Should you take down a blog post?

Over at Robert Scoble and Shel Israel's The Red Couch they're talking about whether you should remove a blog post once it's up. I usually think in terms of "self censorship" (i.e. I don't like something after I've written it and want to change it). But they're referring to a company asking an employee to remove a post deemed "inappropriate" in some way. Which begs the question of developing Corporate Blogging Guidelines. Interesting discussion. Waddya think?? When I say "click that comment" link below I mean it.

Note the string of posts about this topic on The Red Couch. See here and here.

Comments

[Brett]

Guidelines are just a must for anything "corporate". I think good old common sense should rule the blogger when they are blogging about their company. Ragardless of the disclaimers a blogger might have in place about how their opinions are not...blah, blah... Any negative comments will have a direct impact on the company. For example, there was blog up a couple of days ago from an Apple employee about the Genius Bar at Apple stores. Although it was informative and interesting, it was very negative. In just four posts (the blog has since be taken down) Apple lost at least one future customer, me, if I believe what was posted and that the blogger was an Apple employee. Either way, damage was done. Would guidelines stop such a blogger...no. But if they were in place and an employee violated them, at least the consequences of breaking those guidelines would be known. From the company's perspective, they need guidelines for their own protection. I think Microsoft's Guidelines are clear and simple, but I wonder how long it will take for the legal system and lawyers turn 9 simple rules into a 90 page document. Maybe the recent Apple case is already starting us down that road.

[Wayne]

Always preserve the original post and use notations to show where changes are made. The only exception would be if there were serious legal consequences. A company needs to carefully select its Bloggers. More importantly, select the right Blog manager. People that will be cautious with 3rd party info and proprietary information. Finally, I don't feel there is enough discussion about one particular Scoble rule. When it comes to corporate blogging "If your life is in turmoil or if you are unhappy, do not write!"

[Kari Chisholm]

I agree... guidelines are good, censorship is bad. As always, when speaking in public for your employer the rule is simple: Don't Get Fired.

Over at Politics & Technology, I published a set of guidelines for elected officials that blog. Good advice for CEOs, too. (click my name for the link.)

My favorite one? "Don't post when you're exhausted, sick, angry, or drunk. Blogging is easy, instant, and forever."

(And hey, Debbie, how about enabling HTML for your comments? It *is* the internet; links are good.)

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