...
| Expand |
|---|
| title | Copyright and Fair Use |
|---|
|
Respect copyright and fair use laws. When citing the work of another person or organization, professional bloggers, like journalists, will use proper attribution as well as a link (if applicable). Trademarks such as logos, slogans, and digital content (art, music, photos, etc.) may require permission from the copyright owner. It is your responsibility to seek that permission if you intend to use any such trademarked content. |
| Expand |
|---|
| title | Proprietary Information |
|---|
|
Caution! Confidential or proprietary University information or similar information of third parties should not be shared publicly on these social media channels. Use ethical judgment and follow University and federal requirements, such as HIPPA. Visit supolicies.syr.edu for more information. |
| Expand |
|---|
|
Be honest about your identity. If you choose to post about VPA on your personal time, please identify yourself. Never hide your identity for the purpose of promoting VPA through social media. |
...
| Expand |
|---|
|
We all make them. When you do, correct them promptly. |
Starting Something New
If your area/class/group within VPA would like to use social media, first consider whether or not it is the right channel to accomplish your goals. If it is, check to make sure your area/class/group doesn’t already have an existing account that you can use. Once you have an account, be familiar with these guidelines to minimize any potential inconsistencies/degradation to our brand values. It is our hope that all VPA social media sites:
- have a particular goal/mission
- have a particular audience in mind
- have a strategy for keeping information up-to-date and a process to ensure ongoing activity
- have a process for measuring success
- have cover/profile imagery/icons that are aligned with the VPA brand*
So that all accounts either maintain relevance and timeliness or are closed, it is suggested that all accounts have no less than two administrators. If students create and/or assume responsibility for accounts, there should be several students from different years listed as administrators and/or a faculty/staff administrator.
Any outgoing administrator should be replaced by another who will succeed the remaining administrators so there is consistency in the maintenance of the account.
If and when any account becomes inappropriate, irrelevant and/or unkempt, VPA will take actions to remove the account to avoid irreparable damage to the college/brand.
*To obtain branded profile images for your account, contact Erica Blust, esblust@syr.edu.
Handling Negative Posts
When you’ve developed a vibrant social media community, it’s inevitable that you’ll get some negative posts. Most of these posts, handled well, create an opportunity to strengthen your community by solving a problem or generating a good discussion. Some may require a team response. Here’s an overview of what to do.
| Expand |
|---|
|
It’s important to be calm, thoughtful, and strategic when dealing with a negative post. The person who wrote the post is often upset and may have launched a personal attack; never respond in kind. Take the time to consider whether and how to respond. |
| Expand |
|---|
|
Make sure you know the facts and current University policies and procedures related to the post. Contact a supervisor in the affected area. He or she may have handled similar issues before and can help you craft a response. In some cases, you may want to send an e-mail to the person who wrote the post to get additional facts. |
| Expand |
|---|
| title | Sympathize; consider whether to apologize |
|---|
|
Often people who are upset simply want to know their complaint has been heard. Saying “I’m sorry that you’re unhappy. How can I help?” can go a long way toward turning a complaint into a conversation. An apology conveys that the University has done something wrong. If you, your supervisor, and the supervisor of the affected area agree that a mistake was made, then an apology is appropriate. |
| Expand |
|---|
| title | Consider going offline |
|---|
|
In many cases, the person who wrote the post will be willing to talk with you if you provide your work email address. This is important to preserve people’s privacy or to get all the facts before finding a resolution. If you and the person work out a solution, consider whether to add a post that you successfully resolved the situation. |
| Expand |
|---|
|
Social media depends on conversations to thrive. And one of social media’s great strengths is its ability to help identify issues. It’s good practice to thank people for their posts, even if their post is a complaint or otherwise negative. Use judgment here—you don’t want to thank someone for posting something that violates community guidelines—but saying thanks is a way to underscore VPA’s commitment to personal attention and civil discussion. |
| Expand |
|---|
|
Sometimes social media posts are so brief that they can be misunderstood. Make sure your intent is clear. You also may want to be sure you understood the intent of the person who posted. If the person seems really upset or the topic is sensitive, you may want to do this offline. |
| Expand |
|---|
|
Often a broad, hostile statement draws no attention at all. Keep an eye on it, and if no conversation develops, leave it alone. You may want to contact the person privately to see if you can provide assistance. |
| Expand |
|---|
|
Frequently, other members of your social media community will spontaneously rise to the University’s defense with counterarguments and useful information. Allow time for this to happen. |
| Expand |
|---|
| title | Use the channel’s rules |
|---|
|
Every social media channel—Facebook, YouTube, etc.—has rules in its Terms of Service regarding hate speech, harassment, and similar attacks. Cite these rules when you remove such posts and, if necessary, block repeat offenders. |
| Expand |
|---|
| title | Post your own code of conduct |
|---|
|
When the option is available, place a disclaimer on your social media networks that describes your own code of conduct and what you may do if broken. (See VPA’s Facebook page as an example.) |