Navigating Social Media Legal Risks

Book excerpt: The plain-English business guide to avoiding social media legal risks and liabilities—for anyone using social media for business—written specifically for non-attorneys! You already know social media can help you find customers, strengthen relationships, and build your reputation, but if you are not careful, it also can expose your company to expensive legal issues and regulatory scrutiny. This insightful, first-of-its-kind book provides business professionals with strategies for navigating the unique legal risks arising from social, mobile, and online media. Distilling his knowledge into a 100% practical guide specifically for non-lawyers, author and seasoned business attorney, Robert McHale, steps out of the courtroom to review today’s U.S. laws related to social media and alert businesses to the common (and sometimes hidden) pitfalls to avoid. Best of all, McHale offers practical, actionable solutions, preventative measures, and valuable tips on shielding your business from social media legal exposures associated with employment screening, promotions, endorsements, user-generated content, trademarks, copyrights, privacy, security, defamation, and more... You’ll Learn How To • Craft legally compliant social media promotions, contests, sweepstakes, and advertising campaigns • Write effective social media policies and implement best practices for governance • Ensure the security of sensitive company and customer information • Properly monitor and regulate the way your employees use social media • Avoid high-profile social media mishaps that can instantly damage reputation, brand equity, and goodwill, and create massive potential liability • Avoid unintentional employment and labor law violations in the use of social media in pre-employment screening • Manage legal issues associated with game-based marketing, “virtual currencies,” and hyper-targeting • Manage the legal risks of user-generated content (UGC) • Protect your trademarks online, and overcome brandjacking and cybersquatting • Understand the e-discovery implications of social media in lawsuits