Apple's Social Media Policy

# Apple's Internal Employee Social Media Policies Leaked

[Internal Employee Social Media Policies Leaked]
This article references the leaked policy, which is pasted in the body of this
response below:

Apple Retail
Blogging and Online Social Media Guidelines:

Whether or not
you as an Apple employee choose to create or participate in a blog, wiki,
online social network or any other form of online publishing or discussion is
your own choice. In general, what you do on your own time is your business.
However, activities that affect your job performance, the performance of other
Apple employees, or Apple’s business interests are still covered by company
policies and guidelines. This applies whether you engage in these activities in
or outside of work, and whether or not you identify yourself as an Apple
employee.  If you choose to participate
in these types of online activities it is important that you understand what is
recommended, expected and required, whether at work or on your own time.

Accordingly, we
have developed the following guidelines for you to follow when posting to a
blog or some other form of social media like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or LinkedIn.
Be thoughtful about how you present yourself in online social networks. The
lines between public and private, and personal and professional are blurred in
online social networks. If you identify yourself as an Apple employee or are
known to be one, you are now connected to your co-workers, Leaders and even
Apple’s customers. You should ensure that content associated with you is consistent
with Apple policies.

Respect your
audience and your coworkers.

Remember that
Apple is a global organization whose employees and customers 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 topics that may be considered
offensive or inflammatory. Use your best judgment, but if you need further
guidance regarding what constitutes inappropriate communications please consult
with HR, your Leader or Apple’s Harassment policy.

Respect the
privacy of your coworkers.

Blogs, wikis,
social networks and other tools should not be used for internal communications
among fellow employees. It is fine for Apple employees to disagree, but please
don’t use your external blog or other online social media to air your
differences. Do not discuss your co-workers without their permission, and ask
permission before posting their picture. By respecting your co- workers’
privacy, you will be helping to maintain the professional work environment at
Apple.

Respect the
privacy of our customers.

It is a priority
that we respect the privacy of our customers. Do not use or discuss any
information regarding customers for any purpose. This includes contacting
customers for social reasons or soliciting outside business. If you need
further guidance in this area, please refer to Apple’s policy regarding
customer private information.

Use a
disclaimer.

When Apple wishes
to communicate publicly as a company it has well established means to do so.
Only those individuals officially designated by Apple have the authority to
speak on behalf of the company. If you identify yourself as an Apple employee,
however, people may confuse your opinions with those of the company. In order
to avoid this problem, you must make clear that you are writing for yourself
and on your own behalf, and not for Apple. At a minimum, we strongly recommend
that you include a disclaimer similar to the following: “the postings on this
site are my own and do not represent Apple’s opinions or positions.”

Protect Apple’s
confidential information.

As an Apple
employee you have an obligation to protect the confidential, proprietary and
trade secret information of the company. This obligation is laid out in several
places including the Intellectual Property Agreement you signed when hired and
in Apple’s Confidential Information Policy. For example, do not discuss any
Apple confidential information including your store’s financial or business
performance, and the timing, pricing or design of Apple’s products. Also, do not
post pictures of the inside of the Apple Store – including the back of house –
as those are not generally made public. Finally, do not post or disclose the
contents of any Apple policy. These documents are intended for the use of Apple
employees, and not for public distribution.

Respect
copyright, fair use laws.

For Apple’s
protection as well as your own, it is critical that you comply with all laws
governing copyright and fair use of copyrighted material owned by others. For
example, this means you should not be using Apple logos or images for your own
personal use. Also, you may not copy, digitize, alter or distribute any part of
a copyrighted work without first obtaining written permission from the
copyright owner. For more information, please refer to Apple’s copyright
policy.

Don’t use your
Apple email for personal use.

Your Apple email
address has been given to you for use at work. Therefore, you should not use
your Apple email address on your personal blog or when posting on social
network sites. You have been given a free (.mac/.me) email address to use for
non-work related emails. Please use that email or another personal email
address for those types of communications.
In sum, use your best judgment. Remember there may be consequences to
what you post or publish online including discipline if you engage in conduct
that Apple deems inappropriate or violates any Apple policies. If you’re about
to post something and you are concerned whether you are following these
guidelines or any Apple policy, please discuss it with your Leader or HR before
posting.

