IBM Does Not Have A Policy Of Advocating, Promoting Or Using ...
IBM Blogging Policy and Guidelines
Introduction
Responsible Engagement in Innovation and Dialogue
Whether or not an IBMer chooses to create or participate in a blog or a wiki or other
form of online publishing or discussion is his or her own decision. However, it is very
much in IBM's interest – and, we believe, in each IBMer's own – to be aware of this
sphere of information, interaction and idea exchange:
To learn: As an innovation-based company, we believe in the importance of open
exchange and learning – between IBM and its clients, and among the many
constituents of our emerging business and societal ecosystem. The rapidly growing
phenomenon of blogging and online dialogue are emerging important arenas for
that kind of engagement and learning.
To contribute: IBM – as a business, as an innovator and as a corporate citizen –
makes important contributions to the world, to the future of business and
technology, and to public dialogue on a broad range of societal issues. As our
business activities increasingly focus on the provision of transformational insight and
high-value innovation – whether to business clients or those in the public,
educational or health sectors – it becomes increasingly important for IBM and
IBMers to share with the world the exciting things we’re doing learning and doing,
and to learn from others.
In 1997, IBM recommended that its employees get out onto the Net – at a time when
many companies were seeking to restrict their employees' Internet access. We continue
to advocate IBMers' responsible involvement today in this new, rapidly growing space
of relationship, learning and collaboration.
IBM Blogging Policy and Guidelines
Guidelines for IBM Bloggers: Executive Summary
1.
Know and follow IBM's Business Conduct Guidelines.
2.
Blogs, wikis and other forms of online discourse are individual interactions, not
corporate communications. IBMers are personally responsible for their posts.
Be mindful that what you write will be public for a long time – protect your
privacy.
3.
Identify yourself – name and, when relevant, role at IBM – when you blog
about IBM or IBM-related matters. And write in the first person. You must
make it clear that you are speaking for yourself and not on behalf of IBM.
4.
If you publish a blog or post to a blog and it has something to do with work
you do or subjects associated with IBM, use a disclaimer such as this: “The
postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent IBM’s
positions, strategies or opinions.”
5.
Respect copyright, fair use and financial disclosure laws.
6.
Don’t provide IBM’s or another’s confidential or other proprietary information.
7.
Don't cite or reference clients, partners or suppliers without their approval.
8.
Respect your audience. Don't use ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity, etc.,
and show proper consideration for others' privacy and for topics that may be
considered objectionable or inflammatory – such as politics and religion.
9.
Find out who else is blogging on the topic, and cite them.
10. Don't pick fights, be the first to correct your own mistakes, and don't alter
previous posts without indicating that you have done so.
11. Try to add value. Provide worthwhile information and perspective.
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IBM Blogging Policy and Guidelines
Guidelines for IBM Bloggers: Detailed Discussion
1. The IBM Business Conduct Guidelines and laws provide the foundation for
IBM's policies and guidelines on Web logs (blogs).
The same principles and guidelines that apply to IBMers' activities in general, as
codified in the IBM Business Conduct Guidelines, apply to IBMers' activities
online. This includes forms of online publishing and discussion, such as Web
logs (blogs) and Wikis.
As outlined in the Business Conduct Guidelines, IBM fully respects the legal
rights of our employees in all countries in which we operate. In general, what
you do on your own time is your affair. However, activities in or outside of work
that affect your IBM job performance, the performance of others, or IBM's
business interests are a proper focus for company policy.
2. IBM supports open dialogue and the exchange of ideas.
IBM regards blogs as primarily a form of communication and relationship among
individuals. When the company wishes to communicate publicly as a company –
whether to the marketplace or to the general public – it has well established
means to do so. Only those officially designated by IBM have the authorization
to speak on behalf of the company.
However, IBM believes in dialogue among IBMers and with our partners,
clients, members of the many communities in which we participate and the
general public. Such dialogue is inherent in our business model of innovation,
and in our commitment to the development of open standards. We believe that
IBMers can both derive and provide important benefits from exchanges of
perspective.
