A Model Dealership Policy for Social Media and its Uses

A Model Dealership Policy for Social Media and its Uses

The advent of social media has opened many new doors for communicating with customers, but dealers are well advised to remember that these new forms of staying in touch need also to be monitored for compliance with state and federal advertising and employee relations laws. WANADA recommends the following guidance policy for regulating social media usage within a dealership.

Employee Guidelines on Using Social Media

The company recognizes that with the advent and popularity of various internet-based social media such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, blogs, and the like, employees may be using such media to communicate in their daily lives. This policy is designed to establish the parameters of using social media while employed with our company. Please observe the following:

· Employees may not engage in online social networking activities while in the course and scope of employment or using company computer systems, cell phones, or other company property.

· Employees must never advertise or offer for sale any of our products or services in a social media forum. Doing so could expose the employee and the company to serious legal consequences, including violations of federal and state law. If you are involved in advertising or selling our companys services and products, this activity should only be done through the companys internet, computer or other authorized communications system or forum and only as authorized by the general manager. If you have any questions about this aspect of our policy, please see the general manager or the owner.

· Social media activities are subject to the companys policies regarding protection and confidentiality of company and customer information, and unlawful discrimination or harassment. For example, employees may not disclose private customer information or proprietary company information through social media outlets. Similarly, employees may not unlawfully harass or discriminate against fellow employees, vendors, or customers using social media. Please refer to the companys policies on confidential and proprietary information as well as the policy prohibiting unlawful harassment and discrimination.

· Employees should be mindful not to disclose the private information of their co-workers.

· Employees should take care in how they represent themselves in a social media forum and avoid making defamatory, fraudulent, harassing, discriminatory, or other unlawful statements about co-workers, the company, the companys competitors, or the companys customer or vendors, as such activity could lead to discipline up to and including termination of employment as well as personal liability.

· When using social media, employees are prohibited from representing the company or representing that they speak on behalf of the company. Employees should not use the trademark, logos, or copyrighted materials of the company or its clients or customers. Employees must also make clear in any online activity that the views and opinions they express about work-related matters are their own and have not been reviewed by the company, and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the company. The company prohibits employees from listing their company email address unless the social network site is one created and maintained by the company for company business.

· Employees may not use social media to compete with the companys products or services.

· If you are contacted by a member of the media in a social media forum and asked to comment about the company, please refer the request to the general manager or owner of the company for handling.

· Employees should expect compliance monitoring and that any information created, transmitted, downloaded, exchanged or discussed on any social media may be accessed by the company or any third party at any time without prior notice. Remember, anything posted on the internet or in a social media forum may be accessible by anybody else.

Nothing in this policy is intended to and should not be interpreted as violating an employees rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

If you have any questions about this policy, please consult the general manager.