Social Media Policy for ALPFA Staff, Leaders and Volunteers

Transcription

1 Empowering Latino Leaders Social Media Policy for ALPFA Staff, Leaders and Volunteers alpfa.org

2 Introduction: At ALPFA, our mission is to empower and develop Latino men and women as leaders of character for the nation in every sector of the global economy. We believe that, in business, respect and acceptance lead to responsible dialogue and engagement. It is incumbent upon us, as leaders of character with a vision for the future of America, to treat ALPFA members, partners and fans with such respect. Online collaboration platforms have fundamentally changed the way professionals work and engage with each other. There are so many opportunities to connect, promote and amplify the message of ALPFA, to engage current members, and attract new members and partners. We must prepare ourselves and our members to deliberately and strategically utilize these resources to expand awareness of our brand and increase our influence in a way that accelerates the fulfillment of our mission. ALPFA is increasingly exploring how online discourse through social media can empower us as a professional association of Latino global thought leaders. These individual interactions represent a new model: not mass communications, but masses of communicators: 2

3 MANY VOICES ONE ALPFA ALPFA is increasingly exploring how online discourse through social media can empower us as a professional association of Latino global thought leaders. These individual interactions represent a new model: not mass communications, but masses of communicators: Through these interactions, ALPFA's greatest asset the expertise and value of our members can be shared with other members, partners and potential new members to continue to grow the association toward our goals. Therefore, it is very much in ALPFA's interest and for each ALPFA representative (staff or volunteer) to be aware of and participate in this sphere of information, interaction and idea exchange: To learn: As a professional association dedicated to empower and develop leaders of character, we believe in the importance of open exchange between ALPFA officials and its members, partners and among the many constituents of the emerging ecosystem for learning. Social media is an important arena for organizational and individual development, not only through traditional learning, but by modeling best practices of professional leadership and community building. To contribute: ALPFA, as a professional association, as an innovative role model for other associations, and representing the fastest-growing demographic of American society, makes important contributions to the world, to the future of business and technology, and to public dialogue on a focused range of societal issues. Because our activities provide transformational insight and high-value innovation for business, government, education, healthcare and nongovernmental organizations, it is important for ALPFA and its official representatives to share with the world the exciting things we're learning and doing together. 3

4 Prior to 2014, ALPFA had no public or private social media strategy, yet we recognized its importance and so took active steps to determine not only industry best practices for professional membership associations, but also for ALPFA and our members in particular. We now advocate for the responsible involvement of our official representatives and members in this rapidly growing environment of relationship, learning and collaboration in a very public medium. ALPFA Social Media Guidelines Note: these best practice guidelines should be followed whether you are sharing information about ALPFA on a branded account or via your personal social media pages, particularly if you identify yourself as an official representative or leader. Know and follow ALPFA's Rules of Ethical Conduct, Bylaws, ALPFA s Brand and Identity Guidelines, and these Social Media Guidelines. ALPFA Corporate Accounts Know and follow ALPFA's Rules of Ethical Conduct, Bylaws, ALPFA s Brand and Identity Guidelines, and these Social Media Guidelines. Official representatives of ALPFA are personally responsible for the content they publish on-line, whether in a blog, social media site or any other form of user-generated media. Be mindful that what you publish will be public for a long time. Protect your privacy and take care to understand a site's terms of service. Perception of your integrity is on the line. Be who you are and identify yourself. Be aware of your association with ALPFA in online social net works. If you identify yourself as an official representative of ALPFA, ensure your profile and related content is consistent with how you wish to present yourself to colleagues and other professional contacts. This includes your name and, when relevant, your role at ALPFA, when you discuss ALPFA-related matters. You must make it clear that you are speaking for yourself and not on behalf of ALPFA unless express permission is granted to do so. Claim your own voice and use a disclaimer. If you publish content online relevant to ALPFA in your personal capacity even on a site that may be generally deemed as the use of your personal voice (such as Facebook) it is best to use a disclaimer such as: "The postings on this site are my own opinions and don't necessarily represent ALPFA's positions, strategies or opinions." OR My updates (tweets, opinions, etc.) are my own for those sites with limited field size. Maintain your silence. If you publish content online relevant to ALPFA in your personal capacity even on a site that may be generally deemed as the use of your personal voice (such as Facebook) it is best to use a disclaimer such as: "The postings on this site are my own opinions and don't necessarily represent ALPFA's positions, strategies or opinions." OR My updates (tweets, opinions, etc.) are my own for those sites with limited field size. 4

