Social media policy for employees

Transcription

1 Scial media plicy fr emplyees Summary This plicy prvides guidance t emplyees f the Department f Human Services abut engaging in scial media. All emplyees are respnsible fr being aware f the plicy and understanding their respnsibilities arund using scial media in their prfessinal and persnal capacity. Key wrds Scial media, web 2.0, nline media, new media, scial sftware, Gv2.0. Overview and principles On-line cmmunicatin and new media tls are imprtant cmmunicatin channels that prvide the department with the pprtunity f engaging with the Victrian public directly. These tls can be used t infrm the cmmunity abut the department s services; t prvide infrmatin abut prgrams and t create new channels t pen up a tw-way cnversatin and cnsultatin, fr example n aspects f plicy develpment. The bjective f this plicy is t set the parameters fr the use f scial media, where it frms part f the emplyee s prfessinal respnsibilities; infrm emplyees f their respnsibilities, when using scial media in a persnal capacity and t manage risks assciated with the department s use f these tls. This plicy was develped t sit under the framewrk fr the Guidance fr the use f scial media in the Victrian public sectr released by the Public Sectr Standards Cmmissiner. It is essential that emplyees understand that cmments published via scial media platfrms are treated the same way as public statements and shuld be made by an authrised spkespersn in the same way that cmments are made in any public frum r t the media. The intentin f this plicy is t establish a culture f penness, trust and integrity in activities arund web 2.0. The bjectives f this plicy are cmpatible with the Cde f Cnduct fr Victrian Public Sectr Emplyees (N 1) 2007, the Charter f Human Rights and Respnsibilities Act 2006 and the Public Sectr Standards Cmmissiner Guidelines fr the use f scial media in the Victrian public sectr. Scpe This plicy applies t all emplyees (see definitin) f the Department f Human Services.

2 General respnsibilities as a public sectr emplyee Emplyees shuld be aware f and understand their respnsibilities under the Cde f Cnduct fr Victrian Public Sectr Emplyees (N 1) 2007 (VPS Cde f Cnduct). The fllwing sectins f the VPS Cde f Cnduct are particularly relevant t this plicy: Sectin 2.2 Remaining aplitical Sectin 3.2 Using pwers at wrk Sectin 3.4 Official Infrmatin Sectin 3.5 Public cmment Sectin 3.9 Public trust Sectin 5.3 Wrk resurces Sectin 5.4 Open t scrutiny Sectin 6.1 Fair and bjective treatment Sectin 6.2 Privacy and cnfidentiality Sectin 6.3 Maintaining cnfidentiality Sectin 6.4 Equity and diversity. Cmpliance Depending n the circumstances, nn-cmpliance with this plicy may cnstitute a breach f cntract f emplyment r ther cntractual bligatins, miscnduct (under the department's relevant discipline plicy), sexual harassment, discriminatin, r sme ther cntraventin f the law. Failure t cmply with the plicy may result in disciplinary actin and, in mre serius cases, may result in terminatin f emplyment. Identifying inapprpriate use Where an emplyee becmes aware f inapprpriate r unlawful n-line cntent that relates t the department, r cntent that may therwise have been published in breach f this plicy the situatin and circumstances shuld be reprted immediately t the department s Media Unit n telephne r via t media@dhs.vic.gv.au. Privacy breaches can als be reprted t the department s Crprate Integrity Infrmatin and Reslutins Unit n telephne r via t cmplaints.receptin@dhs.vic.gv.au. Definitins Scial media Scial media is the term used fr internet-based tls fr sharing and discussing infrmatin amng peple. It refers t user-generated infrmatin, pinin and ther cntent shared ver pen digital netwrks. Scial media may include (althugh is nt limited t): scial netwrking sites (fr example Facebk, Myspace, LinkedIn, Beb, Yammer) vide and pht sharing websites (fr example Flickr, Yutube) blgs, including crprate blgs and persnal blgs blgs hsted by media utlets (fr example cmments r yur say feature n theage.cm.au) July 2011

