This paper presents the internal and external policy for Mactosh Company as an online retailer. The Policy addresses an employee acceptable user policy for information systems, assets, and technology including social media, mail, and mobile computing. The ethical and legal implications of the two policies are also discussed.
Table of Contents
Internal Policy
Social Media Guidelines
Permissible Uses of Personal Devices
Ethical and Legal Implications of the Internal Policy
External Policy
Website Privacy Policy
Purpose of the Policy
The Website
Use of Cookies
Contact and Communication
Email Newsletter
Social Media Platforms
External Links
Adverts and Sponsored Links
Ethical and Legal Implications of the External Policy
References
Internal Policy
The enlisted policies are required to be followed by employees to avoid errors in the contemporary society that is controlled by social media. Employees are expected to comply with the Mactosh’s business conduct with all the associated legal requirements. Mactosh retains the right to discipline including termination of working relationships with individuals who do not comply. The company respects the rights of employees to use social media tools to advance the company’s business. It is important that the employees be aware of the consequences of engaging in online and social media conversations that reference the company, its business, or its brands, and that they may be held responsible for their individual behavior. The company’s internal policy packet is as follows:
Social Media Guidelines
Whether or not you as a Mactosh employee choose to participate or create a wiki, blog, social network or any other online discussion is at your discretion. Whatever you do during your time is your business. Nonetheless, activities that impact on your job performance, the performance of colleagues at Mactosh Incorporation, or the business interests are addressed by the organization’s policies and guidelines. If you choose to engage in these online activities, it is essential that you appreciate what is required, expected, and recommended, whether on your own time or at work. Hence, we have developed these guidelines for you to observe when posting on social media platforms like MySpace, Facebook, Linkedin or Twitter.
Be cautious about how you present yourself on social media platforms. In social media networks, the lines between professional and personal, and public and private are blurred. If you identify yourself as a Mactosh employee or in any case known to be one, you are connected to Mactosh’s customers, leaders, and co-workers. You should make sure that your online content is associated with Mactosh policies.
Respect your audience. Note that Mactosh is an international entity whose customers and employees reflect a diverse set of values, customs, and views. Do not be afraid to be yourself, but do so with utmost respect. This includes not only avoiding the obvious vices like personal insults, ethnic slurs, and obscenity among others but also offensive and inflammatory topics. Employ your best discretion, but if you need more guidance regarding the constitution of inappropriate communications kindly consult with the Human Resource office, your leader, or Mactosh’s Harassment Policy.
Respect the privacy of Mactosh customers. The business gives the privacy of clients priority. As an employee, do not use any data regarding customers for personal advantage. This includes socializing with clients or soliciting them outside the business.
Respect the privacy of coworkers. Wikis, blogs, and social networks should not be used for formal communication among fellow employees. It is allowed for Mactosh employees to disagree, but do not use online platforms to address your differences. It is not allowed to discuss coworkers without their consent; also, seek permission before posting their pictures online. Respecting the privacy of coworkers maintains a professional working environment.
Always use a disclaimer. Mactosh has well-established means of making public communications. Only staff members designated by the company have authority to speak for Mactosh. If you identify yourself as an employee of Mactosh, nonetheless, people might confuse your views with those of the company. To avoid this problem, you must make it clear that whatever you write is on your behalf and not for Mactosh. At a minimum, it is highly recommended that you include a disclaimer similar to: “the content on this site is my own and does not represent Mactosh’s positions or opinions” (Buckley, 2012)
Protect confidential information of Mactosh. As an employee of the Mactosh, you are obliged to protect the confidential, trade secret and proprietary data of the company. This obligation is also stipulated in the Mactosh’s Confidential Information Policy and the Intellectual Property Agreement that you signed on your recruitment as an employee of Mactosh. For instance, do not discuss the company’s financial records, business timing, performance, or pricing of Mactosh products. Additionally, do not post pictures of the inside of the business premises- including the back of the building- as these are not made public. Lastly, do not disclose the contents of any Mactosh Policy. These documents are not meant for public distribution, but for use by Mactosh employees.
Respect copyright laws. For the protection of the company as well and your own, it is important that you comply with the regulations governing copyright and the use of copyrighted material. For example, you should not use the company’s images or logo for personal use. More so, you may not digitize, copy, distribute or alter any part of copyrighted material without written consent of the owner. If you use someone’s content, credit them in your post and be certain that they approve your use of their content.
Do not use the company’s email for personal purposes. Your Mactosh email address has been issued for use at work. Therefore, you should not use it on your personal social network sites of blogs. For those types of communications, use another personal email address.
