FULL DISCLOSURE

I completed a quick online Social Media training session at work today and it was well worth my time.

 

Did you know... ???

• 4 in 6 active Internet users visit social networking sites
• 67% of people talk to others more online than they do in real life (really?!)
• Over half of 200 million users regularly access Twitter through a mobile phone
• Every 2 seconds someone signs up for a Linked In account

 

My big take-away from the training...

"Regulatory Agencies mandate that individuals disclose their affiliation with a brand/company anytime they post a comment/review about the company's products/services."

 

Although I generally steer clear of social media comments on specific RIM products/services, I may have recirculated comments from others with a "like" or "retweet". To be on the safe side, I decided to add a disclaimer on the sites I regularly use. This proved to be more difficult than anticipated because I wasn't sure exactly where to post this disclaimer on each site.

 

Here's how I added a disclaimer to my sites:

Twitter: Profile -> Bio

Facebook: Profile -> About > About You

Google+: Profile -> Introduction

Linked In: Profile -> Groups & Associations (I was really at a loss on this one, finally decided to fudge it in here)  

 

Final thoughts:

1. Remember that anything written in social media is permanant and searchable. Respect your audience, be smart and be kind.
2. You are responsible for what you post. Imagine your boss or grandmother looking over your shoulder - would it be ok for them to see what you're about to post?
3. Use common sense.