Associations Now Interview
How to Create a Social Media Policy That Protects Your Association
December 2, 2020
Associations Now
GKG Law Principal Katie Meyer was interviewed for and quoted in the Associations Now article "How to Create a Social Media Policy That Protects Your Association," which published on December 2. The article covers the legal issues that can arise with social media use and the importance of having strong social media policies for volunteers and employees.
While many are concerned with posts misrepresenting the view of the association, Meyer said people often overlook the legal issues that can arise from inappropriate posts.
“You have defamation, where people aren’t thinking and are stating something that is untrue about a person or a competitor,” Meyer said. “Confidentiality can be a problem. If employees or board members don’t understand what is confidential, sharing that online can create liability.”
Having a good social media policy in place can help those posting for associations promote the organization and its initiatives without causing harm. The social media policy should include who can post on an association’s accounts, what they’re able to post, and how employees and board members should post when using their personal accounts.
“For employees, this has been a big issue, not only what to do in a professional capacity, but what to do in a personal capacity,” Meyer said. While employees, volunteers, and board members can express opinions, it must be clear that they are, in fact, representing themselves and not the organization.
The article can be seen in its entirety here.