While Working
Contributing to Social Media Accounts
We have quite a lot of social media accounts, across multiple networks and for multiple products. We encourage everyone to share on these networks and accounts when they have something interesting to say! Posting to social media shouldn't happen so often that it gets in the way of other work (unless your work is social media, of course). Generally, if something is worth sharing on one social media account for one product, it's likely to be worth sharing on all the accounts for that product.
All social media account credentials are held in the company password management system. All social media accounts should be using two-factor authentication.
Post Quality
Any social media posts made on company accounts should be polite, non-discriminatory and non-inflammatory. Posts should use correct spelling and grammar wherever possible (we do sell spelling and grammar checking services!), and we should always be conscious of the readability of the things we share.
Interacting with Customers
Sometimes customers (or non-customers) are hostile on social media. As a general principle, it is usually better not to engage publicly with attacks or accusations. At most, the public response to something aggressive should acknowledge an issue is being investigated and handled privately, or to direct the poster to contact support through normal channels.
If you make a mistake in a post, especially if it is in response to a customer, make sure you correct it in the same way it was made. For example, if you make a mistake in a tweet, make sure the correction is in a tweet as well.
While Not Working
You are free to run your own personal social media accounts, of course, outside of work. We do not want to restrict anyone's freedom to criticise, complain, vent, rage or make jokes. However, if you associate your personal social media with the company publicly then your posts will reflect on the company publicly. So, different rules will apply depending on whether or not you associate your personal account with the company.
If you include the company name or the name of one of the company's products in your social media bio or other highly visible spot, you are associating it with the company for as long as that associating text remains. If you post about joining or working for Added Bytes (or one of our products) on your personal account, you are associating it with the company for as long as that post remains among your most recent 20 posts.
In All Circumstances
- We expect you to respect the privacy of customers and colleagues. If sharing pictures or stories related to customers or colleagues, we ask that you seek their permission before posting.
- Standard contractual and legal obligations related to non-disclosure, privacy, copyright and so on still apply.
- We consider information such as financial and operational details to be confidential company information.
If Associated With Added Bytes
- We would expect you to maintain a similar standard of speech to that which is expected in work. If you wouldn't say it to a colleague, you probably shouldn't say it online.
- Racial, ethnic, sexual, religious, and physical disability slurs and attacks will not be tolerated.
- Political statements are fine, political attacks may not be. As a rule of thumb, saying something like "Ingsoc lied about Eurasia" is probably fine, saying "Ingsoc want to kill the poor" probably isn't.
- If you are unsure if something is acceptable, please check with your manager before posting.
- We may retweet things from your personal account, if you are associated with Added Bytes, but will always ask your permission before doing so.
Policy Breaches
With any potential breach of our policies, the following process will be put into motion. The process will be handled as confidentially as possible, only involving people directly involved with the breach or with relevant information to the investigation.
- The person or people involved may be asked to take temporary remedial action while the breach is being investigated (e.g., we might ask someone to delete a tweet that is the subject of a complaint until we've had a chance to make a decision about it).
- The breach will be investigated. The person or people involved will be asked to give their version of events, with any supporting evidence they wish to have considered.
- The company representative will evaluate any statements and evidence provided and make a decision whether or not a breach took place and what disciplinary action is appropriate.
- The company decision and any disciplinary action deemed to be appropriate will be explained to the affected employee(s) and handled in accordance with our, and their, contractual obligations.
- There is an option to appeal whatever decision and disciplinary action was taken. If an appeal is requested and appropriate, that appeal may involve requesting an opinion from an independent person outside of the company.
