Social Media Crisis Management:

 

Approximately, 4.57 billion people use the internet and about 4 billion of those use social media. This is why companies must think carefully about social media policies and crisis management plans. If negative or false information is shared about a company or confidential information is leaked, the results can be disastrous. In order to avoid a social media catastrophe, there are some best practices a company can utilize.

 

Corporate Communication Strategy

This is a vital piece of any crisis management plan as it will establish a communication channel with employees, customers, and stakeholders. When done properly, a communication strategy creates a more solid corporate structure and strengthens trust in leadership. To create an effective plan, a company must understand its stakeholders’ needs, desires, and thoughts about the business. If a company can identify any areas of misunderstand then it can use the communication strategy to correct the issues. If stakeholders feel their opinions are valued and are kept well-informed, the less likely they are to share their frustrations via social media.

 

Terms of Service (TOS)

Every social media platform has its own TOS comprised of policies, rules, and guidelines. The TOS states how the platform operates, what content is prohibited, and how to report a user that has violated the terms. Every company should be familiar with the terms of service so it knows how to seek the removal of content that is false or prohibited. It’s important for a company to actively monitor social media and report any violations immediately. The longer false information is on the internet, the more opportunity it has to be shared and downloaded.

 

Copyright

If a company finds content that violates its copyright, the first thing to do is send a copyright infringement notice. The Digital Millennium Copyright Ace (DMCA), 17 U.S.C. Sections 512, 1201-1332, gives internet service providers safe harbor from financial copyright liability if they adhere to statutory notice and takedown procedures. Internet service providers are required to have a system for copyright owners to report infringement and submit takedown requests.

 

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