OT: Corporate Blog Policies

["Chiusano Joseph" <chiusano_joseph@bah.com>]

[If anyone is aware of a fairly recent XML-DEV thread on this topic, please let me know - I did not find one through searching the archives]

 

Happy New Year All,

 

The purpose of this message is solicit thoughts/experience/advice regarding corporate policies on blogging. I'll start from the top:

 

I have long thought about starting a blog, and decided that I would not do so unless I was 100% clear on my company's policy regarding employee blogging. I did some internal research (PR, Legal, etc.), and found out that my company does not yet have any policy on blogging (which is not surprising as we are primarily a consulting firm rather than a vendor).

 

So I have decided to write my company's blog policy - and then filter it through Legal, PR, and various other internal resources prior to being published.

 

So my general question is: What are some things that people believe should be taken into account in such a policy? (please note that this is not the same as asking for your own employer's policy - please do not divulge any proprietary information here or directly to me).

 

For example, the following questions/considerations come to my mind:

 

- Should employees be encouraged/allowed to state their corporate affiliation in their blog?

- What if an employee states a position in a "hot" area (such as SOA) that - even if unintentionally - conflicts with the corporation's message for that area?

- What if such a position conflicts with another employee that is writing on the same topic in their own blog? (i.e. can such things be realistically monitored?)

- Should employees be required to place a uniform disclaimer on their blog that states "The opinions here are of my own..." etc.

- What types of "violations" (if one may use that term) can be considered so severe that they should lead to termination of an employee?

- How does one balance between rights such freedom of speech, and the need of a corporation to put forth a consistent, solid message?

- Any others?

 

Thanks so much,

Joe

 

Joseph Chiusano

Associate

Booz Allen Hamilton

 

700 13th St. NW, Suite 1100

Washington, DC 20005

O: 202-508-6514 

C: 202-251-0731

Visit us online@ http://www.boozallen.com