In conclusion, use your best discretion. Note that there may be consequences to what you publish or post online including discipline if you engage in conduct deemed inappropriate by the company or violates Mactosh policies. In case you are about to post an item which you feel could violate our policies, kindly discuss with your leader before posting. You are responsible for your actions. Mactosh encourages its employees to get online and have fun, however, use common sense and sound judgement.
Permissible Uses of Personal Devices
As a Mactosh employee, you are in most cases, the first to see and touch new Mactosh products. While you may create personal websites using your communication devices, you may not display articles, photographs, or commentary about Mactosh services, products, or initiatives.
As a Mactosh employee, you represent the Mactosh brand. You are encouraged to promote Mactosh brands as long as you do not disclose that you have an affiliation with the company. While you are free to visit any website using your gadgets, you may not post commentary or messages on Mactosh-related websites, whether you identify yourself as our employee or not.
When you see posts on topics that require content expertise, such as the company’s financial performance or environmental impacts, avoid the temptation to respond directly to such topics unless the company has given you approved messages on the topic.
Ethical and Legal Implications of the Internal Policy
The policy guidelines developed for Mactosh Company are legally binding. This means that a breach of the guidelines is subject to disciplinary action. According to Kelly (2013), policies tend to perform optimally when they are binding. The policy also protects the employees from legal reprimand as it deters them from breaching legal stipulations such as the copyright laws. Therefore, the policy also enhances ethical practice in the business setting whereby the employees respect one another and the privacy of the customers.
Through these policies, the privacy of staff members could, to some extent, is breached. For instance, employees shall be requested to submit their personal websites, blogs, and other social networking platforms to the Human Resource Office. The office shall conduct routine monitoring of such platforms to ensure that the employees comply with the company’s social media policy. Davison, Hamilton, and Bing (2012) recommend constant monitoring of staff as a responsibility of the business management. The researchers observe that through monitoring, policy guidelines can easily be implemented. A little compromise of the employee is deemed necessary as it positively affects all the stakeholders. Through this measure, the integrity of the business is upheld, and this provides a favorable working environment for the employees. Moreover, the confidence of the customers is enhanced by security will be guaranteed for their confidential information (Broughton, Higgins, & Hicks, 2014).
The overall ethical and legal implication of this internal policy is a sound business practice where employees demonstrate respect amongst themselves and towards the customers too. Additionally, the policy will serve the interests of the business as legal tussles due to copyright and privacy breaches will be significantly reduced. The policy was arrived at after an appreciation that social media exposes the business to direct contact with public comment and opinion; thus the need to protect the business and its reputation.
External Policy
Website Privacy Policy
Purpose of the Policy
This privacy policy is for the website www.mactosh.co.us and served by Mactosh Company and governs the privacy of its users and individuals who choose to use it. The policy sets out the various areas of concern for the privacy of the users and stipulates the requirements and obligations of the users, website owners, and the website. More so, the policy outlines the way this website stores, protects and processes user data.
The Website
The Website and Mactosh management take a proactive approach to ensure user privacy. Necessary steps are taken to address the privacy of the users in their visiting experience. This website complies with all the federal and state regulations and the legal requirements for user privacy.
Use of Cookies
The Mactosh website uses cookies to improve the user experience. The website uses a cookie control mechanism that enabling the user on their first visit to allow or deny cookies on their communication devices. This provision complies with the current legal requirements for company websites to obtain unequivocal consent from the users before reading or leaving behind files such as cookies on the devices of the users.
Cookies are stored on the hard drive of the user’s computer devices; thus, store data about an individual’s usage of the website. This enables the website to provide the users with a specific experience on the website through the company’s servers. The users are advised that if they choose to deny the use of cookies from this website on their devices, they should make appropriate settings on their computers block all the cookies from this website and the company’s external vendors.
Tracking software is used by this website to monitor the visitors hence, an understanding of how the website is used. The tracking software is developed by Google Analytics, which employs cookies to track website usage by visitors. The software will save a cookie file to the hard disk of your computer to monitor and track your interaction with the website. However, the software will not collect, store, or save personal information. For more information, you can read the Google’s privacy policy from the link http://www.google.com/privacy.html
It is also necessary to observe that some cookies may be saved in your devices’ hard disk by external vendors in case this website uses sponsored links, referral programs or advertisements. Such third party cookies are used for referral tracking and conversion and, they ideally expire after a month. No personal data is saved, stored, or collected.
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- Quote paper
- M. Sc Environmental Science Marvin Namanda (Author), 2016, Policy Paper on the Mactosh Company, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/355208
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