One of IBMers' core values is “trust and personal responsibility in all
relationships.” As a company, IBM trusts – and expects – IBMers to exercise
personal responsibility whenever they blog. This includes not violating the trust
of those with whom they are engaging. IBMers should not use this medium for
covert marketing or public relations. If and when members of IBM's
Communications, Marketing, Sales or other functions engaged in advocacy for
the company have the authorization to participate in blogs, they should identify
themselves as such.
3. What does an IBMer's personal responsibility mean when blogging?
A blog is a tool individuals can use to share their insights, express their opinions
and communicate within the context of a globally distributed conversation. As
with all tools, it has proper and improper uses. While IBM encourages all of its
employees to join a global conversation, it is important for IBMers who choose
to do so to understand what is recommended, expected and required when
they discuss IBM-related topics, whether at work or on their own time.
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IBM Blogging Policy and Guidelines
Know the IBM Business Conduct Guidelines. If you have any confusion about
whether you ought to post something on your blog, chances are the BCGs will
resolve it. Pay particular attention to what the BCGs have to say about
proprietary information, about avoiding misrepresentation and about competing
in the field. If, after checking the BCG's, you are still unclear as to the propriety
of a post, it is best to refrain and seek the advice of management.
Be who you are. Some bloggers work anonymously, using pseudonyms or false
screen names. IBM discourages that in blogs, wikis or other forms of online
participation that relate to IBM, our business or issues with which the company is
engaged. We believe in transparency and honesty. If you are blogging about
your work for IBM, we encourage you to use your real name, be clear who you
are, and identify that you work for IBM. Nothing gains you notice in the
“blogosphere” more than honesty – or dishonesty. If you have a vested interest
in something you are discussing, be the first to point it out. But also be smart
about protecting yourself and your privacy. What you publish will be around for
a long time, so consider the content carefully and also be judicious in disclosing
personal details
Speak in the first person. Use your own voice; bring your own personality to
the forefront; say what is on your mind.
Use a disclaimer. Whether you publish a blog or participate in someone else's,
make it clear that what you say there is representative of your views and
opinions and not necessarily the views and opinions of IBM. At a minimum in
your own blog, you should include the following standard legal disclaimer
language: “The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent
IBM’s positions, strategies or opinions.”
Managers and executives take note: This standard disclaimer does not by
itself exempt IBM managers and executives from a special responsibility when
blogging. By virtue of their position, they must consider whether personal
thoughts they publish may be misunderstood as expressing IBM positions. And
a manager should assume that his or her team will read what is written. A blog is
not the place to communicate IBM policies to IBM employees
Respect copyright and fair use laws. For IBM's protection and well as your
own, it is critical that you show proper respect for the laws governing copyright
and fair use of copyrighted material owned by others, including IBM's own
copyrights and brands. You should never quote more than short excerpts of
someone else’s work. And it is good general blogging practice to link to others'
work. Keep in mind that laws will be different depending on where you live and
work.
Protecting confidential and proprietary information. You must make sure you
do not disclose or use IBM confidential or proprietary information or that of any
other person or company on any blog. For example, ask permission to publish
someone’s picture or a conversation that was meant to be private.
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IBM Blogging Policy and Guidelines
IBM's business performance. You must not comment on confidential IBM
financial information such as IBM's future business performance, business plans,
or prospects anywhere in world. This includes statements about an upcoming
quarter or future periods or information about alliances, and applies to anyone
including conversations with Wall Street analysts, press or other third parties
(including friends). IBM policy is not to comment on rumors in any way. Do not
deny or affirm them – or suggest either denial or affirmation in subtle ways.
Protect IBM's clients, business partners and suppliers. Clients, partners or
suppliers should not be cited or obviously referenced without their approval. On
your blog, never identify a client, partner or supplier by name without
permission and never discuss confidential details of a client engagement. It is
acceptable to discuss general details about kinds of projects and to use non-
identifying pseudonyms for a client (e.g., Client 123) so long as the information
provided does not violate any non-disclosure agreements that may be in place
with the client or make it easy for someone to identfy the client. Furthermore,
your blog is not the place to "conduct business" with a client.
