Bart Lazar Published in Information Today
"Drafting Social Networking Policies"

Bart Lazar's article, "Drafting Social Networking Policies," was published in the May 2010 issue of Information Today. In his article, Bart discusses the care that employers need to take when implementing social media guidelines. According to Bart, employers should make clear whether an employee is permitted to blog about the company, and there should always be transparency when an employee is authorized to blog on behalf of an employer. Bart notes that the reason for this stems from the endorsement guidelines that were enacted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), effective December 1, 2009. Bart explains that "While the guidelines primarily relate to media statements made by celebrities, consumers, and experts, the FTC was also concerned about employers who engage in 'astroturfing,' or having employees write fake grass-roots support for their company's products or services."

According to the article, employers should pay close attention to several concerns: 1) that they follow guidelines that the FTC has expressed regarding employee blogging, 2) that employees who blog on behalf of the employer are well-trained in company policy, and 3) that employees who are not permitted to blog on behalf of the employer are trained to use appropriate notifications and disclaimers. Bart concludes, "By developing and enforcing proper social networking policies by employees, an employer can prevent potentially significant liability and loss to its goodwill."