporations are developing social media guidelines, most are still unsure what to make of conversational technologies such as Facebook and Twitter.
Fewer than a quarter of companies have formal polices dealing with the social web, according to a new survey by Deloitte. And just 17 per cent of companies surveyed have programmes to monitor and mitigate their brand’s online reputation.
“With the explosive growth of online social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, rapidly blurring the lines between professional and private lives, these virtual communities have increased the potential of reputational risk for many organizations and their brands,” said Deloitte chairman Sharon Allen. “While the decision to post videos, pictures, thoughts, experiences and observations is personal, a single act can create far reaching ethical consequences for individuals as well as employers.”
It’s true that some of the new Dow Jones rules seem a bit draconian. Lines like “Business and pleasure should not be mixed on services like Twitter” reveal a lack of subtlety in thinking about the way work and at-home personalities mix online, and in the real world.
But much of what is in the guidelines is common sense. Edicts such as “Never misrepresent yourself using a false name,” and “Base all comments posted in your role as a Dow Jones employee in the facts” should not trip up any Dow Jones journalist.
Guidelines aside, evidence suggests there is little companies can do to contain the growing use of the social web by employees. The Deloitte survey showed that 49 percent of employees wouldn’t obey social media guidelines even if their company had any. A separate study coming out Wednesday and conducted by Websense found that 30 per cent of C-level and director level staff are requesting access to social sites, with 62 per cent saying access to these sites is necessary for their businesses.
In short, companies are still confused about how to handle social media. Many are waking up to its power when it comes to interacting with customers and helping with PR. But they seem less willing to let their workforce at large have a voice in that conversation.
Dow Jones is ahead of most by even trying to get its head around the issue. But in this case, the irony is that by releasing conservative guidelines meant to minimise damage on the web, Dow Jones got pummelled by more forward-thinking critics.
That’s what happens when you mess with social media.