3 micr-blgging (fr example Twitter) wikis and nline cllabratins (fr example Wikipedia) frums, discussin bards and grups (fr example Ggle grups, Whirlpl) vd and pdcasting nline multiplayer gaming platfrms (fr example Wrld f Warcraft, Secnd life) instant messaging (including SMS) ge-spatial tagging (Fursquare). Scial media als includes all ther emerging electrnic/digital cmmunicatin applicatins. Emplyees In this plicy, emplyees include permanent staff and executives, cntractrs, temprary staff and students n placements. Statement f plicy Prfessinal use f scial media Becming authrised t cmment Befre engaging in scial media available utside the department as a representative f the department, emplyees must becme authrised t cmment. Emplyees may nt cmment unless authrised t be a representative spkespersn f the department. T be authrised t cmment r be an authrised spkespersn, emplyees must have the explicit apprval f the Directr f Cmmunicatins. Rules f engagement Authrised representatives must: disclse that they are an emplyee/cntractr f the department, and use nly their wn identity, unless authrised t use an apprved fficial accunt r avatar disclse and cmment nly n infrmatin classified as public dmain infrmatin ensure that all cntent published is accurate and nt misleading and cmplies with all relevant departmental plicies and ther relevant requirements ensure they are nt the first t make an annuncement (unless specifically given permissin t d s) cmment nly n their area f expertise and authrity ensure cmments are respectful f the cmmunity in which they are interacting nline adhere t the terms f use fr using the scial media platfrm r website, and adhere t legislatin including cpyright, privacy, defamatin, cntempt f curt, discriminatin, harassment and any ther applicable laws, and the department's Privacy Plicy. Authrised representatives must nt: pst r respnd t material that is ffensive, bscene, defamatry, threatening, harassing, bullying, discriminatry, hateful, racist, sexist, infringes cpyright, cnstitutes a cntempt f curt, breaches a curt suppressin rder, r is therwise unlawful July 2011

4 use r disclse any cnfidential r secure infrmatin cmment r pst any material that might therwise cause damage t the department's reputatin r bring it int disrepute. Mderatin f department prduced scial media The Department f Human Services site wner r accunt hlder must ensure a clear and unambiguus the mderatin plicy is in place when inviting public cmments t a departmental website r scial media platfrm. All departmental website activity (including any scial media) must be apprved by the department s Cmmunicatin Cmmittee.Fr infrmatin abut the authrisatin prcess cntact the Manager, Web and Design Services, Cmmunicatin Branch n telephne Persnal use f scial media Overview This plicy des nt t discurage nr unduly limit emplyees using scial media fr persnal expressin r ther n-line activities in their persnal life. Emplyees shuld be aware f and understand the ptential risks and damage t the department that can ccur, either directly r indirectly frm their persnal use f scial media and shuld cmply with this plicy t ensure that the risk is minimised. Emplyees are persnally respnsible fr cntent published in their persnal capacity n any frm f scial media platfrm. When in dubt, emplyees can seek guidance frm the department n hw t cmply with the fllwing bligatins. T avid breaching this plicy emplyees must: nly disclse and discuss publicly available infrmatin ensure that all cntent published is accurate and nt misleading and cmplies with all relevant departmental plicies and ther gvernment requirements expressly state that stated views are persnal and are nt representative f the department r the gvernment behave plitely and respectfully adhere t the terms f use fr using the scial media platfrm r website, and adhere t legislatin including cpyright, privacy, defamatin, cntempt f curt, discriminatin, harassment and any ther applicable laws, and the department's Privacy Plicy. Emplyees must nt: pst material that is ffensive, bscene, defamatry, threatening, harassing, bullying, discriminatry, hateful, racist, sexist, infringes cpyright, cnstitutes a cntempt f curt, breaches a Curt suppressin rder, r is therwise unlawful imply that they are authrised t speak as a representative f the department r the gvernment, nr give the impressin that the views expressed are thse f the department r the gvernment use the identity r likeness f anther emplyee, cntractr r ther member f the department use their department address r any department r Victrian Gvernment lgs r insignia that may give the impressin f fficial supprt r endrsement f their persnal cmment use r disclse any cnfidential infrmatin r persnal infrmatin btained in their capacity as an emplyee r cntractr f the department July 2011

