Social Media Policy

Social media can take many different forms, including internet forums, weblogs, social blogs, podcasts, pictures and video.

Social media is becoming very much a part of the way we communicate with various audiences. Regular use of these channels of communication enables ICIS to maximise opportunities with dynamic information sources and allows ICIS to reach a wider and more diverse audience.  However, members’ use of social media can pose risks to ICIS’s reputation, and can jeopardise ICIS’s compliance with legal obligations.

This social media policy is designed to encourage the appropriate and effective use of social media platforms, as well as provide guidelines for members to exercise personal responsibility when using social media.

Scope of Policy

This policy covers all Fellows and members of ICIS.

Breach of this policy by a Fellow or member may result in disciplinary action against the Fellow or member under the rules or bye-laws of ICIS. The Trustees of ICIS reserve the right to monitor and regulate the conduct of Society Fellows or members in relation to one another, and to the Society’s servants.

Any person suspected of committing a breach of this policy will be required to co-operate with ICIS’s investigations.

Fellows or members may be required to remove postings which are deemed to constitute a breach of this policy.

ICIS’s social media platforms

There is a vast array of platforms that the term ‘social media’ relates to. However, ICIS has recognised the key channels most beneficial to the organisation. These are:

• Twitter - a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users' updates known as tweets.
• Facebook – allows users to create a personal profile, add other users as friends and exchange messages, including automatic notifications when they update their profile.  Users may also join common interest user groups, organised by workplace or other characteristics.
• LinkedIn – allows users to create a personal profile, add other users as contacts, including automatic notifications.  Users may join common interest user groups, organised by workplace or other characteristics.
• YouTube -  allows users to create a personal profile and watch online content, add other users as friends and exchange messages, including automatic notifications when they update their profile.  Users may also join common interest user groups, organised by workplace or other characteristics.

This policy, however, applies to all forms of social media and all internet postings, including blogs. When accessing social media through ICIS’s website you must comply with ICIS’s Acceptable Use Policy.

This social media policy applies to your use of social media for both ICIS and personal purposes in so far as any reference made to ICIS. 

Appropriate professional use of social media

ICIS engages with social media on a professional level. If any ICIS Fellow or member uses social media channels they are asked to follow this policy and any other guidelines which are in place to ensure effective and appropriate usage. When using social media:

You will:

• Use appropriate language
• Think before you post any information online
• Ensure that your profile and any content you post are consistent with the professional image you present in respect of your association with ICIS.
• Make it clear in postings that you are speaking on your own behalf.  Write in the first person and use a personal email address when communicating via social media.

If you disclose your affiliation with ICIS, you must state that your views do not represent those of ICIS.  For example, you could state, “the views in this posting do not represent the views of ICIS.”

You will not:

• Upload content deemed disruptive, threatening, abusive, harassing, obscene, libellous or an invasion of another's privacy – this includes text, audio, photographs and video
• Use ICIS’s name in a derogatory manner or defame or disparage ICIS
• Upload content deemed confidential by ICIS
• Infringe the intellectual property of any company/individual – this can create liability for you and ICIS
• Use ICIS logos, brands, slogans or other trademarks without ICIS’s prior written consent
• Use inappropriate/irrelevant hashtags on Twitter
• Post personal messages through ICIS’s pages on any social media platform
• Breach Data Protection requirements (for example, never disclose personal information about a colleague/member online)
• Breach any other laws or ethical standards (for example, never use social media in a false or misleading way, such as by claiming to be someone other than yourself or by making misleading statements)

Members should never provide references for other individuals on social or professional networking sites, as such references can be attributed to ICIS and create legal liability for both the author of the reference and ICIS.

ICIS does not discourage members from engaging with social media platforms for personal usage.  However, guidelines are in place to ensure that you are using them appropriately and are not jeopardising the organisation with inappropriate use of personal profiles.

Negativity on social media platforms

It is important that social media platforms are monitored for negative comments about ICIS. If you are aware of negative comments posted on any of our pages, please make sure you email [email protected]

This policy is effective immediately and was last updated April 2020