Written on the Subway Walls - On privacy & security on social media

My reaction when... 

Let me tell you a quick story -

During my senior year of college, I was taking a class about organizational culture. My professor started lecturing on the pros and cons of social media - especially if you're not careful about your privacy settings. She went on to share an example of a student who had written some - ahem - not-so-flattering commentary about the course on their personal Facebook.

Want to take a guess as to who that student was? 

This is where the concept of "social media (networking) security" comes into play. Networking security are the best practices we must implement in our use of social media in order to keep our personal information safe. In a business setting we use "social media policies" which are formal rules and guidance set down by an organization to protect employees, and the rights and interests of the company. Think of it as the "code of conduct" for online interactions. Check out the video from Social Media Manager Matt Winn of Volusion for more tips on building a social media policy. 

How to create the perfect internal social media policy -
Two Minute Tuesdays from Volusion

I've put together a few items that might helpful for developing your own social networking privacy. I've based my advice on the guidance Director of IT Policy at Cornell University, Tracy Mitrano, offered her son before he goes away to camp. This, and more, is captured in her article, "A Wider World" 

1. Maintain personal saftey

• Don't post information that could suggest you're vulnerable. Don't post "Going to Bermuda in a week!" on your public page - as this could make you a target for a break-in. 
• Be wary of who you "friend" - you should never accept a friend request from someone you do not know - even if you share mutual friends. 
• Don't overshare your personal data - information like birthdays, phone numbers, addresses etc could make you susecptable to idenity theft. 

2. Explore all the opportunities the camp (and the internet) has to offer - The internet is limitless in the amount of information - need instructions on how to make a basket from old magazines? Interested in King Richard's stance on boiled meat? You can find it online. But that doesn't mean everywhere is safe...

• Stay away from links that contain security risks, or ask you to download plugins, cookies, or other Software that aren't neccessary to run your program. These downloads could cause harm to your computer, and put your personal information at risk 
• Don't open emails, or messages that "don't look right". Your friend's accounts may have been hacked - leaving you at risk. Don't open links to the "newest diet craze" or from exotic princes looking for $5,000 loan :) 

3. Treat others how you want to be treated - If you can't say anything nice - don't say anything at all. This goes for both network security and social media policies.

• Refrain from racist, bullying and generally offensive comments and content. The National Labor Relations Board rules that "employers may encourage employees to refrain from making insulting remarks or engaging in hateful speech in social media" - but this is your reputation, and that of your company - act with caution. 
• Employers also have the right to "prohibit sexual harassment, workplace violence and threats of violence, sabotage and/or abusive and macious ativity" - in writing your own social media policies, be sure to do your research and understand exactly what the law covers, and what it doesn't. 

After reading a number of articles, and experiencing personally, what happens when you don't take care of your own privacy - this is a critial component to being able to use social platforms in the most effective way possible, for both you, and your organization.

Your privacy and security on social platforms is your responsibility. With all the changes, updates, and regulations, the amount of information can be overwhelming. You owe it to yourself to make sure you, your family, and your organization are protected.

As my mother would say, "Don't post anything you wouldn't want written on the bathroom walls!"
____________________

I've shared only a handful of overarching thoughts with you here. If you're interested in learning more about the specifics of social networking privacy, and social media organizational policies (and you should!) I encourage you to check out the following -

1. National Labor Relations Board Posts Template Social Media Policy
2. NLRB’S General Counsel Releases New Social Media Report Containing Much Needed Guidance on Lawful Social Media Policies
3. The NLRB Strikes Down Employer Policies on Social Media and the Confidentiality of Complaint Investigations

"The Business of Social Business"

OK - full disclosure - shamless plug :) 

As many of you know, I'm an IBMer (and a very proud one at that!) 

One part of IBM is our Institute for Business Value - which publishes thought leadership on a variety of topics, industries and emerging trends. 

