Are Social Media Policies the answer to conduct issues?

A recent story about a police officer in Pleasantville who posted some vile comments on his personal Facebook page got me to thinking once again about the importance of social media policies for police agencies.

I’ve said it many times that I don’t see the importance of creating a unique social media policy to deal with conduct issues. I know that sounds a little crazy, but here is my reasoning.

Social media platforms are in simplest terms, communication tools that provide different channels for sharing information. I’m going to guess that each and every agency has policies in place for dealing with communications. Computers, phone, fax, in person are all forms of communication that have governing policies, so why not just add social media to those existing policies?  That seems to me the easiest way to help govern the use of social media platforms.  Evidence, investigations, information sharing, conduct are all governed already.  Any specific issues relating to those breaches in the social space are covered.  So is a specific social media policy required?

The logical answer is no. The blanket legal answer is yes. If you think you need a specific policy, then create one.  But, from the dozens and dozens of social media firings, suspensions and discipline issues that I’ve seen over the last few years, I have never once seen social media as the problem.

Conduct is the problem.

No matter how many times you tell someone, “Don’t do anything stupid” stupid still occurs. That is a personnel problem, not a social media policy problem. If you have personnel breaching conduct policies, then you have an HR problem, not a social media problem.

Training

First and foremost, training is an issue that needs to be addressed. Sure we all know how the tools work in their basic form. What seems to be lacking for many is the intricacies of the tools. The awareness of how they really work on the deeper levels. If you are allowing your personnel to use the tools, then you have a responsibility to train your personnel properly.

Personal v Professional

There is no such thing in law enforcement or government employment as personal vs professional. You are always seen as your employment first. Just because the 1st Amendment protects speech, it doesn’t protect you from saying stupid things as a person and not have it reflect on you as a professional.  If you think that anonymity is your saviour to be free and unfiltered, think again. People who have lived in the dark-web for their entire online lives have found out the hard way, mistakes are made, covers are blown and private becomes very public.

Personal becomes Professional

On several occasions, I have said things on my personal social media platforms that have been attributed to me as my professional capacity. I have even carried the disclaimer that, “Opinions and views are my own and not those of my employer.” That line is a protection for my employer, not for me. I know that it is a meaningless line that will afford me no protection at all if push ever came to shove.

Guidelines

Along with training, guidelines can provide some very valuable insight.  Provide guidelines to your employees both for personal and professional use and then tale those guidelines and post them publicly.  Transparency in this manner can work as a very powerful first level risk management tool. When your employees and the public are all aware of what is considered acceptable and approved it can create a good conscience that hovers in the back of the mind of your employees always.

Social media is a powerful system of tools that when used properly can provide many great benefits to professionals. They can also torpedo you if used improperly.

Policies can help, guidance will help, training is essential.