5 Detailed discussion of the Guidelines ALPFA's Rules of Ethical Conduct, Bylaws, our Brand and Identity Guidelines and these Social Media Guidelines, as well as recognized courteous behavioral norms provide the foundation for ALPFA's policies and guidelines for blogs and social media. The same principles and guidelines that apply to ALPFA members activities in general apply to activities online. This includes forms of online publishing and discussion, including blogs, wikis, file-sharing, user-generated video and audio, virtual worlds, social networks, et al. As is our custom, ALPFA fully respects the legal rights of our members no matter where they are. In general, what you do on your own time is your affair. However, activities that adversely affect your ALPFA membership standing, paid or volunteer job performance, the performance of others, or ALPFA's legitimate business interests are a proper focus for corporate policy. ALPFA Social Media Guidelines ALPFA regards blogs and other forms of online discourse as primarily a form of communication and relationship among individuals. When ALPFA wishes to communicate publicly as an organization, whether to the membership, to partners, or to the general public-we have established means to do so. Only those officially designated by ALPFA have the authorization to speak on behalf of the association. Your Personal Account: Speak in the first person. Use your own voice; bring your own personality to the forefront. ALPFA-branded Account: Speak in the corporate voice using ALPFA, ALPFA [Chapter], or We. Local ALPFA Chapter account presence and activity should align not only with the mission of ALPFA, but also with their local community and leadership. ALPFA Corporate Accounts will be maintained on all social networks deemed strategically relevant to be reasonably accommodated and managed. No chapter, leader, member or other representative of ALPFA, nor anyone without any association with ALPFA may create, maintain or manage an ALPFA-branded online presence (with the normal exceptions of professional affiliation depicting their formal role, for example indicated as a professional or volunteer experience on a personal LinkedIn profile) without express written permission from the Brand Office. ALPFA believes in encouraging "trust and personal responsibility in all relationships. As an association, ALPFA trusts and expects ALPFA members to exercise personal responsibility whenever they participate in social media. This includes not violating the trust of those with whom they are engaging. ALPFA representatives should not use this media for covert marketing or public relations on behalf of ALPFA. If and when members of ALPFA's staff or volunteer representatives engaged in advocacy for the association have the authorization to participate in social media, they should identify themselves in their official role or capacity. 5

6 Display integrity and principled leadership ALPFA is about developing confident yet humble leaders who passionately pursue the betterment of themselves and their community. Statements and updates posted from ALPFA branded corporate accounts not aligned with our mission will cause a lack of trust damaging to the reputation of the association. We are a professional membership association whose mission is to empower and develop Latino men and women as leaders of character for the nation in every sector of the global economy. If the topic of conversation is not in alignment with that mission for example, about politics, religion, or personal lifestyle choices it is typically best to speak for or keep your opinions to yourself. If you do speak for yourself, it is of paramount importance to protect the reputation and credibility of the association, that you clearly identify you are expressing personal opinion. Damaging misstatements and avoidable errors often go viral and are difficult if not impossible to retract. Also, if you speak about other organizations you must make sure that what you say is factual and that it does not disparage them. Avoid unnecessary or unproductive arguments. Brawls may earn traffic, but nobody wins in the end and you may negatively affect your own, and ALPFA's, reputation in the process. Don't try to settle scores or goad others into inflammatory debates. In all other areas of public discussion, make sure that what you are saying is factually correct. Be thoughtful about how you present yourself in online social networks. The lines between public and private, personal and professional are blurred online. By virtue of identifying yourself as an ALPFA member or official representative within a social network, you are now connected to the community of members, ALPFA staff and leadership, and even partners and supporters. You should ensure that content associated with you is consistent with your interest at ALPFA. If you have joined ALPFA recently, be sure to update your social profiles to reflect ALPFA's guidelines. If you have any confusion about whether you ought to publish something online, you should consult ALPFA s Brand and Identity Guidelines and Social Media Guidelines. Pay particular attention to the published guidelines about proprietary information, avoiding misrepresentation, and use of voice. If, after checking published guidelines, you are still unclear as to the propriety of a post, it is best to refrain and seek the advice of a senior member of your leadership team. ALPFA s Chief Branding Officer has ultimate responsibility for the development and publication of best practices and guidelines. Be who you are. We believe in authentic transparency and honesty. When discussing topics relevant to ALPFA, you must use your real name, be clear who you are, and identify how you are affiliated with ALPFA. If you have a vested interest in something you are discussing, be the first to point it out. But also be smart about protecting yourself and your privacy. What you publish will be around for a long time, so consider the content carefully and also be judicious in disclosing personal details. 6

