The Risk Management Group - The A to Z of Safe Social Media

Foreword

Businesses and other organisations are increasingly being encouraged to use social media both for marketing purposes and for better internal communications. At the same time, many organisations worry about exactly what they are doing on social media and whether they are posting messages that might damage the brand. All this is made more complicated as people increasingly use their own devices for work purposes (whether this is sanctioned/encouraged by their employers or not). Yet social media are also used by those who are malevolent to attack firms and individuals, not only by planting malware but also through social engineering to effect identity and data theft. Most of us do not know enough about the risks or are blind to the threats that may affect us: a recent Legal & General survey found that a significant percentage of users are happy to "friend" total strangers online without a second thought. Awareness and common sense are the best and simplest form of security and this "A to Z Guide" is an excellent starting point for everyone - from senior managers to the newest joiner.

Lord Toby Harris

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Produced by The Risk Management Group 2012

Copyright Mark Johnson & Corinne Blandin, 2012