Why should the policy for blogging be different from the 
policy for any other form of communication, for example mailing to 
xml-dev?
 
Michael Kay
http://www.saxonica.com/



  
  
  From: Chiusano Joseph 
  [mailto:chiusano_joseph@b...] 
Sent: 06 January 2006 
  03:53
To: xml-dev@l...
Subject: [xml-dev] OT: 
  Corporate Blog Policies


  
  [If anyone is 
  aware of a fairly recent XML-DEV thread on this topic, please let me know - I 
  did not find one through searching the archives]
   
  Happy New Year 
  All,
   
  The purpose of 
  this message is solicit thoughts/experience/advice regarding corporate 
  policies on blogging. I'll start from the top:
   
  I have long 
  thought about starting a blog, and decided that I would not do so unless I was 
  100% clear on my company's policy regarding employee blogging. I did some 
  internal research (PR, Legal, etc.), and found out that my company does not 
  yet have any policy on blogging (which is not surprising as we are primarily a 
  consulting firm rather than a vendor). 
   
  So I have decided 
  to write my company's blog policy - and then filter it through Legal, PR, and 
  various other internal resources prior to being published.
   
  So my general 
  question is: What are some things that people believe should be taken into 
  account in such a policy? (please note that this is not the same as asking for 
  your own employer's policy - please do not divulge any proprietary information 
  here or directly to me). 
   
  For example, the 
  following questions/considerations come to my mind:
   
  - Should employees 
  be encouraged/allowed to state their corporate affiliation in their 
  blog?
  - What if an 
  employee states a position in a "hot" area (such as SOA) that - even if 
  unintentionally - conflicts with the corporation's message for that 
  area?
  - What if such a 
  position conflicts with another employee that is writing on the same topic in 
  their own blog? (i.e. can such things be realistically 
  monitored?)
  - Should employees 
  be required to place a uniform disclaimer on their blog that states "The 
  opinions here are of my own..." etc.
  - What types of 
  "violations" (if one may use that term) can be considered so severe that they 
  should lead to termination of an employee?
  - How does one 
  balance between rights such freedom of speech, and the need of a corporation 
  to put forth a consistent, solid message?
  - Any 
  others?
   
  Thanks so 
  much,
  Joe
   
  Joseph Chiusano
  Associate
  Booz Allen Hamilton
   
  
  700 13th St. NW, Suite 1100
  Washington, DC 20005
  O: 202-508-6514  
  C: 202-251-0731
  
  Visit us online@ http://www.boozallen.com