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Telstra Lays Down Law On Social Media
Kerrieanne writes to tell us that Australian telecommunications giant Telstra has become the first major player down under to lay down the law with respect to social media. Still recovering from the shakeup surrounding a Telstra worker using the name of the communications minister on Twitter, they have released a six-page set of guidelines on the use of Facebook, Twitter, and other similar websites for both company and personal use. "Under the guidelines, which are backed up with the threat of disciplinary action, employees using sites on official Telstra business should disclose who they are, ensure they do not give away confidential information and treat other users with respect. They are required to complete an accreditation process and undergo training to update their 'knowledge on emerging social trends and evolving best practice in social media.'"
TVEITPAMOADNNRTVOME
(The views expressed in this post are mine only and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer)
Sincerely,
Hugh Jackman (Mrs.)
"They are required to complete an accreditation process and undergo training to update their 'knowledge on emerging social trends and evolving best practice in social media.'"
So does this mean that trolls are going to be getting certified now?
A bullet may have your name on it but splash damage is addressed "To whom it may concern."
... that Telstra even understand the term social-networking!
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'knowledge on emerging social trends and evolving best practice in social media.'
Soooo... some 56 year old CEO who regularly asks questions like, "Have you heard of these two new sites, 'Tweets' and 'Twitter'?" is going to ask his best 47 year olds (the hip kids) to form a committee to write the official company policy so they can tell the 24 year old kid, who has been using social media for nearly half his life, about the best practices in social media?
Man, that sure is some big, clankin' hubris you got there, old man. You may well be giving Steve Ballmer a run for the "head stuffed furthest up one's nethers" prize.
How 'bout this: Telstra announced that they would be forming a committee of 23 year olds to explain to the executives what social networking is.
I'm closer to the old guy than the young gun, but lets face it - the kids are the ones who are defining this disruptive technology. Discount them at your peril.
Stop-Prism.org: Opt Out of Surveillance
Problem is Telstra tries to "lay down the law" when it comes to personal use on your own time at home!
I know it's a bit much to ask you to RTFA, but please, can you at least read the summary? Emphasis mine:
"Under the guidelines, which are backed up with the threat of disciplinary action, employees using sites on official Telstra business should disclose who they are, ensure they do not give away confidential information and treat other users with respect.
There's this bit:
If the employee refers to Telstra, they are expected to identify themselves as an employee of the company and ensure they do not imply they are authorised to speak on Telstra's behalf.
...which I'm reasonably sure was intended to apply mostly in cases where an employee refers to Telstra AND in doing so mentions they're employed by Telsra. It's pretty standard/common for corporations to require that- and I know a couple of friends who do it anyway just to cover their asses. Sucks, but...even if you're 100% in the clear, all it takes is one complete idiot who THINKS you're somehow speaking on behalf of the company, and you're in the unemployment line.
Honestly, this is more enlightened than most companies, which haven't addressed these issues and thus employees have no idea what is expected of them. If they don't like it, they can either unionize or find some other way to earn a living.
Please help metamoderate.
Stephen Conroy once had sex with a horse.
Time to reveal my real identity......
I am stephen Conroy, Please vote for me in "biggest douche in the universe" I really need to beat John Edwards.
Australia is predominantly female.
Obviously
Telstra think their employees are always on the clock - as shown by a court case over the unfair dismissal of a Telstra employee that got up to sexual activities after an offsite staff Christmas party in February 2007 (Telstra can't do anything on time - not even a Christmas party). The two men involved were given nothing but a talking to and the woman involved was sacked - I'm sure the imported manager would have made her wear a scarlet letter if he could since it the false dismissal ruling was appealed all the way to the high court which would have cost into seven figures.
I think that not being allowed to speak freely about your company on your own time is a sign of a power imbalance.
Any company that has to censor its employees when they're at home is either dysfunctionally paranoid or has something to hide.
Just think of how many people have to use AC just to post on /.
Companies that censor their employees naturally have nothing but good PR...until they get caught hiding something.
A company that can have a healthy respect for self criticism is likely to be better off anyway.
Of course, with desperate workers not having much room to negotiate, companies are happy to consolidate their power and use their leverage to keep their workers sheared like sheep.