There’s an engaging discussion about good social media citizenship going on in my post Our lofty claims and due diligence. This reminded me about an effort by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) to develop a Social Media Code of Conduct. Several weeks ago, that organization published a paper for consultation among its members.
The fundamental principles of the draft are simple; CIPR members must execute their online activities and conduct themselves with integrity, competence and confidentiality. At their heart, I believe that these principles are what true social media geeks already adhere to as an unspoken code of conduct. It’s nice to see that the professional community is looking to formalize these principles and that membership will be held accountable once the draft is endorsed. On top of everything else, it’s another acknowledgement of the role that social media plays in personal and professional public relations.
The document explains social media in plain terms, and includes sections which address – albeit at a high level – disclosure, privacy and the falacy that is “off the record” (though, CIPR is far more diplomatic in their explanation).
The paper is called Social Media Guidelines – Consultation and it’s available to the public on the CIPR member consultation page.
