The Social Media Guidelines of the Washington State Bar Association
apply to this network of members of the Alternative Dispute
Resolution Section.
Social Media Guidelines
for the Washington State Bar
Association and Its Entities
Social Media is an important way for an association to interact
with its members and the public as well as to facilitate
member-to-member dialog. Social networks (such as, but not limited
to, blogging, microblogging, networking sites, and social media)
offer opportunities for outreach, information sharing, and
interaction.
The Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) supports the use of
these Internet technologies to increase member engagement, build
community, and improve access to information, resulting in greater
value to our members and the public. These tools are another method
to communicate with a variety of audiences but may not be
appropriate in all instances nor for all kinds of
outreach.
The following guidelines apply to WSBA volunteers, sections,
committees, boards, divisions, panels, and related programs or
groups (“Entities”) wishing to use WSBA’s name and/or graphic
identity (e.g., logo) in conjunction with the creation or
maintenance of a social media presence that identifies the Entity
as being sponsored by, administered by, or affiliated with
WSBA.
Administering the social media
site
Each WSBA Entity desiring a social media presence will work with
the Entity’s staff liaison/contact to determine the Entity’s
objectives and the proper social media venues for the Entity.
The Entity will create a plan for its social media presence, to
include the social media tools they desire to use, the objective of
the use, and plans for generating regular and relevant
content. The WSBA staff liaison will establish the
page/account for the Entity. The Entity shall work with the
staff liaison to generate content updates to the
page/account. The WSBA reserves the right to remove any
content deemed inappropriate or not in keeping with these
guidelines. Entities are responsible, in collaboration with
their WSBA liaison/contact and all those individuals participating
in the social network, for complying with these guidelines.
Guidelines for social
networking
Be professional, respectful, and discreet in your online dialog.
Represent WSBA and our profession well. Exercise good
judgment. Entities and individuals who fail to do so, or who
fail to comply with these guidelines, may forfeit the right to
participate in social networking activities sponsored by
WSBA. In some circumstances, inappropriate use of social
media may subject you to discipline for failing to adhere to
applicable Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC), as well as civil or
criminal liability and penalties, as warranted.
1.
Be responsible. You are personally
responsible for the material you post. Carefully consider content;
what you publish will be widely accessible for some time and, in
some cases, indefinitely. All statements must be true and not
misleading. Do not post private information about yourself or
others – keep the posts relevant. Adhere to all statutory
prescriptions and Rules of Professional Conduct governing the
privacy of individuals and confidential information of your
clients.
2.
Be upfront;
identify yourself. Your honesty – or dishonesty – will be
quickly noticed in the social networking environment. Use your real
name, and, if relevant, your role or interest in the topic
discussed. When appropriate, make it clear you are speaking for
yourself and not on WSBA’s behalf.
3.
Be civil and
respectful. It’s alright to disagree with others, but do not
use defamatory, libelous, or damaging innuendo; abusive,
threatening, offensive, obscene, explicit, or racist language; or
post illegal material.
4.
Be quick to
correct an error. If you make a mistake, admit it. Quickly
provide the correct information. If appropriate, modify an earlier
post to make it clear that you have corrected an error.
5.
Keep it
relevant/add value. Write about what you know. Information
can add value if it contributes to the legal community’s knowledge
or skills, improves the legal system or public understanding of the
legal system, or builds a sense of community.
6.
Follow
copyright and fair use laws. Always give people proper
credit for their work. Make sure you have the right to use material
with attribution before publishing. It is a good practice to link
to others’ work rather than reproducing it on your site. When
in doubt as to the proprietary nature of material, don’t use
it. Recognize the potential professional and legal
consequences of any failure to follow applicable laws governing the
use of others’ material.
7.
Protect
proprietary and client information. Do not discuss or misuse
proprietary or confidential information, and follow all
professional and ethical rules governing the disclosure of
information shared with you by clients. When in doubt, leave it
out.
8.
Endorsements
of certain political positions are contrary to GR 12.1. The
activities of WSBA are defined by Washington Supreme Court rules
(GR 12.1), and those rules apply to social networking activity, as
well as a variety of other activities. As a membership
organization, WSBA needs to avoid even the appearance that it
directly or indirectly:
a. Takes
positions on issues concerning the politics or social positions of
foreign nations;
b. Takes positions on political or social issues
which do not relate to or affect the practice of law or the
administration of justice; or
c. Supports or opposes, in an election,
candidates for public office.
9.
Comply with
Washington rules governing lawyer conduct. Comply with
all legal restrictions and obligations governing professional
conduct, particularly those regulating communication and
advertising (RPC Title 7), when posting content to any social
network, including postings by an Entity.
10.
Do not
violate antitrust laws. Antitrust laws prohibit postings
that encourage or facilitate agreements between WSBA members of
different firms concerning the following, as they pertain to legal
services: prices, discounts, or terms or conditions of sale;
salaries; profits, profit margins, or cost data; market shares,
sales territories, or markets; allocation of customers or
suppliers; or any other term or condition related to
competition.
11.
Abide by the
social network’s rules. By joining a particular social
network, you agree to abide by that community’s terms of use, so
review those terms carefully.
Network
Rules
WSBA Entities may incorporate the WSBA’s name and/or logo into
their social media identity with prior approval from WSBA’s Deputy
Director for External Relations or his/her designee. To create
consistency and community on the Web, the WSBA has established
standard logo templates, disclaimers, and naming conventions. The
Entity must work with their assigned staff liaison from WSBA to
coordinate the development of the social network graphic and other
site requirements.
All Entities must provide direct links on any social media page
back to the “main” WSBA social media page.
Enforcing these
guidelines
WSBA does not actively monitor these sites for inappropriate
postings. If an inappropriate posting is brought to the
attention of WSBA, however, WSBA will take appropriate action to
enforce these guidelines.
Approved by WSBA Board of Governors, December 4,
2009