An Internet Policy for Your Employees

6. Other Uses

6.1 Take particular care with networking sites and similar services.

Their informal nature may encourage employees to make defamatory comments for which you may be liable.

• Employees should not use these services to comment on your company or competitors or disclose any business information without the express written authority of a director.
• Set up an authorisation procedure for joining new services.
• Apply the same policy you use for email (see An email policy for your employees).
• Make sure employees know any communications they send will carry their (company) email address.
• Clearly define what you consider to be acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.

6.2 Generally, you should prohibit the use of online chat services and networking sites.

• Many companies now ban the use of networking sites and chat rooms altogether.
• You may wish to make exceptions in specific circumstances. For example, if the network administrator needs to join a technical chat room.
• Clearly define wat you consider to be acceptable and unacceptable usage.