5 pst material that is, r might be cnstrued as, threatening, harassing, bullying r discriminatry twards anther emplyee r cntractr f the department cmment r pst any material that might therwise cause damage t the department's reputatin r bring it int disrepute. Reasnable and unreasnable persnal use When accessing scial media via the department's Internet, intranet and extranet systems, emplyees must d s in accrdance with the department s Acceptable Use f Cmputer Services Plicy, which requires emplyees t use these resurces reasnably, in a manner that des nt interfere with wrk, and is nt inapprpriate r excessively accessed. Examples f reasnable use include: re-tweeting cntent frm the VicGvDHS accunt n a persnal Twitter accunt accessing and psting cmments n the Human Services netwrk within Yammer (micrblg service) participating in wrking grups n the VPS Hub (whle f Victrian gvernment intranet) updating Facebk status and psting messages during a lunch break. Departmental resurces shuld nt be used t access r pst any material that is fraudulent, harassing, threatening, bullying, embarrassing, sexually explicit, prfane, bscene, racist, sexist, intimidating, defamatry r therwise inapprpriate r unlawful. Emplyees shuld nt use the department s Internet and cmputer resurces t prvide cmments t jurnalists, pliticians and lbby grups ther than as authrised in the curse f their fficial duties. It is nt acceptable t spend time using scial media that is nt related t yur wrk unless it ccurs in yur wn time (fr example during meal breaks) r at times acceptable t yur line manager. Guidance fr navigating legal issues The fllwing is ffered as general guidance t assist emplyees in cmplying with the bligatins set ut in this plicy. When in dubt, emplyees shuld seek further guidance frm the department. Privacy, cnfidentiality and infrmatin security Emplyees shuld nly use persnal infrmatin btained in the curse f yur emplyment r engagement with the department in a manner cnsistent with the department's Privacy Plicy and Infrmatin Security Classificatin Plicy. Users shuld nt publish r reprt n cnversatins r infrmatin that is deemed cnfidential r classified r deals with matters that are internal in nature. Client persnal infrmatin shuld nt be made available n scial media unless express cnsent has been btained frm the client in relatin t the use and disclsure f their persnal infrmatin. Fr mre infrmatin n psting material nline (in the public dmain ), refer t the Infrmatin Security Classificatin Plicy and Standards sectin n Infrmatin Security Classificatins. Cpyright Emplyees must respect cpyright laws and fair use f cpyrighted material. All emplyees are expected t attribute wrk t the riginal authr r surce wherever pssible. Harassment and bullying The department s Anti Bullying and Wrkplace Cnflict Plicy applies bth n-line and in the physical wrkplace July 2011

6 Wrkplace bullying and harassment includes any bullying r harassing cmments emplyees make n-line, even n their wn private scial netwrks r ut f ffice hurs. Abusive, harassing, threatening r defaming pstings are in breach f the Psitive and Fair Wrkplaces - Wrking Well Tgether Package, and may result in disciplinary actin being taken. All emplyees are expected t treat their clleagues with respect and dignity and must ensure their behaviur des nt cnstitute bullying and/r harassment. Defamatin Emplyees are t refrain frm publishing material that may cause injury t anther persn, rganisatin, assciatin r cmpany's reputatin, and shuld seek further legal guidance if publicatin f such material is thught t be necessary. Offensive r bscene material Material may be ffensive r bscene and may infringe relevant nline classificatin laws if it is prngraphic, sexually suggestive, harassing, hateful, racist, sexist, abusive r discriminatry. Cntempt f curt All emplyees must exercise care if referring t pending curt prceedings t avid publishing material that may have a tendency t prejudice thse prceedings, in particular, material that will nt be part f the evidence in thse prceedings. It is recmmended that all emplyees make enquiries as t any applicable curt suppressin rders prir t cmmenting n any curt prceeding (whether past r pending). Related dcuments Cde f Cnduct fr Victrian Public Sectr Emplyees Guidance fr the use f scial media in the Victrian public sectr Infrmatin Security Classificatin Plicy and Standards Psitive and fair wrkplaces: wrking well tgether package DHS Recrds Management Plicy Acceptable Use f Cmputer Services Plicy Privacy Plicy Health Recrds Act 2001 Prcedure fr respnding t web breaches f emplyee and client privacy. Related legislatin Charter f Human Rights and Respnsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) Infrmatin Privacy Act 2000 (Vic) Public Administratin Act 2004 (Vic) Equal Opprtunity Act 2010 (Vic) Plicy Status This plicy was endrsed n 9 August This plicy is effective frm 9 August July 2011

7 This plicy is endrsed by: The DHS Cmmunicatin Cmmittee. Mdificatin and Review The date the plicy is due fr review n greater than tw years frm the date f endrsement. The Cmmunicatins Branch, Department f Human Services is respnsible fr reviewing this plicy. Further Infrmatin Cntact the Manager, Web and Design Services, Cmmunicatins Branch, Department f Human Services telephne fr further infrmatin abut this plicy. This dcument has been reprduced and adapted frm the Department f Justice - Scial Media Plicy This wrk is licensed under a Creative Cmmns Attributin Nn-cmmercial Share Alike 2.5 Australia Licence July 2011