Connected Generation -
The 2012 IBM Student Study

I've had the priviledge of working on a few of these studies - including the 2012 Student Study, Connected Generation, which is comprised of 3,400 interviews with college and university students from around the world. It's a short read - and a great resource for those of us Millennials just entering the job market - so I encourage you to check it out if you have a chance! 

An even more interesting study for this course in particular is the 2012 study,  "The Business of Social Business" - based on a survey of more than 1,100 businesses worldwide, and with more than 2 dozen recognized social business experts. 

The Business of Social Business -
What works and how it's done

The study addresses the question on every executive's lips - "how to we use social business to drive real value?" 

You can download the study for free following the hyperlinks in this entry. I know we're all doing a lot of reading already - but this study is based on survey responses from executives who are living through, and actively trying to understand, the value of social business. It offers a great perspective to suppliment the readings by the social-gurus Scott and Qualman. 


If you have any questions - please don't hesitate to reach out! And make sure you FOLLOW along so you don't miss any posts from The Digital Handshake! 

Did you miss it? Team 3's POV -

As Discussion Leader for week 4 – I’m tasked with writing a “wrap-up” entry – summarizing some of the big ideas / themes I’ve seen throughout the week. 

Given this is a social media class, I thought – what better way to say this than in 140 characters? Below is my takeaway from each of the blog posts.  

• On social media & job hunting – Michele Albanese 
• Transparency is key and it's no longer optional to not be online. Your digital presence is as powerful as your resume - we connect 24/7! 

• On Word of Mouth – Nash Choudhury 
• People power reigns supreme in the digitally connected age. Tune in & turn on - brands are no longer owned by the org - it's a conversation!

• On Buyer Personas – Susan Capalbo
• Who are they? What do they need? Do you know your consumer? Buyer Personas put a face to a demographic - a turning point from mass marketing

• On Online Communications (Discussion Forums) - Andrea Thomas
• Join the conversation or get left in the dust. There is such thing as bad publicity, brands must be tied into both good & bad conversation

 
Great work this week, keep up the conversations over the course of the class! 

Social Media - A Snapshot

Hi Readers! 

Some of you may have realized that I'm the Digital Leader for this week's discussion, and won't be posting a blog of my own. 

However - that doesn't mean you have to miss out on Team 3's point-of-view! 

• Interested in finding a job using social media? Check out the post by my teammate Michele Albanese -  Social Media vs Social Networking and How to Find a Job Using Them

• Word of Mouth & Social Media - what does it mean?! Read Nash Choudhury's post, Social Media Is The New Word of Mouth

• Not sure what a Buyer Persona is, and how it could help you? See Susan Capalbo's entry Buyer Personas 101

• Where to engage? Where to talk? Take a look a this post by Andrea Thomas, Should a business engage in online forums? 

Any questions - please don't hestiate to reach out to me, or the blog authors! 

Happy Sharing! 

The Strategic Communications Imperative - Week 3 Discussion

For any readers who are not a member of COM610 - you can read the article this discussion is based on HERE

__________________________

1. Please respond to Argenti, Howell, and Beck's (2005) characterization of communication as part of an organization's overall strategy. Do you agree or disagree? Please explain. 

The Strategic Communication Imperative
http://bit.ly/1aWvfVH 

Although this article is almost 8 years old, the study findings and analysis are still as relevant today as they were upon publication. The overarching umbrella of "Communications" (as a function) is absolutely critical to the success of an organization. As discussed by Argenti, Howell and Beck - communications isn't just one way, a push of generic messaging to constituents. It is a two way loop, and Communications is charged with not only collecting the feedback and commentary, but analyzing and interpreting it to make strategic recommendations for the business. All communications must be strategic in nature; designed to deepen or build relationships with key stakeholders. 

Steve Halsey, Principal and MD at Gibbs & Soell writes, "CEOs must make decisions based on the context of the market, and what they can do to make it more favorable for their business. It just so happens that listening to, interpreting and influencing market context are sweet spots of communications" (Halsey, 2012).

