Corporate social media use policy: Meeting business and ethical responsibilities

Abstract

Rapidly developing social media technology has made obsolete many corporate computer use policies. New types of policies need to be developed which address the blurring of the distinction between corporate and personal computing. The gradual change in whose smart technology is used, and how it is used in the service of employers needs to be controlled to promote possible positive effects for the employer and reduce potential negative issues. The development of these policies raises significant ethical tensions in potentially controlling and limiting employee rights. These changes in technological convergence add new ethical requirements for an adequate policy. The lines between "business ethics" and "personal ethics" intersect here, and the ethical foundations of these need to be articulated in developing and/or promoting these policies. A technique is suggested as a starting point for companies to use in addressing these new ethics requirements for adequate social media policies. © 2012 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing.