Spelled out here in an article by Neville Hobson in today's Web Pro News. Which points to IBMer James Snell's blog where he has posted the IBM guidelines. He notes that IBM today posted on its intranet an exhortation to its 320,000+ employees to consider blogging. Courtesy of James, you can download the guidelines as a 6-page PDF. Download IBM's Blogging Policy & Guidelines as a PDF. Notable highlights:
- "IBMers are personally responsible for their posts. Be mindful that what you write will be public for a long time -- protect your privacy."
- "Identify yourself -- name and, when relevant, role at IBM -- when you blog about IBM or IBM-related matters. And write in the first person. You must make it clear that you are speaking for yourself and not on behalf of IBM."
- "Don't cite or reference clients, partners or suppliers without their approval."
- "If you publish a blog or post to a blog and it has something to do with work you do or subjects associated with IBM, use a disclaimer such as this: 'The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent IBM’s positions, strategies or opinions.'"
Makes a ton of sense to me. I've been advising clients exactly the same thing. An employee who has a blog independent of the company Web site should still identify himself or herself as an employee of XYZ corporation. Oh, and blogs are never "private." Don't kid yourself. They are always public Web pages (unless password protected or behind a firewall).
Useful Links
Article about IBM's blogging initiative in the Silicon Valley Watcher
Sun Microsystems Policy on Public Discourse
Microsoft's Employee Blogging Guidelines
Groove Networks' Weblog Guidelines
Forrester's Charlene Li on Corporate Blogging Policy
Thomas Nelson Publishers Corporate Blogging Guidelines (Draft #2)
www.b2bmarketingpodcast.com have a good interview with an SVP of Sun Microsystems on this very issue. Her attitude is very refreshing and Sun's employees are clearly trusted to be responsible. So far they've had zero incidents, so trust appears to pay dividends.
Posted by: Ian Harkins | February 28, 2007 at 05:09 PM
How do you effectively stifle your employees' tentative interest in the exciting potential of blogging?
Well, just write a dreary 3000+ word rule book and post it on your web site, without any graphics, in a full screen width, single column of dense text resembling the small print on a contract.
IBM may have it's blogging heart in the right place, but it evidently knows nothing about communication or basic web design.
Posted by: David Waller | March 27, 2007 at 10:31 AM
Words of wisdom. I didn't know that they had that many employees - that's a LOT.
Posted by: rverse phone lookup | August 24, 2010 at 05:02 PM
What person can say that communication is not important? absolutely nobody, I think that all new technologies that make reference to the communication is a major breakthrough. come a day when everyone will have access to the Internet and unimaginable signals.
Posted by: Impotence causes | October 06, 2010 at 05:18 PM