Not only do we see the importance of strategic communications in business - but take a look around - what graduate degree are we pursuing? A new program - Integrated Marketing and Communications. The demand for communications talent with business understanding and professional expertise has even influenced academia. It's very clear to me that Argenti, Howell and Beck's research was accurate - strategic communications is a vital component of an organization's management structure. 

2. How does this characterization apply to marketing, advertising, and other elements of IMC -- and even social media? 

The characterization of communications as a part of the organization's overall strategy suggests that all components of IMC need to be part of an overall strategy. Different companies will organize their M&C functions depending on their leadership. As mentioned in this week's readings, Jeremiah Owyang does an excellent job of describing some of the most common communications structures. To see the diagrams, and read more about Jeremiah Owyang's work - click HERE

Reposted from
http://bit.ly/1nIKioL
Click to enlarge 

The overarching point of all these articles is this - consumers are demanding transparent, two-way communications with brands. Without an IMC strategy, which includes senior leadership support, organizations are missing the opportunity to build lasting and profitable relationships with consumers. 

3. How can social media play a role in an organization's overall strategy? 

When I first started working in Communications, my friend Mauricio Godoy offered me some advice which I still reference to this day -

"People like brands who act like people - not people who act like brands" 

Brands have the opportunity to use social media to interact with consumers on a more personal level than using traditional channels. The ability to respond quickly and concisely to complaints, questions or feedback allows organizations to develop brand personas in ways that make them relateable to consumers, and more profitable to stake holders. Take a look at this infographic outlining some of the benefits of using social media for business 

4. How can we "align" each of IMC's elements and many social media channels to "enhance [our company's] strategic positioning"? 

Communications needs a seat at the table - and needs to be heard. 

Aligning IMC elements (which includes social media management) to support strategic positioning requires communications and marketing (depending on how your organization is structured) to be a part of executive level discussions about the future of the organization. 

For example - you wouldn't hold a meeting about layoffs without the CHRO, would you? Of course not - senior leaders need the expertise of the CHRO to analyze and understand the impact of their decisions on their employees. Same practice goes for Communications/ Marketing teams.

No one can discussion Communications better than the Arthur W. Page Society. In 2007 and 2013, they conducted "The CEO View" about the impact of communications on corporate reputation / citizenship. The first of the study's key findings were - 

"We see a shift in emphasis from defense to offense - CEOs in 2007 say the communications function largely as a way to fend off personal attackers and bad publicity. In 2013, they see more opportunity for our function to set agenda and build engagement across all stakeholders" (AWPageSociety, 2013). 

It's clear that open communications across functions, and within senior leadership, allows for IMC to be part of strategic discussions. Based on the strategies and objectives of the organization, IMC professionals can make recommendations about which channels / messaging / content can be shared, and with whom, to help enhance the overall positioning of the company. 

Sources / Citations 

Arthur W. Page Society (2013) "The CEO View: The Impact of Communications on Corporate Character in a 24x7 Digital World" Arthur W. Page Society Retrieved from http://www.awpagesociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/The-CEO-View-2013.pdf 

Halsey, S (2012) "Should a company's communications leader report directly to the CEO?" PRWeek. Retrieved from http://www.prweekus.com/should-a-companys-communications-leader-report-directly-to-the-ceo/article/251691/ 

Social Media - a Sunday Funday post

Happy Sunday! 

Hope you're all enjoying time with family and friends, gearing up to watch the Superbowl! (Go Giants... we'll get 'em next year....) 

As we get ready to start Week 3 on our blogs, I wanted two share two images I sometimes use during my Social Coaching sessions. At times, it's hard for folks to not only manage multiple platforms - but simply remember what each one is for! I share these photos with my coachees to (hopefully) bring a smile to their face, and help teach them what each network is primarly used for. 

Since many of the people I coach have families, they find these particularly useful when talking to their young, socially-savvy children! 

Hope these make you chuckle - and looking forward to continuing our discussions here on the blogs! 

Images shared from "Mission Imbloggable" - to see a full list of social media funnies - check out their article, "More of our favorite social media jokes"