Confidential,
Proprietary, and Trade Secret Information:

Apple recognizes
that its confidential, proprietary, and trade secret information and that of
third parties constitute our competitive advantage in the marketplace. Apple
takes steps to protect its own confidential information and respects the
confidential information of others. As a result, Apple expects all employees to
take responsibility for protecting these sources of confidential information. Apple
identifies, classifies, and protects all of its valuable business information
from intentional or inadvertent disclosure, loss, modification, destruction,
and copying. You may not disclose Apple confidential information to an outside
party unless a written agreement or license has been previously signed and
approved by the division vice president.

Likewise, Apple
respects the confidential information of others. You may not use or disclose
any such third-party information unless you are authorized by the third party
to do so and until you have signed a confidentiality agreement with Apple.

Examples of
Apple confidential information include, but are not limited to the following:

·
sales and financial information of any kind
including store and individual metrics
product availability and constraints

·
information shared through store meetings,
corporate meetings, RNN, BulletNews, Kbase, or any other internal Apple
resource

·
hiring and training information including salaries
and bonus programs

·
Apple
policies and procedures

Retail Store
Websites

As an Apple
employee, you may not create store websites displaying store related activities.
This includes but is not limited to theater presentations, store openings,
posting schedules or other store events.

Employee Personal
Websites:

As an Apple
employee, you are often the first on the block to see and touch new Apple
products. While you may create personal websites, you may not display
photographs, articles, or commentary about Apple products, services, or
initiatives.

Posting Messages
on Mac-Related Websites:

As an Apple
employee, you represent the Apple brand. While you are free to view any website
on your own time, you may not post messages or commentary on Mac and
Apple-related websites, whether you identify yourself as an Apple employee or
not.

Speculating on
Rumors:

Refrain from
speculating on anything Apple has not officially announced, even if a customer
presses you for a personal opinion or indicates an interest in making a
substantial purchase. Information leaks can potentially damage Apple’s
interests, and Apple has zero tolerance for those who leak information. When
you began working for Apple, you agreed to keep Apple’s confidential
information within the workplace, including any information you receive from an
internal Apple source. Be cautious of conversations with other employees on the
sales floor. Customers often overhear these conversations which can lead to
misinformation.
Do not confirm or deny any information, even if customers pressure you by saying
they are about to make or influence a substantial purchase or refer to
non-Apple websites as sources of information.

Refer to the
following speaking points:

Apple does not
comment on rumors about decisions, products, programs, or promotions that have
not been officially announced by Apple.  By
withholding comment, Apple hopes to protect customers from making decisions
based on information that is incomplete, inaccurate, or subject to change before
the formal announcement.  Apple believes
this is the best way to ensure that all customers are treated fairly.

In addition to
the above, speculating on rumors with internal Apple colleagues is strictly
prohibited. Only those individuals on the Company’s official disclosure list
are entitled to receive and discuss information pertaining to unannounced
Company information.

The Way We Do
Business Worldwide:

Apple conducts
business ethically, honestly, and in full compliance with all laws and
regulations. This applies to every business decision in every area of the
company worldwide.

Apple’s Principles
of Business Conduct:

Apple’s success
is based on creating innovative, high-quality products and services and on
demonstrating integrity in every business interaction. Apple’s principles of
business conduct define the way we do business worldwide.

These
principles are:

·       Honesty. Demonstrate honesty and high
ethical standards in all business dealings.

·       Respect. Treat customers, suppliers,
employees, and others with respect and courtesy.

·       Confidentiality. Protect the confidentiality
of Apple’s information and the information of our customers, suppliers, and
employees.

·       Community. Conduct business in a way that
benefits the communities in which we operate.

·       Compliance. Ensure that business decisions
comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Making the
Right Decisions:

When facing a
tough decision:

Use good
judgment. Apply Apple’s principles of business conduct, review our policies,
review legal requirements, and then decide what to do.
Need some help? When in doubt about how to proceed, discuss pending decisions
with your Store Leader, your Human Resources representative, or the Legal
Department. If you need more support, contact the Business Conduct Helpline.

Your
Responsibilities:

Apple’s business
conduct policy and principles apply to employees, independent contractors,
consultants, and others who do business with Apple. All such individuals are
expected to comply with Apple’s business conduct policy and principles and with
all applicable legal requirements. Apple retains the right to discipline (up to
and including termination of employment) or end working relationships with
those who do not comply.  Please see
details of the Apple’s Business Conduct policy on the HR Web. Apple Retail may
have policies that supplement what is communicated in this link for our
employees.

Intel Social Media Policy