7 Protect ALPFA s Members, Partner and Vendors Use a disclaimer. "The postings on this site are my own opinions and don't necessarily represent ALPFA's positions, strategies or opinions." OR The opinions and positions expressed are my own and don t necessarily reflect those of ALPFA. OR "The postings on this site are my own opinions and don't necessarily represent ALPFA's positions, strategies or opinions." OR My updates (tweets, opinions, etc.) are my own for those sites with limited field size. Even when you are talking as an individual, people may still perceive you to be talking on behalf of ALPFA. If you blog or discuss topics related to ALPFA, be upfront and explain that you are an ALPFA member or official representative. For instance, in your own blog, the standard disclaimer should be prominently displayed. Whenever you publish content for any form of digital media that is not as an official ALPFA spokesperson, make it clear that what you say there is representative of personal views and opinions, and not necessarily the views and opinions of ALPFA. If a site does not afford you enough space to include this full disclaimer, you should use your best judgment to position your comments appropriately. If you publish content online relevant to ALPFA in your personal capacity even on a site that may be generally deemed as the use of your personal voice (such as Facebook) it is best to use a disclaimer. Leaders and executives take note This standard disclaimer does not by itself exempt ALPFA leaders and executives from a special responsibility when participating in online environments. By virtue of their position, they must consider whether personal thoughts they publish may be misunderstood as expressing ALPFA positions. It is critical, therefore to include a disclaimer to any content that may be polarizing or controversial in nature. An executive should assume that all members will read what is written. Public forums are not the place to communicate ALPFA policies to ALPFA members. 7

8 Maintain your silence. Protect confidential and proprietary information. Social media blurs many of the traditional boundaries between internal and external communications. Be thoughtful about what you publish-particularly on external platforms. You must make sure you do not disclose or use ALPFA confidential or proprietary information in any online social media platform. ALPFA confidential and proprietary information may include information regarding the development of systems, processes, know-how and services. Additionally, internal reports, policies, procedures or other internal association-related confidential communications should not be posted. Don't provide ALPFA's or a partner's or vendor's confidential or other proprietary information to anyone or post anywhere Never discuss ALPFA business performance or other sensitive matters about business results or plans publicly, including by writing, posting, audio, or video. Don t post information about a person or another organization unless you have the right to do so, taking into account intellectual property and privacy concerns. For example, ask permission before posting someone's picture in a social network or publishing in a blog a conversation that was meant to be private, whether or not you disclose who you were speaking with. Some topics relating to ALPFA are sensitive and should never be discussed, even if you're expressing your own opinion and using a disclaimer. For example, you must not comment on, or speculate about things like ALPFA's future business performance (including upcoming quarters or future periods), ALPFA's business plans, unannounced initiatives, potential mergers, or similar matters involving ALPFA's competitors. This applies to anyone including conversations with the press or other third parties (including friends). If you're unsure of the sensitivity of a particular subject, seek advice from ALPFA staff or leaders before talking about it or simply refrain from the conversation. ALPFA policy is not to comment on rumors in any way about these issues. You should merely say, "No comment" to rumors. Do not deny or affirm them (or suggest the same in subtle ways), speculate about them or propagate them by participating in "what if"-type conversations. 8