Respect your audience and your coworkers. Remember that IBM is a global
organization whose employees and clients reflect a diverse set of customs,
values and points of view. Don't be afraid to be yourself, but do so respectfully.
This includes not only the obvious (no ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity,
etc.) but also proper consideration of privacy and of topics that may be
considered objectionable or inflammatory – such as politics and religion. If your
blog is hosted on an IBM owned property, avoid these topics and focus on
subjects that are business-related. If your blog is self-hosted, use your best
judgment and be sure to make it clear that the views and opinions expressed
are yours alone and do not represent the official views of IBM. Further, blogs
hosted outside of IBM's protected Intranet environment must never be used for
internal communications among fellow employees. It is fine for IBMers to
disagree, but please don't use your external blog to air your differences in an
inappropriate manner.
Add value. Blogs that are hosted on IBM-owned domains should be used in a
way that adds value to IBM's business. If it helps you, your coworkers, our clients
or our partners to do their jobs and solve problems; if it helps to improve
knowledge or skills; if it contributes directly or indirectly to the improvement of
IBM's products, processes and policies; or if it helps to promote IBM's Values,
then it is adding value. Though not directly business-related, background
information you choose to share about yourself, such as information about your
family or personal interests, may be useful in helping establish a relationship
between you and your readers, but it is entirely your choice whether to share
this information.
Apply the skills and values learned from participation in IBM jams, IBM
forums and other kinds of online collaboration. Although a relatively small
percentage of the IBM population has thus far participated actively in blogs, we
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IBM Blogging Policy and Guidelines
have a deep well of experience in online collaboration – perhaps deeper than
any other company in the world. Starting with the VM Fora in the 1980s, and
extending up to our emeetings, teamrooms and companywide jams on w3
today, IBMers have honed skills, wisdom and creativity in many forms of online
collaboration and engagement. We should bring this experience to bear in
blogs and wikis.
For instance, think about constructive forms of facilitation you've seen in
jams or the IBM Forums. What did those IBMers do that helped develop the
discussion, moved it forward, brought people together who were making
complementary points, encouraged others to express themselves – or to push
themselves? Blogs aren't restricted to expressing opinions, or disputing opinions,
or discussing products or services or one's personal life. They can also be a
forum for genuine public discussion and learning – and IBMers can play a fruitful,
mature and constructive role in helping that happen.
Know your fellow bloggers. The most successful bloggers are those who pay
attention to what others are saying about the topic they want to write about,
and generously reference and link to them. Who’s blogging on the topics that
most interest you? On the Internet, a quick way to find out who’s saying what is
to use the search tools on Technorati, DayPop or Blogdigger. Drop your fellow
bloggers a note to introduce yourself and your blog. There is also an informal
community of IBM bloggers, so you can quickly find out which of your peers are
part of the conversation.
Don’t pick fights. When you see misrepresentations made about IBM in the
media, by analysts or by other bloggers, you may certainly use your blog – or
join someone else's – to point that out. Always do so with respect and with the
facts. Also, if you speak about a competitor, you must make sure that what you
say is factual and that it does not disparage the competitor. You should avoid
arguments. Brawls may earn traffic, but nobody wins in the end. Don’t try to
settle scores or goad competitors or others into inflammatory debates. Here and
in other areas of public discussion, make sure that what you are saying is
factually correct.
Be the first to respond to your own mistakes. If you make an error, be up
front about your mistake and correct it quickly. If you choose to modify an earlier
post, make it clear that you have done so.
Use your best judgment. Remember that there are always consequences to
what you write. If you’re about to post something that makes you even the
slightest bit uncomfortable, review the suggestions above and think about why
that is. If you’re still unsure, and the post is about IBM business, feel free to
discuss your proposed post with your manager. Ultimately, however, you have
sole responsibility for what you choose to post to your blog.
Don't forget your day job. You should make sure that blogging does not
interfere with your job or commitments to customers.
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