Social media policy template

1. Purpose

This policy helps employees of [Company Name] use social media responsibly. It protects confidential information, customers and colleagues, and makes clear who speaks for the Company in public.

2. Scope

It applies to all employees, trainees and interns, on personal and official accounts, public platforms, online review sites and messaging groups such as WhatsApp and Telegram. It covers any post that mentions or shows the Company, its people, customers or work, whether made during working hours or outside them.

3. Definitions

• Social media: any platform or app for publishing or sharing content, including networking sites, video sites, review sites, blogs and messaging groups.
• Official accounts: accounts run in the Company's name, listed at [Link or Location].
• Authorised spokesperson: [Designation or Team], the only people who may speak for the Company in public.

4. Policy: personal use

• Employees may hold and share personal views. When you mention your job, make clear that the views are your own.
• Never post confidential information: prices, unreleased products, financial results, customer names or orders, salary details, internal emails or screenshots of internal systems.
• Do not post photos or videos taken in restricted areas, or of customers, patients, students or children, or of colleagues without their consent.
• Do not post abusive, threatening or demeaning content about colleagues, customers or competitors.
• Do not review the Company's products, or a competitor's, without disclosing that you work here.
• Keep personal social media use during working hours brief, and never use your phone for it on the shop floor or while driving.

5. Policy: speaking for the Company

• Only the authorised spokesperson posts on official accounts or responds to the media and to public complaints.
• If you see a complaint or negative post about the Company, do not reply to it. Forward the link to [Social Media Team Email].
• You may share official posts from your own account. Any paid or incentivised promotion must be disclosed.

6. Procedure

• If you post something by mistake that breaches this policy, delete it and tell your manager or HR at once. Early reporting counts in your favour.
• HR and marketing review posts reported to them, speak with the employee, and may ask for a post to be removed.
• Serious breaches, such as leaking confidential information or abusing a colleague, are handled under the Disciplinary Action Policy.

7. Responsibilities

• Employees: think before posting and report posts that put the Company or colleagues at risk.
• Managers: set the example in team groups and escalate concerns rather than replying publicly.
• Marketing: run official accounts and handle public complaints.
• HR: explain the policy at induction and handle breaches fairly.

8. Exceptions

Nothing in this policy stops employees from discussing their own pay and working conditions with each other, raising concerns through lawful channels, or making a disclosure under the Whistleblower Policy.

9. Review

[Marketing Head Designation] and [HR Head Designation] review this policy every [12] months, because platforms, features and the ways employees use them change quickly.