Telehealth Doctors and Psychologists Australia

Social media policy

Introduction

With the rise of new media and next generation communications tools, the way in which 24-7MedCare employees can communicate internally and externally continues to evolve. While this creates new opportunities for communication and collaboration, it also creates new responsibilities for 24-7MedCare. The intention of the policy is to provide guidance for employees, contractors, visitors * and the general public in the appropriate use of social media.

*For the purpose of this policy, visitors includes any person engaged by a recruitment agency, labour hire organisation, volunteers, the general public or any other third party with whom 24-7MedCare has engaged.

Purpose

The purpose of the policy is to provide guidance in the use of social media postings both for internal and external use and to ensure that we mitigate any risks associated with social media usage. The policy also sets out how we will deal with postings from the general public.

Scope

This policy will apply to all employees, contractors, and visitors * of 24-7MedCare and its related entities, as well as the general public visiting our sites.

Definition

Social media includes but is not limited to applications and sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Blogs, Apps and other multi-media and social media networking platforms.

Using social media

Regardless of whether social media is used for business-related activity or for personal reasons, the following standards apply to all employees, contractors, and visitors of 24-7MedCare. Employees are legally responsible for their postings, and may be subject to liability and disciplinary action including termination of employment if their posts are found to be in breach of this policy and/or any other policy in force by 24-7MedCare.

Employees

Social media postings should:

  • Clearly identify you as a 24-7MedCare employee if you comment/post on any aspect of our business or any policy issue in which 24-7MedCare is involved and in which you have responsibility.
  • Reflect your personal point of view, not necessarily the point of view of 24-7MedCare.
  • Include the following disclaimer in a reasonably prominent place if you identify yourself as a 24-7MedCare employee on any posting, refer to the work done by 24-7MedCare or provide a link to the 24-7MedCare website: “The views expressed in this post are mine and do not reflect the views of 24-7MedCare.”
  • Respect copyright, privacy, fair use, financial disclosure and other applicable laws when publishing on social media platforms.

Social media postings should not:

  • Claim or imply that you are speaking on 24-7MedCare’s behalf, unless you are authorised to do so.
  • Disclose any information that is confidential or proprietary to 24-7MedCare, or to any third party that has disclosed information to 24-7MedCare.
  • Be defamatory, harassing, or in violation of any other applicable law.
  • Include confidential or copyrighted information (music, videos, text, etc.) belonging to third parties.
  • Violate any other applicable policy of 24-7MedCare.

General public

  • The 24-7MedCare social media sites are intended to provide a place for people to discuss 24-7MedCare. All users must comply with our Social Media Policy and 24-7MedCare reserves the right to remove any content at its own discretion.
  • 24-7MedCare expects that users will not post any materials that fall into any of the following categories:
  • Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others.
  • Publish, post, distribute or disseminate any defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, misleading or unlawful material or information.
  • Publish, post, distribute or disseminate any confidential or copyrighted information (music, videos, text, etc.) that belongs to third parties.
  • Upload or attach files that contain viruses, corrupted files, or any other similar software programs that may damage the operation of another’s computer.

Privacy and security

All employees, contractors, and visitors must obtain the relevant approval prior to posting any public representation of 24-7MedCare on social media sites. 24-7MedCare reserves the right to remove any content at its own discretion.

Monitoring social media sites

Social media sites may be monitored in accordance with the Internet, email and computer policy. Monitoring takes place for the purposes of compliance with the Code of Conduct and other policies relating to standards of behaviour and conduct, and this policy.

Breach of policy

Apart from the potentially adverse effects a blog or social networking entry may have on 24-7MedCare, once information or images have been posted on social media, it can be seen by many and
it is not possible to prevent its spread by others. Social media activities internally and
externally of 24-7MedCare must be in line with appropriate conduct and the laws relating to
defamation, bullying and harassment apply.