9 Respect copyright and fair use laws. For ALPFA's protection and well as your own, it is critical that you show proper respect for the laws governing copyright and fair use of copyrighted material owned by others, including ALPFA's own trademarks, copyrights and brands. You should never quote more than short excerpts of someone else's copyrighted work. And it is good general practice to link to others' work. Keep in mind that laws will be different depending on where you live and work. ALPFA partners or vendors should not be cited or referenced without their approval. Externally, never identify a member, partner or vendor by name without permission and never discuss confidential details of an engagement. If developed and deployed, internal social media platforms may permit partners and vendors to participate so be sensitive to who will see your content. If a person hasn't given explicit permission for their name to be used, think carefully about the content you're going to publish on any internal social media and get the appropriate permission where necessary. It is acceptable to discuss general details about kinds of projects and to use non-identifying pseudonyms for a person (e.g., Client 123) so long as the information provided does not make it easy for someone to identify the person or violate any non-disclosure or intellectual property agreements that may be in place with them. Be thoughtful about the types of information that you share, which may inadvertently lead others to deduce which member, partners and vendors that you are working with. This might include travel plans or publishing details about your current location or where you are working on a given day. Furthermore, your blog or online social network is not the place to conduct confidential business. Respect your audience and other ALPFA members. Remember that ALPFA is a national professional association whose members and partners reflect a diverse set of cultures, customs, values and points of view, even within the U.S. Don't be afraid to be yourself, but do so respectfully. For example, if you are blogging on an ALPFA-owned property, focus on subjects that are related to business and leadership, topics that further our mission. Avoid controversial or polarizing topics that do not further the mission of ALPFA. This includes not only the obvious (no ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity, etc.) but also proper consideration of privacy. Be thoughtful about the types of information that you share, which may inadvertently lead others to deduce which member, partners and vendors that you are working with. This might include travel plans or publishing details about your current location or where you are working on a given day. Furthermore, your blog or online social network is not the place to conduct confidential business. 9

10 Add value. ALPFA's brand is best represented by its people and everything you publish online reflects upon the association. Blogs and social networks that are ALPFA-owned domains or branded accounts should be used in a way that adds value to ALPFA's brand and reputation. If it helps to improve knowledge or skills for you, other ALPFA members or potential members; if it contributes directly or indirectly to the improvement of ALPFA's brand and presence; if it builds a sense of community; or if it helps to promote ALPFA's values and/or furthers ALPFA s mission, then it is adding value. It is best to stay within your sphere of expertise and whenever you are presenting something as fact, make sure it is a fact. Privacy should always be a consideration. Though not directly organization-related, background information you choose to share about yourself, such as information about your family or personal interests, may be useful in helping establish a relationship between you and your readers, but it is entirely your choice whether to share this information. When you see misrepresentations made about ALPFA by media, analysts or by other bloggers, please report your concerns to the Brand Office or cc the Chief Branding Officer. Please review the situation with the Brand Office or the Chief Branding Officer so that a united communication and strategy can be developed. Be the first to respond to your own mistakes. If you make an error, be up front about your mistake and correct it quickly, as this can help to restore trust. If you choose to modify content that was previously posted, such as editing a blog post, make it clear that you have done so. Use your best judgment. Remember to always use good judgment and common sense in deciding what you publish. If you're about to publish something that makes you even the slightest bit uncomfortable, review the suggestions above and think about why that is. If you're still unsure, and it is related to ALPFA business, feel free to discuss it with ALPFA staff or leaders. Ultimately, however, you have sole responsibility for what you post to your blog or publish in any form of online social media. Please direct all questions, comments, corrections or concerns to the brand office. Lori Ruff Chief Branding Officer ALPFA, Inc Association of Latino Professionals For America (646) social@national.alpfa.org Engage with us on LinkedIn at joinalpfa.org See us in action at ALPFA.tv Read & Share Aha Messages at alpfalibrary.org 10