In our workshops and trainings, we stress that social media is best viewed as a conversation — an honest, friendly, transparent exchange between you and your target. We stress that, unlike traditional marketing, social media must not be controlled (it simply can’t). It must be reacted to.
The Associated Press proved this point the hard way last week. According to a Mashable article, the AP created a strict social media policy that prohibits employees from revealing their opinions about religion, politics, or other “contentious issues” on their personal social media accounts. The policy also suggests that employees remove postings from friends that “violate AP standards,” without defining what those standards are and how they relate to social media.
Why the AP imposed these guidelines is obvious: the higher-ups fear the mix of personal and professional content in social media could compromise the organization’s journalistic objectivity. But what happens when a news organization limits free speech by attempting to control what its employees say? Doesn’t that compromise just as much, if not more?
Already, the AP is feeling backlash from its employees. It’ll be interesting to follow how the AP adjusts its policy, and if this conflict affects how people (especially bloggers) view the AP in the months to come.
For more information, read Mashable’s article on 10 must-haves for social media policies.
